These seven specifications, along with the previously released network-based call signaling specification, represent the majority of the PacketCable 1.0 solution scheduled for public release at the end of October. This marks a major milestone in the PacketCable project and moves the industry closer towards its goal of market deployments in the second half of 2000.

CableLabs manages PacketCable™ as a fast-track effort aimed at developing interoperable interface specifications for delivering advanced, real-time multimedia services over two-way cable plants. Built on top of the industry’s highly successful cable modem infrastructure, PacketCable™ networks will use Internet protocol (IP) technology to enable a wide range of multimedia services, such as multimedia conferencing, IP telephony, interactive gaming, and general multimedia applications.

PacketCable 1.0 defines a single domain solution capable of providing carrier quality voice and video communications services over DOCSIS-enabled cable plants. The PacketCable 1.0 architecture is built around the publicly available PacketCable network-based call signaling (NCS) specification, a cable-specific enhancement to the industry de facto standard media gateway control protocol (MGCP). The NCS architecture is the preferred market entry vehicle by cable operators, as it provides a complete solution to enable the deployment of packet-based IP telephony services.

The PacketCable 1.0 specification release provides functionality for call signaling, quality-of-service control, PSTN interconnection, security, network management, codec support, billing event messages, and network announcements.