The generally cautious--some would say slow--development of technology specifications is apparently ramping up to meet the desires--some would say impatient demands--of a growing base of technologically savvy users.
As evidence, look no further than the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo "special session" announced Thursday between the SCTE and CableLabs to "accelerate understanding of the next evolution of DOCSIS high-speed Internet technology."
The next evolution discussion, which will center around a coordinated relationship between the two organizations, comes even as the present generation of DOCSIS 3.0 begins to make ripples across the broadband space. A 90-minute panel, slated for Oct. 18, will include "network technologists from CableLabs and the MSO community" along with an overview of what needs to be done to prepare for the next generation of high-speed broadband specifications.
"DOCSIS 3.1 specification development is a significant milestone on the industry's roadmap to next-generation services. Our SCTE Cable-Tex Expo panel will identify the motivations, requirements and key technology building blocks under development with the collaboration of the vendor community," said Ralph Brown, CableLabs' CTO, in an SCTE news release. "DOCSIS 3.1 solutions will provide both residential and commercial cable customers with faster data rates--both upstream and downstream--that support increasingly compelling broadband services."
Those "compelling" services include an array of multiscreen and TV Everywhere offerings that cable operators are increasingly providing as enhancements to current linear television packages and as competition to IP-based over-the-top and IPTV services.
SCTE has positioned its Cable-Tec Expo, this year in Orlando, as "the place where problems and problem-solvers meet." In this instance, the problem is the wild growth of demand for broadband speeds to handle an even wilder growth in broadband-delivered content.
"The faster new technologies can come to market, the sharper cable's competitive edge will be," said Daniel Howard, senior vice president of engineering and CTO of SCTE, in the news release. "Our involvement with CableLabs on the DOCSIS 3.1 specification is an example of how SCTE will be engaging with CableLabs, operators and vendors throughout the development process to ensure that training and other workforce resources are available on a timely basis."
It is, Howard concluded, "all about deploying new technology faster than ever before."
For more:
- SCTE issued this news release
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