Comcast Gives FTTH a Shot

Comcast is using the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) capabilities of its Metro Ethernet platform to power a new residential broadband service with a maximum downstream speed of 305 Mbit/s and a potential 65 Mbit/s upstream. The cable operator is using Docsis 3.0 technology for its widely deployed 105Mbit/s (downstream) high-speed Internet residential service, and has even demonstrated how that service could ultimately achieve speeds of more than 1 Gbit/s on live cable plant. Despite that potential, Comcast is keeping Docsis 3.0 on the sidelines for its newest, fastest residential broadband tier, called Extreme 305, which is being offered in several major markets in the Northeastern U.S., including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington (DC).