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Broadband Access Over Broadband Access Over

Cable Networks Cable Networks

Xiaolin LuXiaolin Lu

Multimedia 1999Multimedia 1999

AT&T Labs

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What is this?What is this?

An invited speech on Multimedia 1999

A historical review of the cable technology evolution, and why it is

what it is today

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Wire line

Wireless

ACCESS ENVIRONMENTACCESS ENVIRONMENT

Voice

Communication

Narrowband

Circuit Switch

Video

Entertainment

Broadband

Broadcast

LEC

Cellular

DBS/LMDS

/MMDS

Cable

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IN THE PAST ...IN THE PAST ...

LEC

Twist Pair Star

Feature rich POTS

$84B “toll collection”

Voice = Communication

Cable

Coax Tree-and-Branch

Broadcast video

$24B “$1 buffet”

DLC, ISDNDLC, ISDN

FTTHFTTH

Monopoly

Voice-oriented

Video = Entertainment

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CHANGING PERSPECTIVESCHANGING PERSPECTIVES

RF Modem

DSP Performance

SCM Lightwave

LECLEC--CentricCentric MosaicMosaic

NetworkNetwork

WiredWired

SwitchedSwitched

Mix of access options Utilize existing plants

Evolution & revolution

Broadband access Broadband access

networknetwork

IP basedIP based

Mobility/tetherlessMobility/tetherless

CompetitionCompetition

ApplicationsApplications

FeatureFeature--rich rich

VoiceVoice

StationaryStationary

BusinessBusiness

MonopolyMonopoly

Bandwidth Internet

Multimedia

Router performance

LAN extension

Telecom Reform

Market maturity &

growth

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OPTIONSOPTIONS

LEC

Narrowband

Switched DLC

Rebuild

Network Upgrade

Cable modem

Deep Fiber Deep Fiber

PenetrationPenetration

Wireless

Mobility

Broadband

Cable

Broadband

Broadcast

FTTH

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CABLE DATA REVENUE PROJECTION (US)CABLE DATA REVENUE PROJECTION (US)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

'96 '97 '98 '99 2000

Kagan

Forrester

Reven

ue (

$M

)

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ASSET AND LIABILITYASSET AND LIABILITY

Broadband (1GHz)Broadband (1GHz)

LowLow--cost Connection cost Connection

UbiquityUbiquity Coverage (95% US HHP)Coverage (95% US HHP)

Acceptance (TV)Acceptance (TV)

?? Quality and ReliabilityQuality and Reliability

?? UpstreamUpstream

?? MaintenanceMaintenance

?? ReputationReputation

?? ScaleScale

Evolution in The New EnvironmentEvolution in The New Environment

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TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTIONTECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION

Network

Scalable architecture

Lightwave and RF

Interconnect

Terminal

Low cost

User friendly

Operation

Powering

Maintenance

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NETWORK UPGRADENETWORK UPGRADE

COAX HFC

DWDM

Segmentation

Digitization

Deep fiber

penetration

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COAX TO HFCCOAX TO HFC

HE

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COAX TO HFCCOAX TO HFC

HE

FN

FN

FN

Increase transport capability

Improve quality and reliability

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CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

FN

FN

FN HE

HE

HE

Analog TV

5 50 500 750 1G

Emerging Services

Bandwidth Capacity:Bandwidth Capacity: 55--40MHz/1000s HHP upstream40MHz/1000s HHP upstream

Transport Integrity:Transport Integrity: Ingress noise, dynamic rangeIngress noise, dynamic range

101033--toto--1 Architecture:1 Architecture: Upstream MACUpstream MAC

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SOLUTIONSSOLUTIONS

103-to-1

Architecture

Bandwidth

Capacity

Transport

Integrity

Fiber Node Fiber Node

SegmentationSegmentation

DWDM TrunkDWDM Trunk

New PlatformNew Platform

DOCSISDOCSIS High level High level

modulationmodulation

CentrallyCentrally--

mediated MACmediated MAC

Simple ProtocolSimple Protocol

NetworkNetwork

ModemModem

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HFC IN THE MAKINGHFC IN THE MAKING

SH

SH

SH

Primary

Hub

FN

FN

DOCSIS Modem

DWDM

SONET

Segmentation

Node Splitting

Ring-In-Ring

FSS

DWDM

dbr

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MORE CHALLENGESMORE CHALLENGES

Bandwidth Demands Take rate and multiple lines

New services (streaming)

User behavior (always-on, SOHO)

Operation Savings Sweep

Maintenance

Powering

Performance Reliability

QoS

Network

Evolution

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FIBER OPTICS ?FIBER OPTICS ?

Node 2,000+HP 1,200HP 600HP 200HP 100HP

Size

HOW Deep ?

HOW To ?

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ARCHITECTURESARCHITECTURES

FN

Tree-and-Branch

Broadcast

Cascaded

Cell-Based

Narrowcast

Clustered

RN

???

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LightWireLightWireTMTM

Passive coax between mFN and subscribers Reduced actives, power consumption, and maintenance

MuxNode to reduce cost of deep fiber penetration Multi-dimension Multiplexing/demultiplexing

mFN

mFN

Existing/reduced New fiber along coax branch

HUB MuxNode

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Increased bandwidth and flexibility for current services

Simultaneously support current and future systems

HUB MuxNode

10 50 550 750 1G

Analog &

Digital TV TSD

Today

Distributed

Processing DiPr

DiPr

DiPr

LightWireLightWireTMTM

RF

SCM

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ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES

Operation Savings

61% reduction in active components

Reduced power consumption

Simplification of maintenance

Improved Performance

Reduced ingress noise funneling (10-48MHz operation)

Increased RF bandwidth

Improved reliability

Future Proof

Flexibility between current track and future opportunities

Improved QoS and further cost reduction

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OPERATION SAVINGSOPERATION SAVINGS

Current Network: 5.5 actives/mile

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OPERATION SAVINGSOPERATION SAVINGS

61% reduction in active components

21+% improvement in reliability

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FIELD TRIALFIELD TRIAL

Objective:

Support planned upgrade: bandwidth expansion

Test technology, verify cost & operation saving

Trial Scope: 520 miles (66,619 HHP) in Salt Lake Metro

Phased development and implementation

Schedule:

Service launching: October, 1999 Data collection: January, 2000

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INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERYINTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERYINTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY

Video

Sources

Router / Proxy

Server

Packet

Network

PSTN

TV

Broadband

Communications

Interface

Advanced Digital

Set-Top Box

Communications Subscribers Communications Subscribers Entertainment & Communications

Subscribers

Entertainment & Communications

Subscribers

HFC

Headend

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UPGRADE

EVOLUTIONEVOLUTION

DWDM

RF

DSP

Capacity

Quality

Reliability

DOCSISDOCSIS

High speed High speed

cable modemcable modem

Open CableOpen Cable

Universal set Universal set

top boxtop box

Packet CablePacket Cable

EndEnd--toto--end IP end IP

platformplatform

Broadband Full Service Platform