10G Technology
Low Latency Xhaul
Low Latency Xhaul (LLX) technology is specifically designed to reduce the latency experienced by any mobile traffic while traversing the DOCSIS transport network on its way to the internet. LLX offers DOCSIS latency performance that is virtually indistinguishable from fiber xhaul, thus enabling a host of 5G use cases such as URLLC, mobile gaming and video conferencing, at a fraction of the cost of fiber.
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Mobile is the next frontier
LLX is a critical piece of the DOCSIS infrastructure that will enable mobile xhaul over DOCSIS as part of the large-scale mobile deployment. LLX enables low latency mobile applications and services, providing mobile users a seamless experience when enjoying applications on their devices such as mobile games, video chat or video conferencing. By reducing latency on the access network and providing a seamless quality-of-service framework between mobile and DOCSIS, the HFC infrastructure can be the infrastructure of choice for supporting mobile xhaul.
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Better mobile xhaul infrastructure
LLX turns today’s DOCSIS network into a 5G-xhaul-capable network. Xhaul connectivity and powering account for roughly 80% of the total cost when deploying a mobile network. Compared to fiber, DOCSIS xhaul cuts the infrastructure cost to a fraction of the fiber installation cost, largely thanks to its large footprint and lower siting and permitting costs. DOCSIS xhaul also drastically reduces time-to-deployment by reusing existing DOCSIS networks rather than building new fiber networks.
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How LLX works
Today, mobile and DOCSIS networks operate independently and in serial - a mobile packet experiences latency on a mobile network and then experiences further latency on the DOCSIS network. Even though the two networks were designed by different ecosystems, they work in a similar manner. Within each network, a central brain, or a “scheduler” has the ability to predict the future by scheduling what will happen on its network. LLX enables mobile scheduler to inform the DOCSIS scheduler what to expect in the future. The result is a pipelined system, where DOCSIS network’s operation can start early, while the actual mobile packet is still traversing the mobile network.
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One technology, multiple uses
The “X” in LLX means backhaul, midhaul and fronthaul. LLX technology is designed to work for a variety of deployment models, ensuring its applicability as the mobile and cable industries move towards virtualization. LLX is also designed to work on PON-based transport networks, allowing the variety of cable operators’ networks to benefit from the technology.
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From proof of concept to deployment
We have been working on the LLX technology since early 2016 and demonstrated that it can deliver 1-2 ms of latency on a physical testbed. The technology has been implemented on commercial DOCSIS and mobile equipment. LLX is ready to be deployed today.
