Cable operators have launched an initiative to launch 10-gigabit modems as they aim to take on the forthcoming implementation of 5G wireless networks.
Currently, most cable companies use 1-gigabit-per-second modems. According to industry body CableLabs, the industry has moved from four per cent of homes at a gigabit a second in 2016 to 80 per cent in 2018.
International cable operators, including Vodafone and Liberty Global are implementing the new 10G initiative.
Lab trials are already underway, and field trials are expected to begin in 2020.
Michael Powell, president of the Internet and Television Association (NCTA), said: “With groundbreaking, scalable capacity and speeds, the 10G platform is the wired network of the future that will power the digital experiences and imaginations of consumers for years to come. As an industry, we are dedicated to delivering an exceptional national infrastructure that will power digital advancement and propel our innovation economy into the future.”
Explaining what 10G is, Powell said: “It’s a menu of technologies designed to turbo-charge current networks, allowing providers to evolve existing one gigabit platforms to 10 gigabit connections with symmetrical speeds, lower latencies, enhanced reliability, higher compute capabilities, and better security in a scalable manner.
“At the centre of this technology transformation is a new, fully-developed technological standard called 10 Gigabit Full Duplex DOCSIS, or 10g FDX, which makes it possible to deliver multi-gigabit upload and download speeds over the connections already present in hundreds of millions of homes.”