Extended Spectrum DOCSIS Networks Loom Closer and Larger

By Dave Wachob

As estimated deployment dates of extended spectrum DOCSIS networks loom closer and larger, the prospect of widely available multi-gigabit data service tiers now seems not only possible, but predictable over the next several years.

Earlier this year, Cablelabs, together with operators and innovators credibly demonstrated roughly 9 Gbps DS and 6 Gbps US speeds in a Node + 4 cascade, opening the possibility of large-scale viability of the new standard. This brings cable within reach of its 10G Platform goal, cementing broadband and HFC as the most viable and economical alternative for the vast cable infrastructure that provides the lion’s share of data throughout North America.

And yet, fiber deployment is at an all-time high, and the role of hybrid optics in delivering cable’s future promise has also been a key feature of the last few years of the ongoing evolution of DOCSIS and cable more broadly. That future is likely to bring continued innovation, not only in fiber transport modes, but in the various applications of optics in HFC networks in ways that enhance and extend the reach of conventional architectures.

PON will continue to increase in viability as nodes become smaller. To achieve scale requires more dedicated network capacity per subscriber, HFC networks seem poised to evolve as well, bringing fiber closer to the subscriber’s point of entry.

In addition, we are likely to see much more innovation geared towards addressing optimal end-of-line performance and improved spectral densities in lower density areas where coax is king. Rural areas, now the target of unprecedented investments in infrastructure, may also require new approaches to maintain the viability of existing broadband cable infrastructure for the foreseeable future.

We have already seen the important role that grey optics can play in extending or bridging cable to reach low density subscriber groups more economically than a wholesale conversion to PON, and the associated “last mile FTTH.” We will likely see variations on that theme —such as the possibility of grey optics overlays utilized to enhance end-of-line performance and to overcome cable loss in areas where long cable spans between taps and amplifiers are the norm.

The interim between these hybrid approaches and PON may be a very long one as continued innovation in the application of optics yields long lasting value as a medium-term bridge to an all fiber future.

Dave Wachob,

Chief Business Development Officer,

Antronix

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