The number of connected devices and bandwidth-hungry online experiences are expected to increase exponentially in the next decade, according to Belal Hamzeh, VP of Research & Development, Wireless Technologies at CableLabs—the non-profit R&D consortium based in Louisville, Colo.
With the continuous development of new applications that enable new experiences, such as augmented reality and virtual reality, an increase in upstream capacity demand is a matter of “when” and not “if,” he continued. Thus, operators are continuously challenged to find cost-effective solutions to meet this growing demand for faster broadband speeds. With a focus on solving this challenge of the future, CableLabs recently completed the Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 specification.
Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 technology builds on the successful completion of CableLabs’ DOCSIS 3.1 specification, which made deployments of 10 Gbps downstream and 1 Gbps upstream broadband possible. Full Duplex 3.1 technology improves upon the DOCSIS 3.1 standard by:
• Significantly increasing upstream capacity.
• Enabling symmetric multi-gigabit services over existing hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) technology.
• Ensuring that cable operators are ready to meet future requirements for technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, even though widespread consumer demand for high-speed upstream is not yet needed.
Current DOCSIS networks have to juggle available upstream and downstream traffic. Full Duplex DOCSIS technology supports multi-gigabit symmetric services by enabling concurrent transmissions in the same spectrum, providing the ability to increase the upstream capacity without sacrificing downstream capacity. This has the potential to greatly improve network efficiency and, in turn, customer experience.
Starting from Full Duplex DOCSIS as an internal innovation, CableLabs developed this solution in collaboration with its members and industry partners, letting cable operators deliver multi-gigabit symmetric services. Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 technology offers high speeds over the existing infrastructure and is less expensive to deploy than fiber, while still maintaining backwards compatibility with previous generations of DOCSIS technology. Check their website for the complete Full Duplex DOCSIS specification.
CableLabs
www.cablelabs.com
Filed Under: Cables + cable management, CONNECTIVITY • fieldbuses • networks, Virtual reality
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