At ANGA COM 2018 in Cologne, Germany, InCoax Networks will introduce In:xtnd, which is intended to transform in-building coaxial networks into multi-gigabit fiber extensions. Based on the MoCA Access standard, In:xtnd is aimed at cable MSOs, fiber-optic ISPs/network builders, telcos and mobile operators, as well as systems integrators/resellers targeting the hospitality sector.
In:xtnd is designed to coexist with DOCSIS and to provide up to 2.5 Gbps net throughput (2 Gbps upstream). In:xtnd is available for operator trials and evaluation immediately.
Cable MSOs and broadband providers, as well as commercial integrators installing networks in hospitality, restaurants, offices and other buildings, can use In:xtnd as a fiber extension for FTTB using the existing coax to each apartment, room or office. It is also intended for mobile operators looking to add wired backhaul capacity to apartment blocks for 4G/5G fixed mobile convergence.
"So far, broadband has been a two-horse race between DOCSIS on coax and G.fast and other DSL technologies on twisted-pair. Today that has changed, and MDUs in particular are looking for a system which is more cost competitive, reliable and flexible and which offers better quality of service guarantees. MoCA Access 2.5 is far more cost-effective than fiber to the apartment and various untried wireless broadband solutions, which means that In:xtnd can genuinely compete on price, reliability, overall throughput and flexibility," said Peter White, CEO and co-founder, Rethink Technology Research.
"There is growing demand from people living in apartment blocks across Europe, Asia and the Americas for access to gigabit broadband speeds. It is expensive for providers to implement fiber or upgrade DOCSIS to meet this demand, while alternative technologies such as G.fast do not yield the required speeds or QoS. Because In:xtnd uses the existing in-building coax, cable MSOs and broadband providers now have access to a universal fiber extension solution that offers a viable alternative to fiber to the apartment and DOCSIS 3.1 at a very competitive price point," said Peter Carlsson, CEO, InCoax.
The In:xtnd product family comprises:
- In:xtnd I Control I MA 2.5 4, a broadband over coax access node, designed for 2.5 Gbps per RF-port, a total of 10 Gbps. It communicates with In:xtnd Access and is based on MoCA Access 2.5. The In:xtnd Control 4-port supports up to 124 In:xtnd Access modems.
- In:xtnd I Access I MA 2.5 2 Ethernet, a coax-to-Ethernet media converter providing 2x1 Gbps. It communicates with the In:xtnd Control 4-port and is based on MoCA Access 2.5.
- In:xtnd I Manage I MA 2.5, an advanced element manager with features for In:xtnd Control deployment, control and supervision of the coax link conditions. It includes essential functions for provisioning and network management.
- In:xtnd I Combine I MA 2.5, frequency multiplexer-demultiplexer coax filters that combine TV frequencies and data in the existing coaxial cabling.