A new survey by the Connected Home Division of Technicolor finds that 76% of cable operator executives, managers and engineers currently oversee plans to ramp up investments in DOCSIS 3.1 technology.
Ninety six per cent of all respondents report that DOCSIS 3.1 is having, or will have, a strategic impact on their organizations.
Senior executives, operational managers and engineers in cable organisations around the world have reported aggressive plans to adopt and deploy DOCSIS 3.1, according to a recent customer survey conducted by Technicolor Connected Home in May and June of 2018.
The results of this survey show an industry that is rapidly moving to provide ultra-broadband (UBB) services with DOCSIS 3.1. While 47% of all respondents indicated they are already in the market with DOCSIS 3.1 solutions for their subscribers, 76% of all respondents stated that they have invested — or have plans to invest more in DOCSIS 3.1 technology in 2018 compared to 2017, with future plans to invest more in DOCSIS 3.1 technology in 2019 compared to 2018.
As next-generation consumer devices floods the market, operators are grappling with new and innovative approaches to ensure that the bandwidth requirements are met. As a result, operators are evaluating various approaches to next-generation Ultra Broadband (UBB) to support a wide range of immersive video experiences including virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).
When asked to rank and prioritise the services that are driving demand for the capabilities that can be delivered by DOCSIS 3.1 technologies, 67% of respondents reported that Ultra High Definition (UHD) was a leading driver toward DOCSIS 3.1; gaming and connectivity management came in at 46 percent and 38 percent respectively.
Other services driving demand include 360-degree video (27%), AR/VR (27%), home security (15%), Health (14%) and Cybersecurity (10%).
Interestingly, the survey revealed that there were significant regional differences in adoption. DOCSIS 3.1 deployment in North America led the pack with 67% and EMEA posted 46% deployment. Asia and Latin America came in at 38% and 25% respectively.
Among respondents that already have deployed DOCSIS 3.1, 74% report that DOCSIS 3.1 has improved — or will improve — the operational performance of their organisation’s cable operations.
The survey also reveals that:
62% of all respondents agree or strongly agree that DOCSIS 3.1 improves the operational performance of their organisation’s cable operations.
45% say that DOCSIS 3.1 improves the competitive position of the cable industry with other network service providers (telco, satellite, mobile, etc.)
The results of this survey provide a clear indication of the strategic importance DOCSIS 3.1 technology is playing as cable providers participate in the increasingly competitive broadband market.
As telco competitors rollout out next-generation fibre (GPON) and advanced copper (G.Fast) solutions, cable operators are betting on DOCSIS 3.1 to maintain, and build on, their current position supporting the bandwidth-intensive needs of connected home subscribers.