Refresh and Revitalize Your HFC Network

Competitive pressures in the cable industry have placed a premium on access network speeds and capacities. These pressures are magnified by the fact that many access networks—especially those deployed in rural and lightly populated suburban areas—still operate at sub-split 42/54 MHz DOCSIS® 3.0 frequencies. But as operators saw during the pandemic, when shelter in place directives caused significant spikes in network traffic, sub-split networks do not adequately support high-traffic scenarios. Even traditional methods for reclaiming bandwidth, such as node splits, have limited long-term utility; node splits, for example, typically reach full capacity in only two or three years.

Plant upgrades, on the other hand, are viable for at least a decade. The primary question, though, is when and how to implement these upgrades. Despite the justified excitement over leading-edge technologies like DOCSIS 4.0 and FTTH, several factors, such as capital expenditures, return on investment, and long-term business plans, may give you pause before committing to them. That’s why you’ll want to choose carefully before committing to a particular network upgrade plan.

If you favor a fiscally conservative strategy for upgrading your sub-split network, it makes sense to consider a DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade. DOCSIS 3.1 greatly expands upon DOCSIS 3.0’s maximum bandwidths, speeds, and spectral efficiencies to support enhanced and optimized network performance. CommScope’s evolutionary products and solutions support a full range of end-to-end DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade and optimization paths, so you can choose the one that best fits your budget, network requirements, and business goals.

D3.0 Comparison Table

DOCSIS 3.0 vs. DOCSIS 3.1 Operating Capabilities

Features and Benefits

Increased Capacity

Bandwidth and speed are the backbone of any high-performing network. According to the CableLabs specification, DOCSIS 3.1 can increase the network capacity of legacy DOCSIS 3.0 networks by over 50 percent. That’s because DOCSIS 3.1 extends bandwidth capacity to a maximum of 1.2 GHz in the downstream and 204 MHz in the upstream through either 85/102 MHz mid-split or 204/258 MHz high-split operating frequencies. A DOCSIS 3.1 plant upgrade is an effective way to modernize your plant by replacing end-of-life actives, passives, and other obsolete network equipment to support these extended bandwidths.

Mid-split and high-split DOCSIS 3.1 bandwidths support downstream Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and upstream Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) channels. OFDM/A operation enables you to reclaim additional bandwidth by retiring SC-QAM channels and reassigning their bandwidth to OFDM/A channels to maximize capacity across the DOCSIS 3.1 spectrum. Standard DOCSIS 3.1 networks support up to two OFDM downstream channels and two OFDMA upstream channels, the maximum number of US/DS channels tunable to first-generation CPE devices. This channel configuration can support typical throughput speeds of ~2.5 Gbps in the downstream and ~1.25 Gbps in the upstream.

You can expand downstream OFDM capacity further with CommScope’s D3.1Enhanced (D3.1E) technology. D3.1E technology leverages the enhanced OFDM tunability of next-generation DOCSIS 3.1+ CPE devices to support a maximum of five OFDM downstream channels in high-split networks. (D3.1E technology supports the same number of OFDMA upstream channels as standard DOCSIS 3.1 networks.) These additional downstream channels can support throughput speeds of up to 8 Gbps.

Visit CommScope’s D3.1Enhanced Solution Page for more information.

D3.1 Mid Split Diagram

Typical DOCSIS 3.1 Mid-split DS/US Capacity

D3.1 High Split Diagram

Typical DOCSIS 3.1 High-split DS/US Capacity

Optimized Performance

DOCSIS 3.1 introduces several features that optimize network performance, enabling you to improve the reliability and efficiency of your access network. As a result, your subscribers will enjoy better QoS, helping you to improve the user experience and reduce subscriber churn.

DOCSIS 3.1 OFDM operation, for example, improves network performance in three important ways: using customized frequency profiles to improve bit error performance and maintain throughput quality to CPE devices; supporting sophisticated bit error/noise correction features, which offer more efficient ways of correcting noise than SC-QAM; and making better use of Modulation Error Ratio (MER) in delivering signals to CPE devices by supporting modulation up to 4096-QAM.

DOCSIS 3.1 networks also greatly improve latency, or lag times, which can be a source of frustration for your subscribers. Using Active Queue Management, DOCSIS 3.1 networks can effectively manage network traffic based on how quickly an application sends and expects to receive a response. This function significantly reduces pixilation, freezing, buffering, and other latency-related issues that negatively impact the user experience.

Automated Network Managemen...

