Cablemedia June 2016 | Page 3

cablemedia2006v6_1 20/06/2016 17:04 Page 2 MONITOR 9m DOCSIS 3.1 subs by 2017 ith ultra-broadband technologies on target to become a transformative next generation solution for high speed internet, ultra-high bandwidth and faster Internet speeds of 1 Gbps will be achievable when using G.fast, cable technology DOCSIS 3.1 or GPON. DOCSIS 3.1 is able to produce downstream speeds of 10 Gbps and upstream speeds of 1 Gbps when equipped with the proper devices and ideal network settings. ABI Research forecasts that there will be approximately nine million broadband subscribers using DOCSIS 3.1 equipment by 2017, representing slightly more than 1% of total fixed broadband subscriptions worldwide. “Technology vendors like SAGEMCOM, Technicolor and Teleste Corporation already have commercial DOCSIS 3.1 solutions available in the market, which has seen strong response in the Western European region,” W Cisco boosts Altice speed record Following the successful launch of its Zive subscription video ondemand service, multinational cable, fibre, telecommunications, contents and media company Altice has begun a field trial for its DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit broadband service with SFR in France, using the Cisco cBR-8 converged broadband router. In less than a year Altice has deployed the cBR-8 across its markets in France and is rapidly progressing with deployment of the cBR-8 says Michael Inouye, principal analyst at ABI Research. “The DOCSIS 3.1-ready products and solutions are able to achieve 1.2 GHz bandwidth, and some, like those from Teleste, started shipping in 2014. Meanwhile, operators in the United States are showing interest, with cable players like Comcast, Cox and Midcontinent to launch their DOCSIS 3.1 networks in 2016 and 2017.” The growing demand for broadband content and services, along with the need for enhanced quality of experience (i.e. high definition video and beyond and smooth streaming) is spurring the development of gigabit services in the market. With numerous planned trials on DOCSIS 3.1 to facilitate the commercial deployments of gigabit services, many cable companies are making the availability of DOCSIS 3.1 nearer to a reality due to its across its U.S. entities and all Altice International companies. Altice can now help its operators deliver faster Internet speeds to support high-definition and 4K videoon-demand services and offer a more immersive entertainment experience for its customers. In its recent Gigabit broadband service field trial in France using the Cisco cBR-8, Altice hit a record speed of more than 3 gigabits per second (Gbps) per subscriber, as well as proving capabilities for more than 7 Gbps of aggregate bandwidth ADVANCED TELEVISION expected cost-effectiveness and scalability. At present, ABI Research finds that interest for on-demand services is pickin