Hi Pat,
We the public don't know anything until CableLabs speaks or the
individual companies speak about their modems in a certification wave.
Personally, I've like to hear publicly about who submits, when
the wave begins.
TERN's proprietary modems are exactly like Com21's proprietary
modems with regards to graceful migration to DOCSIS - they don't.
Pure and simple.
This simple technical argument should make it
clear: both the TERN and Com21 proprietary modems use their
own customized MAC and PHY in the downstream channel which
is hard coded into the modem ASICs of each company's products.
As such, cable modems cannot decode a downstream DOCSIS channel,
and are not able to participate in the DOCSIS protocol at
all. The only "graceful" way is to work out a deal where the
subscriber's modem is conveniently replaced with a DOCSIS
certified modem.
Com21 and TERN both have the same challenge with cable operators
who want to "evolve" their service to DOCSIS in the presence of
proprietary products. Motorola and Arris (LANCity) have the
same problem with their proprietary stuff vs DOCSIS as well.
It is technically possible for a vendor to produce a modem which
is dual mode and speaks both DOCSIS and proprietary on
both upstream and downstream. However, only those modems, when
available, *might* be able to gracefully migrate. Any proprietary
only modems previously shipped, won't migrate. Any dual mode
modems could not be relied on to support DOCSIS V1.0, V1.1, and
V1.2 (if/when it shows up again), until after being certified
by CableLabs. This last paragraph is conjecture on my part, I'm
not up to date if any vendor is really doing a dual mode modem.
This brings to mind something. At the Western Cable Show in December,
1998 (back over a year ago). TERN had their booth very near
the CableNet booth. Hanging from the ceiling over their booth was
the banner "Industry Standard". This was roughly a month after
CableLabs first announced the DOCSIS 1.2 project with Broadcom
and Terayon as the vendor authors. I don't believe something
is "standard" until I see the completed specification. This is
kindof like the groom of a DINC couple announcing at their
wedding reception that he is the proud father of twins when the
bride isn't even pregnant yet. Long way to go and lots of things
can happen between just getting married to having a healthy little
specification or two running around the nursery.
Mark |
