Posted: 12th Sep, 2011 By: MarkJ

Networking giant
Cisco has revealed some more information about the hardware that Virgin Media are using to support their UK (
East London) trials of
DOCSIS 3.0 based broadband ISP speeds of
up to 1.5Gbps (
further details).
The trial, which is being conducted in partnership with four companies in the vicinity of
Old Street (this is not a consumer service but crucially does run over the same platform), makes use of Cisco's
3G60 Broadband Processing Engine, a high-density line card. The card also forms part of Cisco's
uBR10K Universal Broadband Router and
Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS).
Cisco's 3G60 PR Blurb
With 72 DOCSIS downstream and 60 upstream channels per card, the uBR-MC3X60V BPE sets a new benchmark for scalable, reliable, and cost-effective DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem termination system (CMTS) solutions. 20 Times the Speed at a Fraction of the Cost (Compared to DOCSIS 2.0 solution[s])
Mark Palazzo, VP and GM of Cisco's Cable Access Business Unit, said:
"Cisco CMTS solutions are designed to support large-scale IP broadband and video services today – as well as the migration to IP networks in the near future. We are proud to help Virgin Media achieve such significant milestones with its network capacity and broadband connection speeds."
Cisco claims that its new line card enables cable TV operators, such as Virgin Media UK, to offer IP video ( IPTV ) services. Its uBR10K also supports IPv6 and dynamic bandwidth sharing. Apparently the 3G60 and uBR10K, when combined, can support up to 576 downstream and 480 upstream channels per chassis.
It's important to remind readers that 1.5Gbps, with current technology, is not viable for end-users over VM's platform. Virgin's next stop will be
200Mbps (possibly by the end of 2012) and it's also running trials of
400Mbps, although that's about the limit of what they can do for domestic purposes (you start to hit a lot of channel bonding and economic restrictions at 300-400Mbps).