CableLabs® Issued RFI for
PacketCable™ 2.0 Products

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Signaling progress in its advanced Internet Protocol initiative, CableLabs® recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit responses from vendors regarding their PacketCable™ 2.0 product roadmaps. The RFI also sought information regarding any IMS-based applications these suppliers are developing for the cable industry.

Issuance of the RFI reflects a key milestone in the PacketCable 2.0 project, as the initiative moves beyond conceptualization and specification to interoperability testing, certification, trials, and deployment.

“Information gathered via this RFI provided valuable input for CableLabs and cable operators as the industry plans the next stage for the PacketCable project,” said Ed Miller, Vice President, Advanced Network Systems, CableLabs. “With the basic PacketCable 2.0 specifications essentially complete, the project is now highly focused on equipment availability, equipment interoperability, and application innovation,” he added.

PacketCable 2.0 defines an application-agnostic architecture that can be used to rapidly develop and deploy a wide range of new IP-based services, such as fixed-mobile convergence, business communications, video communications, and cross-platform capabilities that connect cable's existing voice, broadband, and video services in new and innovative ways.

Applications described in the RFI responses will be considered by CableLabs for inclusion in an upcoming interoperability testing and demonstration event being planned for the PacketCable Applications Lab. The lab, which was launched in April 2007 at CableLabs, will promote multi-vendor interoperability and will showcase new applications being developed for the industry.

“PacketCable 2.0 is all about innovation and applications,” said Steve Craddock, Senior Vice President, New Media Development, Comcast. “We're very interested in hearing what the vendors have to say in response to the RFI.”

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