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channelbonding posts

Virgin Media testing DOCSIS 3.0 to new limits with 200Mbps, 3D and 1080p

by Richard Lawler, posted May 6th 2009 at 2:38PM

Forget 101Mbps Internet service or even the 160Mbps available in on J:COM in Japan, Virgin Media is about to put a lucky few of its slick new modems to real work, testing 200Mbps internet, "full HD" broadband content (we take that to mean 1080p) and 3D. All delivered via DOCSIS 3.0, the downside is that at least for the next six months this pilot project will be extended only to about 100 "lead adopters" around Ashford, Kent for testing. We've heard all we need to get packed for a move, how about you?

[Via Hexus]

Virgin Media shows off stylish 50Mbps cable modem

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 8th 2008 at 6:40PM

This truly may be a world's first: a cable modem you don't feel incredibly pressured to relegate to the rear of your networking stash. Yes friends, that succulent device you see above is Virgin Media's shockingly stunning 50Mbps cable modem, which unsurprisingly relies on DOCSIS 3.0 technology in order to provide such 1337 speeds. It's still not as speedy as Ambit Broadband's channel bonding modem, nor can it hold a candle to whatever Sigbritt Löthberg had going on in Sweden, but 50Mbps isn't anything to sneeze at. No word on pricing just yet (don't worry, you'll pay it), but it should be available for UK-based speed freaks before the year's end.

[Via TrustedReviews]

And we're off: Twin Cities get first DOCSIS 3.0 deployment

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 3rd 2008 at 7:10AM

Although we just heard that Comcast's DOCSIS 3.0 rollout was on track for 2009, folks in the Twin Cities region now have exclusive bragging rights for an undisclosed window of time. Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota have become the first markets to have access to an all new "extreme" broadband (or wideband, as it were) connection, which promises 50Mbps down / 5Mbps up. As expected, the carrier isn't being modest about the launch, claiming that users can suck down a 4GB HD movie "in about ten minutes," compared to "more than six hours" on a 1.5Mbps DSL connection. The newfound speed won't come cheap -- for residential users, look to lay down $149.95 per month for the privilege. Even if you aren't springing for the good stuff, current customers in the area will have their existing broadband connections hastened gratis, with 6Mbps / 384Kbps users moving up to 1Mbps uploads and 8Mbps / 768Kbps users seeing 2Mbps uploads. Kudos, Twin Cities -- you just made most of America sick with envy.

[Image courtesy of TheRedWoodMotel]

Comcast CEO sees 160Mbps internet in 2008

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 30th 2007 at 9:51PM

Remember that blisteringly fast channel bonding modem Comcast showed off earlier this year? Turns out that the firm's CEO is apparently aiming to roll out internet services that can reach up to 160Mbps down / 120Mbps up sometime in 2008. As in, next year. In a recent interview with Fortune, Brian Roberts stated that service based on DOCSIS 3.0 technology would start "rolling out" sometime in 2008, and casually noted that it should provide "more than enough bandwidth to do multiplayer online gaming." Additionally, Cable Digital News explains that the firm has plans to cover some 20-percent of its footprint with the uber-quick service before 2009, and while we're left to guess what areas will be covered, we'd bet locales fetching FiOS could entertain some competition. Granted, we've still got aways to go before we can go toe-to-toe with a certain Swede, but we'll take any progress we can get.

[Via ArsTechnica, image courtesy of AFP / BBC]
Read - Fortune interviews Comcast CEO Brian Roberts
Read - Comcast closes in on 100Mbit/s

Comcast shows off blisteringly fast channel bonding modem

by Darren Murph, posted May 9th 2007 at 2:05PM

Two little words that could potentially give new life to copper, at least in the high-speed internet department, have found their way into the news once again, and this time it's Comcast who's showing us just what channel bonding can do. While you may have been scratching your head about Ambit Broadband's ridiculous claims, it looks like the technology may actually be edging closer to hitting the mainstream. Apparently, Comcast's CEO was able to demonstrate such a modem in front of the public and cable competitors alike, and while he claimed that it could reach speeds of 150Mbps, it was the testing that got everyone all riled up. Based on DOCSIS 3.0, the modem was able to download a 300MB file "in a few seconds," and he even snagged the 32-volume Encyclopedia Britannica 2007 and Merriam-Webster's visual dictionary in "under four minutes." Interestingly, it was noted that the FiOS competitor "could be available within a couple years," but if fiber crawls to our house before this stuff is ready to rock, it'll sure to be hard to hold off.

Ambit Broadband's Channel Bonding cable modem does 144Mbps / 30Mbps

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 26th 2007 at 8:25AM

Questions surrounding cable's ability to keep up with the big boys have been circulating for what feels like ages, but an intriguing new product from the labs of Ambit Broadband has some fairly substantial numbers to go along with it. The firm's Channel Bonding cable model will be available exclusively to subscribers of Hanaro, and by partnering with Netwave, the device will enable "triple play service" consisting of VoIP, IPTV, and high-speed internet. More interesting, however, is the reported maximum speeds that this thing can handle, as it boasts the "capability to bond three downstream channels to enable a maximum 144Mbps downstream and up to 30Mbps upstream." The modem also supports the usual interfaces such as gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0, but it supposedly comes pre-ready for DOCSIS 3.0 and IPv6 -- you know, the protocols used to shatter the Internet2 transmission record. While it may all sound a bit sensational at the moment, the truth shall be unveiled when Ambit / Netwave delivers 150,000 of said modems to Hanaro "during Q2" of this year.