cable access developments

Cable Broadband Access

Developments

Benjamin FuJune 5th, 2014

Agenda• DOCSIS Recap

• DOCSIS 3.1

• CCAP & Other Fancy Stuff

• Vendor-X’s Strategy

DOCSIS RecapDOCSIS: Most successful broadband access tech in NA

• DOCSIS 1.0o Started the broadband access era

• DOCSIS 1.1o Sophisticated QoS mechanism enabled IP Voiceo Still the stepping stone for today’s QoSo BPI+, certificate

• DOCSIS 3.0o Channel bondingo IPv6o More security enhancements

DOCSIS Recap (cont.)DOCSIS 3.0 deployment facts• Actively deployed for 5+ years, fast-growing• Majority offering: 8x4 (DS/US)• Some started 24x8

o 1Gbps downstream / 200Mbps upstream peak rate

DOCSIS 3.0 CPE• Vendors ceased D2.0 in 2012• D3.0 CPE revenue increased by 85% in 2013• 16/24 channel D3.0 CPE started shipping late 2013


• DOCSIS 3.1



DOCSIS 3.1 - Why• EPON/GPON, Google fiber, etc.

• IP Video: YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, emerging 4K video

• Why not just bond more channels?

• Backwards compatibility

DOCSIS 3.1 - Basics• Goal

o Achieve 10G+ bps in downstream & 2G+ bps in upstreamo Backwards compatible all the way back to DOCSIS 1.1o Spectral efficiency

• Technologyo OFDM, OFDMA, LDPCo Expanded spectrumo Greener

• Competitive with FTTH at much lower cost

DOCSIS 3.1 - Advantages

DOCSIS 3.1 - Technologies

DOCSIS 3.1 - Technologies

• OFDMo No 6 MHz or 8 MHz channel concept any longero DOCSIS 3.1 OFDM downstream channel: 192 MHzo Upstream OFDMA channel bandwidth is 96 MHzo Possible to turn off some subcarriers

• LDPCo Existing for more than 4 decades – high computational complexityo More robust than Reed-Solomon FECo Provides up to 4-5 dB gain compared to RS FEC

• Better modulation and network robustnesso 1024 QAM where 256 QAM was present in SC QAM DS (same RF quality)

• Downstream = 25% increase in bits/Hzo 256 QAM where 64 QAM was present in SC QAM US

• 64 QAM to 256 QAM for Upstream = 33% increase in bits/Hz

DOCSIS 3.1 – Backwards

Compatibility • Back office

o Only MULPI and PHY spec published, no OSSI yeto Shouldn’t be big change requiring back office upgrade

• DOCSIS 3.1 CPEo Simultaneously support legacy SC-QAM channels and OFDM channelso Possibility of bonding SC-QAM and OFDM

• Upstream spectral multiplexingo Legacy SC-QAM and OFDMA able to be time multiplexed

All for Gradual introduction

DOCSIS 3.1 – Practical

Concerns• Upstream

o Sub-split, mid-split, high-splito In relatively long period, many MSO will be stuck at 5-42Mhzo Higher-split then 42Mhz

• Diplex filter replacement• Most likely amplifier replacement

o Legacy DTV OOB• Movable above 120Mhz?

o Return laser upgrade – higher order modulation…

• Downstreamo RF plan upgrade: 860Mhz to 1Ghz or even 1.2Ghz planto Very high cost


• DOCSIS 3.1



CCAPConverge Cable Access Platform

• MSO initiated architecture

• Goalso Flexible & dynamic QAM usage, across services (SDV,VoD, DOCSIS,

etc.)o QAM replicationo Simplified RF combiningo Agnostic in either uplink and access technologies (Starting from D3.0)o Modular software architecture

CCAP (cont.)• CCAP Benefits

o Reduce power and space requirements in Head-endo Optimizing combining network with QAM replicationo Repurpose QAM channels on the fly – No rewiring

• CCAP main playerso Cisco (existing FRGW-10, or NG cBR8)o Arris (E6000)o Casa (C100G, mini CMTS)

• Distributed CCAP?

Fiber Deep/Remote PHY

I-CMTS

M-CMTS

Fiber Deep/Remote PHY

Remte-PHY

C-DOCSIS• C-DOCSIS

o Full feature layer 2 Mini CMTSo OLT mandate as uplink

• Cisco’s version of C-DOCSISo 3G60 basedo PHY on CMC only (long-term goal: remote-PHY)

• Virtualizationo Server based MAC and management o CMTS in the Cloud


• DOCSIS 3.1



Vendor-X Strategy• CMTS/CCAP

o Dominant technology in North America but not Asia/Europeo Is Vendor-X strong in CMTS ?

• Distributed/Remoteo C-DOCSIS – Main drafting member, MA5633o Very strong in EPON/GPONo Porting to broader market?

• DOCSIS 3.1o Sampled back in Oct, 2013o Very strong in CPE, both technology and marketingo CPE, esp. DOCSIS 3.1 CPE (gateway)

Thank You!

Sources from: CableLabs,

Cisco Live! 2014 presentation, Lightreading.comVendor’s website.

Backup: OFDM Frequency

Backup: DS Profiles

• A: Worst o (say, mostly 256-QAM)

• B: Averageo (say, mostly 1024-QAM)

• C: Bettero (say, mostly 2048-QAM)

• D: Besto (say, mostly 4096-QAM)

Backup: Spectrum Alignment

Backup: Energy Mangement