Sam Benzacar, of Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has
published his July 2024 newsletter that, along with timely news items, features
his short op-ed entitled "Is DOCSIS 4.0 Too Little, Too Late for Cable?" In it,
he discusses how the amount of fiber optic cable and fixed wireless access (FWA)
already installed, with major ongoing upgrades and new service areas in process
and planning, could reduce the impact or desirability of super high speed
coaxial cable service. About six months ago, I replaced my Spectrum cable
service with Verizon's wireless service using 5G FWA, which is broadcast from a
local tower. Spectrum provided about 500 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload
speeds. Both are far more than I need, since I do not stream videos. The Verizon
FWA, as just now measured, does 40-50 Mbps down and 6-7 Mbps up; its speed is
highly variable from test to test, but its always fast enough for my needs.
Amazingly, the mobile hotspot feature* on my Samsung cellphone delivers about
80 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up. Spectrum costs $60/month. Verizon costs $40/month.
That's a $240/year savings. My cable has been cut.
* Tested, but currently not used due to data limit too low for my use while
publishing websites. It costs a mere $25/month.
A Word from Sam Benzacar - Is DOCSIS 4.0 Too Little, Too Late for Cable?
By Sam Benzacar
DOCSIS 4.0, the latest iteration of the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification,
is a long-overdue upgrade that has the potential to make cable a near-peer competitor
to fiber. Cable's most obvious (and long-standing) issue has been the enormous difference
between the technology's high downstream data rates and those of the upstream path
that are far slower. This and high latency have been deal-breakers for gamers and
negatively affect the viewing experience and other applications.
Too bad they took decades to solve, because cable providers must now invest heavily
in upgrading their infrastructure to support DOCSIS 4.0, and its deployment will
be gradual, likely taking years to reach widespread availability. And by the time
this occurs it may no longer matter because fiber will have reached more neighborhoods
than ever and 5G-based fixed wireless access will have long begun using millimeter-wave
frequencies for broadband delivery that will make it competitive in performance
to fiber—without the need for truck rolls for installation and complete elimination
of street infrastructure. In short, fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) are where
the future of broadband lies, and impressive though DOCSIS 4.0 may be, it may be
too late to save cable.
Despite these challenges, it would be premature to write off cable entirely.
The vast existing infrastructure and the potential for incremental upgrades mean
that cable will likely remain a significant player in the broadband market for years
to come. DOCSIS 4.0 may provide enough of a performance boost to keep many customers
satisfied, particularly in areas where fiber deployment remains economically unfeasible.
Ultimately, the success of DOCSIS 4.0 will depend on how quickly and effectively
cable operators can deploy the technology, and how well they can market its benefits
to consumers. While it may not be the long-term solution that fiber represents,
DOCSIS 4.0 could provide cable operators with valuable bridge technology, buying
time as they plan for eventual fiber transitions.
So, while DOCSIS 4.0 is a significant technological advancement for cable internet,
it enters a market where fiber and FWA have already gained momentum. And while it
offers a viable alternative for areas with existing cable infrastructure, its late
arrival, and the need for substantial investment in upgrades pose grave challenges.
The success of DOCSIS 4.0 will ultimately depend on cable providers' ability to
deliver on its promises, compete on price and performance, and convince consumers
of its value in a rapidly evolving broadband landscape.
Drone Detection System Secures Austrian Grand Prix
At the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, organizers prioritized protection
against illegal drones to ensure safety using the AARTOS DDS system from Aaronia,
a mobile version installed in a Mercedes Sprinter van. The system provided real-time
positioning of drones and operators, identifies most commercial drones, and could,
if necessary, take control and land them.
Switzerland Ends FM Broadcasts
Switzerland will shut down analog FM broadcasting at the end of the year, instead
focusing on a transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting Plus (DAB+), a more advanced
version of the original DAB technology. The government expects DAB+ receivers to
be accessible to nearly the entire population and analog FM signals already account
for less than a tenth of all radio transmissions in the country. The EU mandated
in 2020 that digital radio receivers must be standard in all new vehicles and automakers
are apparently well ahead of schedule, installing only DAB+ radios. Leading the
way was Norway that in 2017 became the first nation to completely phase out FM.
Raytheon Gets $237 Million for Ku-band RF Sensor
The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon $237 million to provide unmanned aircraft
systems countermeasure solutions, equipping the military with Ku-band Radio Frequency
Sensors (KuRFS) and advanced Coyote effectors to detect and neutralize drones. The
KuRFS uses a 360-deg. radar to identify and track airborne threats, from traditional
artillery and rockets to modern unmanned aerial vehicles of all sizes. The system
uses a Ku-band AESA radar to provide beam steering and can reportedly identify threats
as small as a 9 mm bullet in flight.
Device Sends Data at 300 Gb/s at 300 GHz
DOCOMO, NTT, NEC, and Fujitsu have demonstrated a device capable of delivering
100 Gb/s at 100 GHz and 300 GHz over a distance of 100 m. The companies have been
working on sub-terahertz devices as the next generation of cellular communications
will likely operate in this region of the spectrum. Going forward, the companies
will conduct R&D into sub-terahertz telecommunications, leveraging each company's
strengths in various initiatives to contribute to 6G standardization.
Anatech Electronics Introduces a New Line of Suspended Stripline and
Waveguide Type RF Filters
Check out Our Filter Products
Cavity Band Pass Filters
LC Band Pass Filters Cavity Bandstop/Notch Filter
About Anatech Electronics
Anatech Electronics, Inc. (AEI) specializes in the design and manufacture of
standard and custom RF and microwave filters and other passive components and subsystems
employed in commercial, industrial, and aerospace and applications. Products are
available from an operating frequency range of 10 kHz to 30 GHz and include cavity,
ceramic, crystal, LC, and surface acoustic wave (SAW), as well as power combiners/dividers,
duplexers and diplexers, directional couplers, terminations, attenuators, circulators,
EMI filters, and lightning arrestors. The company's custom products and capabilities
are available at www.anatechelectronics.com.
Contact:
Anatech Electronics, Inc. 70 Outwater Lane Garfield, NJ 07026 (973)
772-4242
sales@anatechelectronics.com
Posted July 31, 2024
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