Comcast certifies next-gen Terayon modem

By SUSAN RUSH
From CED Broadband Direct, August 21, 2002

Terayon Communication Systems Inc. has inked a deployment deal with Comcast Corp. for its DOCSIS 2.0-based cable modem.

Comcast, which plans to deploy the TJ 615 cable modem in select service areas, recently certified the modem for use in its high-speed cable network. The news gave Terayon shares a much-need short in the arm in midday trading action. As of 12:31 p.m. EDT, Terayon shares were up 41 cents, or nearly 30 percent, to $1.79. The company's shares have traded as low as 86 cents and as high as $14.75 over the last 52 weeks.

The TJ 615 is certified for DOCSIS 1.1, but includes the advanced PHY schemes for DOCSIS 2.0 (A-TDMA and S-CDMA). CableLabs, however, has not yet started certification testing on DOCSIS 2.0 products.

The DOCSIS 2.0 specification was finalized in January and is now in the interoperability phase. DOCSIS 2.0 is an advanced physical layer addition to modem functions. The spec can increase upstream bandwidth for cable modems to 30 megabits per second — three times that of DOCSIS 1.1 units.

Cox Communications Inc. recently named Toshiba America Information Systems and Motorola Broadband as preferred vendors of cable modems based on the advanced DOCSIS 1.1 specification.