By Doug Jones, CableLabs
DOCSIS® 4.0 technology is being designed to support symmetric multigigabit services. In order to achieve these, the Hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network will need to evolve to support both more return and more forward spectrum, all while maintaining existing services. To support more return speed, DOCSIS4.0 technology will support expanded forward capacity on the HFC network to 1.8 GHz. Cable can already offer gigabit service in the downstream and providing upstream gigabit service will enable new symmetric multigigabit cable Internet products. However, there is still a set of legacy digital video services that need to be maintained for the foreseeable future. This paper will discuss options for maintaining legacy digital video services, while changing the HFC network to support symmetric multigigabit Internet services.