The next generation standard for ultra fast internet broadband over cable TV infrastructure, DOCSIS 3.1, could be deployed as early as 2015/2016. This is expected to support download speeds of 10 Gbps and upload speeds of 1 Gbps.

In Malta, Melita’s fibre-powered network for its TV and internet access services is based on the DOCSIS standard. Today it offers a maximum speed of 100 Mbps.

Broadbandtvnews.com quotes Ralph Brown, CTO Cablelabs, saying 1 Gbps downstream premium offers are likely to be available in the US as soon as 2016 and “we would be foolish not to start DOCSIS 3.1 before then.”

He added that the roadmap now envisages specs being issued this year and the first products coming onto the market in 2014 ahead of initial deployments in the following one to two years.

John Chapman, CTO CABU, Cisco Systems, meanwhile said that the specs are currently being developed by experts from Canada, Germany, the UK, France, Israel and US, meeting regularly in Denver.

3.1 will indeed be able to spectrum share with 3.0, allowing for the blending of new and existing services. A lot of existing 3.0 software will still be used for 3.1 and only necessary changes will be made, with 3.1 being able to compete effectively with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), the website said.

FTTH is being rolled-out in Malta by Go, mainly to support its relatively new IPTV interactive TV over internet service and provide faster internet access speeds.

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