Comcast CTO Tony Werner discussed their DOCSIS 3.0 plans with Multichannel News, and commented that it will be a natural evolution of cable modem technology. Werner didn’t offer any specific launch timelines, but did say the so called ‘wideband’ technology is very close to trials at Comcast. DOCSIS 3.0 is the next generation of cable modem which allows the bonding of 6 Mhz channels to create a single virtual broadband pipe of 100 Mbps or more. DOCSIS 3.0 is backwards compatible with earlier DOCSIS versions and also is IPv6 compliant.
Cable technology like DOCSIS 3.0 is raising the competitive bar and allowing cable MSOs to leverage their HFC architecture to compete with FTTH technologies like Verizon FiOS. DSL competitors who do not have very short loop lengths (2,500 feet or less) will find it next to impossible to match the type of broadband experience that DOCSIS 3.0 will provide.
Makes you wonder how companies like AT&T with a FTTN/DSL architecture will compete. I don’t see them getting above 20 Mbps on average, across their footprint. That is probably even high.
Per the story and the last comment – you’re sadly mistaken if you think Comcast is going to roll out 100 Mbps to their entire footprint. They may roll it out where they have a FTTH competitor, but they are not going to give it to everyone. AT&T will be fine.