Motorola, Juniper Networks Develop Modular Cable Modem Termination System

Motorola Inc. and Juniper Networks Inc. have announced their plans to collaborate on a next-generation modular cable modem termination system (M-CMTS), bringing together experience and innovation from two leading companies in the cable and IP-services marketplace.

The Motorola-Juniper collaboration will focus on standards-based solutions that would enable operators to deliver high-value IP-based services to customers efficiently and cost-effectively. These include unified data, voice, video, and on-demand services over IP; robust network security and policy management tools; and a migration path to IPv6. The new M-CMTS would be compatible with existing CMTS and IP network assets, protecting existing investments and simplifying network evolution.

"We are pleased to have partners like Motorola and Juniper and look forward to deploying these next-generation platforms," says Mike Hayashi, Time Warner Cable senior vice president of advanced engineering and technology. "As we aggressively move to offer consumers unified services over our advanced platform, products like the new M-CMTS will help us maintain our competitive edge."

Modular CMTS is an initiative currently being developed by CableLabs to provide the different functions of the CMTS through separate hardware and software elements. As service providers migrate multiple networks to a single, IP-based network, M-CMTS platforms will scale services more efficiently by sharing the workload among several components.

"The Modular CMTS initiative is a promising technology that will both reduce costs and increase network performance as we rapidly move towards network convergence," says David Fellows, executive vice president and CTO of Comcast Corp. "Juniper Networks and Motorola are each leaders in their respective fields, so we are encouraged to see that they are collaborating on M-CMTS technology and look forward to seeing the results of their teamwork."

Motorola is a global leader in HFC network technologies that deliver IP-based services to subscribers. The company's flagship CMTS, the Broadband Services Router BSR 64000, is deployed globally in over 100 systems, and is qualified to deliver PacketCable Multimedia services within DOCSIS 2.0.

Juniper Networks delivers a family of routing platforms, security solutions and policy management appliances that enable cable service providers to support next-generation services at scale. With proven support for advanced capabilities such as IPv6, multicasting and multiservice QoS, Juniper Networks’ solutions enable cable service providers to offer reliable, cost-effective broadcast TV, video on demand and other advanced services over IP, while providing an effective migration path from its existing networks.

"This collaboration can create maximum flexibility and scalability potential, which our operator customers will need to successfully deliver advanced services as they add IP video, voice and data offerings," says Charles Dougherty, Motorola corporate vice president and general manager for Motorola Connected Home Solutions. "Motorola has worked extensively in de-coupled CMTS architectures and has been a pioneer in channel bonding. With our experience and Juniper's, we can give our customers alternatives today that they can rely on for the future."

Andrew J. Audet, vice president of Cable and IPTV Products Business at Juniper Networks, adds, "As cable service providers move closer to a next-generation IP-based architecture, it makes sense for the leaders in IP and cable networking to join forces. We look forward to working with Motorola and believe that the relationship will benefit our customers' subscribers with multiple advanced IP-based services over a secure and assured network."

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