We live connected lives. Broadband has become critical to how we live, work, learn and play. Advancing the way we connect is hard work and involves a massive, collaborative technology ecosystem to support myriad vendors and deliver constant cutting-edge broadband services to hundreds of millions of households and businesses globally.
CableLabs is the leading innovation and research and development lab for the cable industry. Working with suppliers and network operators, we drive the evolution of broadband technology and services. Two of the cable industry’s premier technologies are hybrid-fiber coax (HFC) and Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS®). HFC provides the cable infrastructure that connects cable operators to customers. The DOCSIS network is the collection of interfaces and protocols that run over HFC to connect homes and businesses to the internet. CableLabs’ latest specification, DOCSIS 4.0, evolves cable broadband to enhance the user experience as part of the industry’s 10G initiative.
CableLabs recently hosted two Interop•Labs events convening suppliers and operators to share knowledge ultimately focused on bringing DOCSIS 4.0 technology to the field. In the ever-evolving world of telecommunications, the organization’s effort to ignite co-innovation is advancing the next generation of HFC and DOCSIS technology - and bringing the world that much closer to the promise of 10G connectivity.
Given the platform’s potential for uncompromised network reliability, secure connectivity, significantly faster internet speeds and lower latency, 10G demands a combination of technologies - including DOCSIS - to realize its transformative possibilities. Before diving into the key takeaways and how these events are helping shape the future of broadband technology, understanding the distinct nature of technology development in the broadband industry is crucial.
Why broadband innovation and technology development is different
Broadband’s distinct characteristics and technological challenges make broadband innovation different from other entrepreneurial or innovative sectors.
Because HFC and DOCSIS broadband technologies serve hundreds of millions of households and businesses across a global footprint, the vast scale requires a complicated ecosystem of hardware and software. Integrating all the components of broadband at internet scale is challenging. Reaching such an extensive customer base involves careful planning, substantial investment and a focus on reliability.
Additionally, broadband often operates in environments with legacy infrastructure, impacting compatibility, cost and deployment strategies. Broadband technologies are also subject to various regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements to ensure consumer protection, security, privacy and fair competition. Finally, investments in network infrastructure can span decades, requiring technologies to remain relevant and adaptable across long life cycles.
CableLabs provides an industrywide reference point to ensure interoperability between various devices by specifying protocols and contributing to standards. Interoperability helps suppliers and operators ensure compatibility and quality, provide seamless service and maintain network functionality. Organizations like CableLabs, its cable operators members, Kyrio - a CableLabs subsidiary focused on creating economic and strategic value for network operators and their suppliers - and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers are essential in defining and testing these specifications and standards.
Consumers have high expectations for broadband services regarding speed, reliability and security, and meeting these evolving consumer expectations requires collaboration among competing companies to ensure network compatibility and adherence to standards.
CableLabs Interop•Labs events empower broadband industry stakeholders with an environment for working together to develop innovations that meet - and even exceed - constantly shifting consumer demands.
The importance of DOCSIS 4.0 technology interoperability
DOCSIS is a set of technical specifications governing how internet data is transmitted over HFC networks. Cable operators use DOCSIS networks to deliver broadband internet to homes and businesses using the same coaxial cables that provide television signals. Each new version of the DOCSIS specification brings enhancements that enable more data to be transmitted over the same cable infrastructure.
CableLabs brought cable modem termination systems (CMTS) and cable modem (CM) suppliers and operators together to worki on bringing this technology to our labs this July and August. The in-person event was well attended. Participating technology suppliers (Arcadyan, Casa Systems, Cisco, CommScope, EPiDoX, Harmonic, Rohde & Schwarz, Sagemcom, Ubee, Vantiva and Vecima) brought more than a dozen products to the CableLabs laboratories for evaluation focused on the new 4.0 specifications necessary for interoperability.
DOCSIS 4.0 technology interoperability enables:
- Suppliers to compete in a broader market.
- Operators to offer more subscriber service choices.
- Competition and innovation among a substantial community of experts.
The CMTS and CM suppliers must both agree on numerous parameters to ultimately provide service. Yet reaching that understanding often boils down to how consistently suppliers interpret the specifications. One of CableLabs’ unique abilities is working with our community to provide opportunities to connect devices from different manufacturers and investigate how well the whole systems work in the context of those specifications.
During the first event, six DOCSIS 4.0 CMs from four suppliers were interconnected to six DOCSIS 3.1 CMTSs from five companies, iteratively pairing to investigate the functionality and interoperability of the equipment against the specification requirements. With even greater attendance and more mature products, the second event built on previous successes and also began working through security functionality and network connection.
Key takeaway #1: approaching DOCSIS 4.0 maturity
The CableLabs DOCSIS 4.0 Interop-Labs events demonstrate that the next iteration of HFC technology is approaching maturity and nearing readiness for market deployment.
The DOCSIS 3.1 specifications, launched in 2013, marked a shift toward gigabit internet speeds, adopting new encoding techniques to improve efficiency and enable cable operators to offer faster plans. DOCSIS 4.0 technology supports up to 10 gigabits per second speeds downstream and up to 6 Gbps upstream, easily enabling multigigabit symmetric services over HFC networks - and opening the door for futuristic applications that enhance how we live, work, learn and play.
Key takeaway #2: cross-generation compatibility
DOCSIS 4.0 cable modems will operate in upgraded HFC plants and legacy plants using DOCSIS 3.1 CMTS platforms.
Cementing the notion that broadband innovation is different is that legacy infrastructure must be considered when developing new technologies. That said, not all infrastructure can be upgraded all at once. However, the two CableLabs Interop•Labs events confirmed that the DOCSIS 4.0 cable modems can be deployed before upgrading all of the HFC plants and transitioning to the new DOCSIS 4.0 platforms, enabling a more flexible rollout and compatibility across generations.
Key takeaway #3: multivendor interoperability
CableLabs specifications and these interoperability events allow suppliers and operators to interconnect devices they normally don’t have direct access to and investigate how well their solutions work with others.
A positive advancement in bringing next-generation CMs and CMTSs to market, decreasing risks in technology development and minimizing integration costs for both suppliers and operators, these events foster an environment where different suppliers and operators can collaborate, ensuring that their devices work harmoniously together to keep our world connected.
Together, these first two events - and CableLabs’ recent announcement for support of CableLabs DOCSIS 4.0 CM certification - are incremental steps in supporting the cable industry’s deployment of DOCSIS 4.0 technology and the future of connectivity. We are looking forward to future events where we will consider additional functionality.
Beyond interoperability to build community
The journey from concept to deployment in broadband is unlike any other in the tech world. CableLabs’ Interop•Labs events go beyond mere interoperability. We build and sustain communities of professionals working to make broadband a reality. Marking a return to face-to-face collaboration and highlighting the significance of working together to tackle complex challenges, Interop•Labs events make it easier for experts from various backgrounds to collaborate, share insights and invent the future.
In a world that often emphasizes competition over collaboration, this communal spirit is a testament to the vital role of cooperation in the broadband ecosystem. As we look ahead, we can expect more CableLabs Interop•Labs events to show the path forward, ensuring that the broadband industry continues to innovate and evolve, serving the needs of millions across the globe.
