The future of broadband hinges on seamless, adaptive connectivity. CableLabs’ Technology Vision establishes the framework that will get us there by driving innovation and collaboration among our members, industry vendors and other stakeholders.

As we take the next step toward a future of context-aware connectivity and adaptive networks, the industry needs a healthy, collaborative ecosystem built on a shared vision of interoperability.

What will that look like? It starts with working together toward common goals.

What Should a Healthy Ecosystem Look Like?

As technology has evolved, user experience has become the most important driver of customer satisfaction. Users want networks that work effortlessly, anywhere and all the time. To achieve this vision of seamless connectivity, industry stakeholders must work together to:

Drive and Develop New Technologies

The technology to support seamless user experiences is still being developed, and there is still much work to be done in areas like individual network performance, optimal hand-offs between networks, responsive self-configuration and pervasive sensing. The industry still faces complex challenges in these areas, and these issues must be solved before we can realize the promise of true interoperability and seamless connectivity.

For example, one of the most exciting technologies emerging today is Network as a Service (NaaS), a solution that creates consistency across operators using a common set of APIs. At this year’s MWC Barcelona, we saw many examples of NaaS including the CableLabs demonstration of potential use cases.

With NaaS still in its early stages, CableLabs seeks to leverage working groups and collaborative projects to build on these developments to achieve the goal of unconstrained, intelligent networks that fade into the background of the user experience.

Build a Robust, Reliable Infrastructure

Seamless connectivity requires an extensive infrastructure that can maintain optimal network performance no matter where a user is. For example, coherent passive optical network (CPON), DOCSIS, 5G and Wi-Fi 6 and 7 technologies have all made significant progress, empowering faster speeds, lower latency and better reliability. However, advancements are still needed in areas like fixed network architectures, optics solutions, network telemetry and automation.

Encourage Collaboration to Ensure Alignment, Interoperability and Scalability

The new era of intelligent, adaptive networks and seamless user experiences will only be possible if industry stakeholders work together to solve key challenges. Collaboration lies at the heart of CableLabs’ Technology Vision with a focus on seamless connectivity, network platform evolution and pervasive intelligence, security and privacy. Our working groups and collaborative projects bring industry stakeholders together to address these challenges, ensure alignment, and create scalable, interoperable solutions.

Agree on Standards to Facilitate Ecosystem Integration

Interoperable devices require common standards and specifications. In cooperation with cable companies and equipment manufacturers, CableLabs works to develop publicly available specifications that help facilitate deployment of new technologies. As technology continues to evolve, the industry will need to continue operating with an agreed-upon set of standards to deliver the seamless experiences customers expect.

How Is CableLabs Working to Establish a Healthy Ecosystem?

Since its earliest days, CableLabs has remained committed to establishing long-term, cooperative technology innovation. Our founding mission was to plan and fund strategic research and development projects that require cooperative effort and to serve as a central source of information about technology development and innovation for the industry. That mission is still in place today.

The CableLabs Technology Vision builds on this rich history by defining a high-impact framework that will bring together CableLabs members, vendors, and others in the industry to advance the way we connect.

Together, we are working to improve the user experience by collaborating across key focus areas:

• Interoperability
• Fixed Network Evolution
• Advanced Optics
• Security & Privacy
• Specifications & Standards
• Network as a Service
• Fixed Mobile Convergence & Wireless
• Intelligence, Reliability & Performance
• Advanced Research

How You Can Get Involved

The future is bright for the broadband industry. We’re standing on the brink of a technology revolution that will change the way we live, work, learn and play. Here’s how you can join us in shaping the future:

CableLabs Working Groups

Working groups bring members and other stakeholders together to focus on specific industry challenges, priorities and technologies. The following working groups are accepting new participant applications:

Fixed Mobile Convergence & Wireless

• 3GPP Wi-Fi Tech (members only)
• 5G FMC Phase II (members and vendors)
• Next-Gen Wi-Fi (members only)
• Seamless Connectivity (members only)

Fixed Network Evolution

• 100G CPON (members and vendors)
• Common Provisioning and Management of PON (members and vendors)
• CPON Operator Advisory Group (members only)
• DOCSIS 4.0 ATP MAC (members and vendors)
• DOCSIS 4.0 MAC (members and vendors)
• DOCSIS 4.0 MSO (members only)
• DOCSIS 4.0 PHY (members and vendors)
• DOCSIS Technology OSS (members and vendors)
• DOCSIS Proactive Network Maintenance (members and vendors)
• Latency Measurement MSO (members only)
• Low Latency DOCSIS MSO (members only)
• Remote PHY (members and vendors)

Network as a Service (NaaS)

• NaaS (members only)

Security & Privacy

• Device Identification and Authentication (members only)
• Device Management and Identity Security (DMIS) (members only)
• DDoS Mitigation (members only)
• DOCSIS 4.0 Security (members and vendors)
• Future of Cryptography (members only)
• Gateway Device Security (GDS) (members and vendors)
• Mobile/Wireless Security (members only)
• Routing Security (members and NCTA)
• Zero Trust Infrastructure Security (members only)

Interop•Labs Events

These interoperability events provide opportunities for participants to work together on a specific technology solution or goal. Recent events have focused on DOCSIS 4.0 technology, zeroing in on areas like reliability, security and interoperability. Future events will include passive optical networking technologies and Open RAN.

Ready to take the next step? We invite you to engage with CableLabs’ Technology Vision, join a working group or attend our next Interop•Labs event. Join us in our mission to advance the way we connect!