By Derek Lee, Rogers Communications Inc.
The DOCSIS 4.0® specifications are the emerging Next-Generation Access technology that allows MSOs (Multiple System Operators) to provide symmetrical multi-gig broadband service to our customers. It extends the runway of our current HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) plant, addresses our customers’ increasing bandwidth requirements, and compete with telco competitors’ fiber offerings. However, to introduce DOCSIS 4.0, MSO’s must first modernize their CCAP (Converged Cable Access Platform) networks with Virtual CCAP and DAA (Distributed Access Architecture) technologies, which are essential cornerstones to DOCSIS 4.0.
Rogers Communications has started evaluating Virtual CCAP in our lab since 2019, and has conducted multiple production trials since 2020. This paper will share our journey of evaluating and introducing vCCAP, the architecture decisions we made, pros, cons and challenges with each of these design options,as well as various lessons learnt along the journey.
Note that this paper is vendor agnostic, the assessment is based on the industry technology and will not discuss pros and cons of vendor specific vCCAP platforms. Also, this paper will not try to repeat existing Virtual CCAP or DAA standards or guidelines that are readily available from CableLabs and other industry sources. Instead, this paper will focus on Rogers’s journey in introducing this new technology, and share architectural decisions and our lessons learnt through lab and Production trials.