DOCSIS 3.0 is Obsolete

Most State Broadband Offices have decided that DSL is an obsolete technology, regardless of the bandwidth that it can deliver. This means that for purposes of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants, homes and businesses served by DSL are considered to be unserved. I think the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the States should make the same determination for cable networks still using DOCSIS 3.0 technology. DOCSIS technology (Data Over Cable Interface Specification) was created by CableLabs to give cable companies the ability to deliver broadband over a hybrid fiber-coaxial network. It’s not hard to make an argument that DOCSIS 3.0 is obsolete. The technology will soon be two generations of technology behind what will be deployed in most markets. Nobody expects DOCSIS 3.0 networks to still be functioning a decade from now. Any cable company operating this technology will have to eventually upgrade—but until they do, this technology should not qualify for BEAD funding.