DOCSIS Provisioning of EPON subject of CableLabs qualification program

After four interoperability demonstrations following the launch of specification in February 2011 CableLabs has created a qualification program DOCSIS Provisioning of EPON (DPoE) equipment. CableLabs expects certified equipment to find use in cable MSO networks as a vehicle to deliver business services.

As its name implies, the DPoE effort aims to standardize the application of the DOCSIS provisioning system commonly used in cable MSO hybrid fiber/coax residential networks to the management of EPON infrastructures (see "CableLabs preps EPON for MSO business services support"). The effort enjoyed the backing of three major cable MSOs, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks.

Successful completion of the DPoE Qualification Program will enable DPoE equipment suppliers to assure potential customers that their DPoE equipment is interoperable with other DPoE offerings based on Version 1.0 of the specifications. DPoE Version 1.0 defines requirements and functionality to support metro Ethernet services such as Ethernet Private Line (EPL). Addition services support is expected to be spelled out in future versions of the DPoE specifications.

“Having devices qualified by CableLabs promises to encourage widespread deployment of this new technology and lower costs to both cable operators and business customers by leveraging the proven provisioning capabilities of DOCSIS,” said Nomi Bergman, president of Bright House Networks.

“We continue to see greater demand for our IP and Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF)-based business services, and are excited to deploy qualified DPoE devices in our network, facilitating a common approach for provisioning and greater cost efficiencies,” added Mike LaJoie, executive vice president and CTO for Time Warner Cable.

Judging by the fact that 19 vendors participated in the fourth interoperability demonstration, a DPoE technology ecosystem has begun to develop. Companies participating in the event, held December 12-16, 2011, included ADVA Optical Networking, Alcatel-Lucent, Arris Group Inc., Aurora Networks, Broadcom Corp., Ciena Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., CTDI, Finisar Corp., Huawei, Ixia, MRV Communications, NTT Communications Corp., Oliver-Solutions, PMC-Sierra Inc., Qualcomm Atheros Inc., Shenzhen Gongjin Electronics Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, and ZTE Corp.