CableLabs says six technology companies completed the first interoperability test of DOCSIS 3.1 products. The event included providers of early implementations of cable modems, CCAPs, and test and measurement equipment focused on the physical layer connectivity.
The event was designed to test product interoperability and demonstrate both higher efficiency and wider channels. CableLabs will be facilitating a series of interop events building up to the certification program that will be open for submissions in 2015. The next interop is scheduled for Jan. 19-23, at CableLabs in Louisville, CO.
"The success of this first DOCSIS 3.1 interop validates that multi-gigabit services will soon be a reality for cable broadband customers," said Tom Lookabaugh, chief research and development officer at CableLabs. "Operators around the world can now look forward to a new generation of capabilities added to their DOCSIS-based networks."
Features of DOCSIS 3.1, introduced in October 2013, include:
- Support for up to 10 Gbps downstream and 1 Gbps upstream
- Active Queue Management to reduce network delay in the home network
- Increased network capacity (up to 50% more data over the same spectrum on existing HFC networks)
- Increased cable modem energy efficiency
- Backward compatibility