Comcast DOCSIS 4.0 Rollout: What’s Under the Hood?

Comcast announced that it will roll out DOCSIS 4.0 in Colorado Springs in late October and to parts of Atlanta and Philadelphia before the end of 2023. The company claims this is a world first. “Initially, customers subscribing to X-Class Internet plans will use the newest Xfinity Advanced Gateway with a companion modem to deliver multi-gig symmetrical speeds,” said Comcast. “[In 2024], Comcast expects to introduce its first DOCSIS 4.0-capable gateways.” X-Class is a new brand name for its symmetrical internet offerings. Comcast will offer symmetrical speeds up to 2 Gbps. Symmetrical service tiers will start at 300 Mbps and will also include 500 Mbps and 1 Gbps offerings. The price will range from $55 monthly for the 300 Mbps service and up to $115 monthly for the 2 Gbps service. Prices are based on using the company’s $10 paperless billing and autopay discount. The rollout of DOCSIS 4.0 is a big deal for the cable industry because it allows the cable companies to use existing hybrid fiber coax (HFC) technology to offer symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds that will be more competitive with fiber broadband offerings from telecom companies and overbuilders.