By Kyle Hohman, Shaw Communications
As the industry explores providing higher bandwidth services, leveraging the Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 4.0 and look at evolving legacy DOCSIS 3.1, operators are planning to move to 204 MHz split and higher return band splits. In order to meet the existing plant leakage regulatory requirements and ensure that operations are not interfering with licensed over the air signals, operators need to evolve how they measure and monitor cable plants for signal leakage.
This paper will discuss the options which are available to operators, balanced by what is technically possible based on the products available today and the roadmaps for the future. Two methodologies will be explored in this paper. The first method examined will be the use of the traditional downstream transmission of signals through the plant and the options that exist within the preservation of this existing form of transmission. The second method discussed will use the cable modem to generate specific signals to characterize leaks and transmitting them back through the plant.
For context, the paper will present potential deployment scenarios and the associated impact to the existing leakage programs that are being run in the industry and how these options can impact the requirements around the legacy set top box Out-of-Band (OOB) control telemetry.
With an open discussion and alignment about ways to solve these problems and a commitment from industry to build scalable and affordable solutions into future technologies, the industry can move forward and continue to meet regulatory requirements seamlessly.