CableLabs: Faster Access

Also from Daily Wireless, this encouraging news on future access rates:

"CableLabs are now working on the next generation, DOCSIS 3.0 that will blow today's cable modem speeds out of the water. DOCSIS 3.0, could offer downstream bandwidth of 200 Mbps per channel, and 100 Mbps per channel upstream.

The 3.0 version would give operators enough bandwidth to offer a wide range of IP-based, entertainment-quality media services.

DOCSIS roadmap
DOCSIS version	DOCSIS 1.0	DOCSIS 1.1	DOCSIS 2.0	DOCSIS 2.X	DOCSIS 3.0
Services
Broadband Internet	X	X	X	X	X
Tiered services		X	X	X	X
VoIP		X	X	X	X
Video conferencing			X	X	X
Commercial services			X	X	X
Roaming services				X	X
Entertainment video					X
Consumer devices
Cable modem	X	X	X	X	X
VoIP phone (MTA)		X	X	X	X
Residential gateway		X	X	X	X
Video phone			X	X	X
Mobile devices				X	X
IP set-top box					X
Downstream bandwidth
Mbps/channel	40	40	40	40	200
Gbps/node	5	5	5	5	6.3
Upstream bandwidth
Mbps/channel	10	10	30	30	100
Mbps/node	80	80	170	170	450
Source: CableLabs

CableLabs is early into the DOCSIS 3.0 process. The timeframe will depend on how quickly members want to move ahead on it, according to Communications, Engineering and Design Magazine."