Automated Network Management and Maintenance

DOCSIS 3.1 doesn’t just boost your network’s speed and capacity. It also enables automated, proactive management and maintenance features that can also boost the overall quality and reliability of your network.

Reactive vs. Proactive Network Maintenance
Maintaining and managing a DOCSIS 3.0 network is a reactive process: technicians can only address network issues after they happen. Fixing issues requires laborious, time-consuming troubleshooting and analysis to pinpoint the point of failure and take action to correct it. In the meantime, customers could be experiencing a variety of problems, from connectivity issues to complete service outages, that negatively impact the user experience.

Maintaining and managing a DOCSIS 3.1 network, on the other hand, is proactive. It supports two powerful, automated tools that reduce the time to find and correct network issues, improve the reliability and quality of your network’s performance, and proactively ensure the health of your network:

Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM) automates the gathering and analysis of data from key points in your network, including CPE devices and your CMTS platform, to identify and correct potential points of failure before they occur
The Profile Management Application (PMA) creates optimal profile settings for each OFDM channel and assigns them to subscriber CPE devices automatically, using data gathered over the network; according to data shared by CableLabs, PMA can improve bandwidth usage by ~15-40%, or ~200-400 Mbps, per OFDM channel (Sundarasen, The Profile Management Application: Optimizing DOCSIS® 3.1 Networks. https://tinyurl.com/uh24y4bn)

ServAssure® NXT: Enabling Intelligent DOCSIS 3.1 Networks
CommScope’s ServAssure NXT platform leverages these tools to maximize the performance and simplify the maintenance of your DOCSIS 3.1 network. ServAssure Spectrum Analyzers harness the power of PNM to provide comprehensive insights and early detection of network issues in the upstream and the downstream. ServAssure DOCSIS 3.1 Profile Optimizer leverages PMA capabilities to automatically adjust CMTS profiles and enhance bandwidth efficiency. Together, these tools can help you improve QoS, reduce the time and costs associated with manual troubleshooting techniques (including truck rolls), and optimize throughput speeds in your DOCSIS 3.1 network.

Upgrade Options

There are a variety of options for upgrading sub-split plants, many of which leverage your existing network assets. Each of these options can significantly improve your sub-split network’s capacity, speed, and performance.

CommScope’s evolutionary products and solutions for DOCSIS 3.1 support the notion that HFC-based broadband network technology is still a viable solution in many network upgrade scenarios. The CommScope portfolio supports all major DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade scenarios, including:

A plant upgrade from DOCSIS 3.0 sub-split to DOCSIS 3.1 mid-split or high-split operation
Mid-split or high-split DOCSIS 3.1 operation with traditional HFC optics and chassis-based CMTS/I-CCAP headend platforms
Mid-split or high-split DOCSIS 3.1 operation with node-based Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) modules and the vCCAP Evo™ virtualized CCAP platform
Enhanced DOCSIS 3.1 mid-split or high-split downstream operation with D3.1Enhanced (D3.1E) technology

CommScope’s product portfolio includes a full range of 1.2 GHz nodes, taps and passives, amplifiers—over two million units of which have shipped since 2020—and headend software and equipment. For the outside plant, CommScope offers several DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade options, including:

Mid-split and high-split upgrade kits for currently deployed amplifiers and nodes
Mid-split or high-split replacement RF modules for currently deployed <1 GHz amplifiers and nodes
2 GHz faceplate upgrades for currently deployed taps and passives
Factory configured, full station 1.2 GHz amplifiers and nodes to replace units reaching end of life

For DOCSIS 3.1 headend operation, CommScope’s E6000® Converged Edge Router (CER) and the award-winning C100G I-CCAP each have features that can unlock the full potential of your DOCSIS 3.1 network. Upgrading these platforms for DOCSIS 3.1 typically involves software updates to support OFDM/A operation and parallel upgrades of next-generation US/DS router modules.

Why CommScope?

A Legacy of Innovation

CommScope’s Access Network Solutions (ANS) has a comprehensive, innovative portfolio of end-to-end solutions that can help you update and extend the life of your current network assets.

Now Meets Next

Building upon our tradition of innovative next-generation network technologies, ANS’s end-to-end portfolio of HFC cable access network products includes today’s cutting edge solutions, with an eye towards the next generation of network products.

End-to-End Systems Design and Integration

CommScope’s Professional Services team has a rich and diverse set of skills, processes, and methodologies to help you design, deploy, and expand your HFC/FTTx networks, helping you to meet your network upgrade and optimization goals quickly, seamlessly, and economically.

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