Telecom Lead America: The annual deployment of digital
return technology will surpass analog by 2014.
Digital return technology is becoming cable operators’
solution of choice to meet the increasing upstream demands, according to a
survey released by Aurora Networks, an optical transport solutions provider for
cable operators.
The main driver for the significant digital adoption is the
increased need for high-speed data rates, and the inherent need for higher
quality and performance.
Cable operators who are deploying it are benefiting from
features of DOCSIS 3.0 technology with no further upstream network investment.
Implementation of upstream channel bonding can be
achieved to address subscriber demand for higher upstream speeds. This is not
necessarily true in cable networks that have extensively deployed analog return
solutions. With analog solutions that do meet upstream requirements, there will
be challenges to meet future needs, such as expansion from 42 MHz to 85 MHz
with 1024-QAM loading while achieving the required distances.
Aurora Networks said its digital return technology was
developed to provide a solid foundation for cable operators’ upstream plan to
support future service demands. The solution has the advantage of supporting
today’s 64-QAM upstream channels as well as future rollouts of 256-QAM or even
1024-QAM, over extended reaches; far exceeding the capabilities of analog
transmitters.
The company claims that with the release of its fourth
generation Universal Digital Return Platform, digital return is truly
future-proof, with support for an increased return, 5 to 85 MHz (and even
higher), and with 1024-QAM, achieving throughput up to 600 Mbps per node
segment; 2.4 Gbps with a four segment node.
Digital return was developed to be the highest
performance, most cost-effective upstream solution for operators, addressing
the shortcomings of analog return transmission and providing a future-proof
solution,” said John Dahlquist, vice president of marketing, Aurora Networks.
Digital return brings performance and operational
savings, as well as a scalable fiber-efficient solution.
