SCTE/ISBE Standards, MoCA® Team Up on New Operational Practice for DOCSIS® 3.1-MoCA Interoperability

EXTON, Pa. and SAN RAMON, Calif., March 14, 2017 -- The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), its global arm, the International Society of Broadband Experts™ (ISBE), and the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA^®) today announced a new SCTE/ISBE Standards operational practice that is designed to ensure interoperability between MoCA 2.0 and the cable telecommunications industry’s new DOCSIS^® 3.1 specification for advanced broadband services.

SCTE 235, Operational Practice for the Coexistence of DOCSIS 3.1 Signals and MoCA Signals in the Home Environment, addresses the need to prevent degradation or failure of signals due to a shared frequency range above 1 GHz.  The operational practice specifies the proper use of frequencies and filters that network designers, cable industry technical personnel, equipment designers, and others can employ to deliver optimal performance in environments that include both DOCSIS 3.1 and MoCA 2.0.

The expansion of the DOCSIS RF spectrum above 1.2 GHz created shared frequencies and potential conflicts within the 1125-1675 MHz range for DOCSIS 3.1 and MoCA technology.  SCTE 235 prescribes sufficient isolation and proper location and required performance of filters to ensure there is no signal leakage from one residence to another and to prevent overload of DOCSIS and MoCA receivers. Among key recommendations is the use of non-overlapping channels and home-run architectures whenever possible.

Based on a technical study by MoCA in cooperation with CableLabs^®, SCTE 235 was created by the Special Working Group on HFC Readiness for DOCSIS 3.1 within the Network Operations Subcommittee (NOS) of the ANSI-accredited SCTE/ISBE Standards Program. 

“DOCSIS 3.1 and MoCA are important enabling technologies that support more powerful, flexible services,” said Rob Thompson, Director, Network Architecture for Comcast Cable, MoCA Board member, and chair of the Technical Work Group at MoCA.  “SCTE 235 is designed to create home environments in which both technologies can perform as intended to meet customer demand.”

“As cable system operators expand their service portfolios, a key role for SCTE/ISBE Standards is to ensure that our members can continue to leverage all available technologies,” said Dean Stoneback, Senior Director of Engineering for SCTE/ISBE.  “By working collaboratively with CableLabs and organizations such as MoCA, we can drive solutions that can increase cable’s competitive edge and create value for the consumers the industry serves.”

“Operational Practice for the Coexistence of DOCSIS 3.1 Signals and MoCA Signals in the Home Environment, a multi-year, multi-organizational effort, illustrates how our organizations have worked together to give the cable service providers the knowledge they need to position their networks to best meet the needs of their subscribers,” said Charles Cerino, President of MoCA.

“The multiyear effort to assure the coexistence of DOCSIS 3.1 and MoCA has successfully resulted in operational practices that enable the optimal performance of both technologies when deployed in home environments,” said Ralph Brown, Chief Technology Officer, CableLabs.  “SCTE 235 illustrates the value of CableLabs’ close collaboration with MoCA and SCTE/ISBE.”

SCTE 235, Operational Practice for the Coexistence of DOCSIS 3.1 Signals and MoCA Signals in the Home Environment, is at http://www.scte.org/SCTEDocs/Standards/SCTE 235 2017.pdf. Complete information about the SCTE/ISBE Standards Program -- including how to become involved as an SCTE/ISBE Standards Program member -- is available at www.scte.org/standards or by e-mailing [email protected].

MoCA^® technology is the fastest and most reliable in-home backbone for Wi-Fi^® and has been adopted by cable, telco/IPTV and satellite operators worldwide. MoCA 2.0 offers actual throughputs (MAC rate) up to 1 Gbps, and MoCA 2.5 is capable of up to 2.5 Gbps actual throughput. MoCA 2.1 and MoCA 2.5 also offer an additional set of network management and security features. MoCA Access™ is an FTTB extension targeting MDUs worldwide. Additional applications include hospitality, education, government and other residential/business environments using existing coaxial wiring. The Alliance has 218 certified products and 45 members worldwide. Visit www.mocalliance.org for more information.

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is part of a unique ecosystem that has the power to prepare the workforce to meet the ever-changing demands of the Telecommunications Industry. Our members can realize streamlined delivery of products and services, improved customer satisfaction, and increased employee retention rates directly impacting business results. In cooperation with our partners, CableLabs^® and NCTA, SCTE prepares tomorrow’s telecommunications leaders by communicating new Industry trends and technology, developing standards, and delivering relevant training and certification programs to enhance members’ expertise and professional development. SCTE and its global brand, the International Society of Broadband Experts (ISBE), build value for corporate, vendor, and individual members by creating peer networking opportunities, professional mentoring, and communication of Industry information. Visit www.scte.org. Connect with SCTE at www.scte.org/socialmedia.

Contact: 800-542-5040
Joe Madagan, SCTE/ISBE Editor, Marketing & Communications, [email protected]
Paul Schneider, PSPR, Inc. for SCTE/ISBE, [email protected], 215-817-4384
Visit SCTE/ISBE online at www.scte.org
Rob Gelphman, VP, Marketing & Member Relations, MoCA, [email protected], 408-838-7458