Euro-DOCSIS™ Certification Board and tComLabs

Interest in broadband services in Europe is growing rapidly, and the high penetration of cable networks in many European countries provides an excellent platform for offering these services. Euro-DOCSIS™ cable modems, cable modem termination systems (CMTSs), and set-top boxes are a perfect match for the broadband service needs of cable operators, which is why European cable operators are now beginning to roll out Euro-DOCSIS products.

The Euro-DOCSIS standard was derived from the U.S. DOCSIS™ (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) standard in order to ensure correct and optimal performance of Euro-DOCSIS modems and CMTSs in European networks, in addition to full compliance with the European DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) standard in the downstream. In 1999, the Euro-DOCSIS annex of the DOCSIS specification was developed by tComLabs, a company located in Ghent, Belgium, in cooperation with cable operators and equipment vendors. The European cable community agreed with the final specifications in early 2000. DOCSIS and the Euro-DOCSIS annex have been approved as a specification by the European standardization organization ETSI.

From their agreement with CableLabs on the use of DOCSIS, tComLabs was able to begin certification testing of Euro-DOCSIS equipment test plans. In June 2000, the first certification wave of Euro-DOCSIS 1.0 cable modems and CMTSs began and was completed successfully by August 2000.

tComLabs performs all certification testing in its state-of-the-art automated test facilities, but does not grant a certification label. This is done independently of tComLabs, by the Euro-DOCSIS Certification Board, which was established as a non-profit international association with the authority to bestow the "Euro-DOCSIS Certified" label. Its founding members are the European cable operators NetCologne, Telenet, Telewest, and UPC. Since then, other European cable operators, committed to the deployment of Euro-DOCSIS equipment, have expressed an interest to join the Euro-DOCSIS Certification Board.

Since June 2000, three certification waves have been completed resulting in a total of 16 cable modems being certified and 11 CMTSs qualified, fully compliant with the Euro-DOCSIS 1.0 specifications. All certified cable modems and qualified CMTSs are fully interoperable with each other.

Beginning with wave 4 in April 2001, cable modems built inside set-top boxes will be included in certification waves. Additional specifications and dedicated test procedures have been developed for stressing set-top boxes with MPEG-streams during some of the modem tests. The first Euro-DOCSIS 1.1 interoperability week was held March 12–16, 2001 and included three cable modem vendors and 6 CMTS vendors. This was the first step towards Euro-DOCSIS 1.1 certification, which will begin in October 2001.

In order to inform vendors and to improve cooperation with vendors, tComLabs organizes Euro-DOCSIS meetings after each certification wave. Information about these meetings for the year 2001 is published on the tComLabs Web site: www.tComLabs.com.

tComLabs also coordinates the promotion of Euro-DOCSIS, not only in Europe but also in countries such as China and Australia, which use the PAL system in the downstream.

The Euro-DOCSIS certification board and tComLabs will be present at the ECC exhibition in London (May 21–23, 2001). Euro-DOCSIS certified cable modems and qualified CMTSs will be displayed at the booth and information on Euro-DOCSIS products and the certification process will be available.

In addition to certification testing of Euro-DOCSIS products, tComLabs also offers a range of services to cable operators, such as certification of their networks concerning interference (ingress, impulse noise) on their networks. tComLabs also will offer, in the near future, specialized training courses on Euro-DOCSIS.

For more information ….

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For general questions, contact Luc Martens (martens@tComLabs.com).