1 Type of Question

Task-oriented Question that should eventually result in one or more Recommendations.

2 Motivations

The cable television physical platform provides a capable means to deliver broadband network-based services to household networks. It is in the best interest of both consumers and cable operators to extend this fundamental advantage of bandwidth to every possible networked device within the home. This will benefit consumers by providing home network services connected directly to the broadband cable system.

In order to extend the fundamental bandwidth advantage of cable to all devices connected to the home network, it is necessary for home networks to provide satisfactory Quality of Service and network management characteristics so that ultra-wide broadband services ( >50 Mbits/s) of the cable-based service can be maintained.

3 Questions

- What performance characteristics should home networks possess in order to satisfactorily transport data streams associated with specific cable-based services as these streams are passed between cable access network and the home network and across the home network to the terminal device?

- What technology best supports the in-home distribution of signals >50 Mbits/s?

- What modulation method best supports the in-home distribution of signals >50 Mbits/s?

- What error correction method best supports the in-home distribution of signals >50 Mbits/s?

- What mechanisms should be employed in order to maintain the Quality of Service (QoS) on data streams associated with specific cable-based services as these streams are passed between the cable access network and the home network?

- What network management mechanisms should be employed to provision new cable network-based services to devices connected to the home network?

4 Expected results and anticipated dates

A new Recommendation is expected during 2001.

5 Relationships

Cooperation in the study of this Question should be established with Study Groups 13,15, and 16.