Cox, Motorola hit 356Mbps on cable Internet test
updated 03:00 pm EST, Tue March 1, 2011
Cox, Motorola set record 356Mbps speed on test
Motorola Mobility on Tuesday announced that is has set a new world record when it comes to "return path" speeds. The record speed of 356Mbps was set by transmitting across twelve channels, with half of them using 256QAM modulation. Its milestone was achieved on Cox network hardware in Las Vegas.
The performance was achieved using an ultra low noise, high performance Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 RX48 receiver inside a Motorola BSR 64000 CMTS Edge Router, the device that often serves as a node for a given area's connection. In comparison, typical DOCSIS 3.0 networks use two or three upstream channels for an aggregate speed of between 40-70Mbps.
Cox senior VP said this test demonstrates the company's networks are more future proof than many believe. Speed can be increased without needing to replace any amplifiers, taps or cables, he said.
The undertaking helped show that it could be potentially cheaper to use the faster technology than on existing networks. Motorola made clear it could be used for home Internet access along with heavy-duty corporate use. Whether or not it will be available soon isn't clear, as Cox and others would need both to spread DOCSIS 3.0 further across their networks and to make sure that the rest of their networks could handle the load.
