Intel Corporation has recently previewed its first DOCSIS 3.0 cable gateway solution that is capable of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). The Intel Puma 6 technology solution will help enable service providers to meet consumer demand and offer new services while extending their extensive network investments. A test program by South Korea’s SKbroadband is targeting production deployment of 1Gbps in 2013.
As the number of Internet-connected devices in the home grows, service providers are challenged to provide higher broadband speeds to more customers utilizing an existing cable network. A service provider’s ability to scale up to this high level of bandwidth will help enable new high-bandwidth experiences for what the industry calls “TV Everywhere,” an immersive blend of Internet, television, gaming and applications across multiple screens throughout the home.
With the advanced technology of the DOCSIS 3.0 specification, multiple system operators (MSOs) can offer more users faster access to bandwidth-intensive experiences such as streaming video or online gaming using their existing network infrastructure and DOCSIS 3.0 equipment. Due to the flexibility of this technology, the Intel Puma 6 achieves the 1Gbps downstream speeds by bonding up to 24 DOCSIS channels (up from eight bonded channels in a typical deployment today). Intel Puma 6 has an upload speed that is double current-generation DOCSIS modems. With up to 240Mps upstream (eight bonded channels), more consumers will benefit from new services that include video conferencing, cloud storage and easy sharing.
“We continue to lead in DOCSIS technology, and are now providing cable gateway solutions with 1Gbps capability,” said Alan Crouch, general manager of Intel’s Service Provider Division. “Service providers can now deliver on consumer demands for higher broadband speeds, supporting a proliferation of new devices, services and experiences.”
The Intel Puma family system architecture provides OEMs with flexibility to easily customize their products to fit a wide range of MSO-required and optional features such as high data rates, wireless communications, power down modes and telephone support. Intel was the first to deploy DOCSIS 3.0 technology with Intel Puma 5, and over 20 million DOCSIS 3.0 systems have shipped.
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