PacketCable
Encyclopedia
PacketCable is an industry consortium founded by CableLabs
with the goal of defining standards for the cable television
modem access industry.
CableLabs leads this initiative for interoperable interface specifications in order to deliver real-time multimedia
services over two-way cable networks.
Built on top of the industry’s DOCSIS
(Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) cable modem
infrastructure, PacketCable networks use the Internet Protocol
(IP) to enable a wide range of multimedia services, such as Voice over IP
(IP telephony), multimedia conferencing, interactive gaming, and general multimedia applications.
A DOCSIS network with PacketCable extensions enables cable operators to deliver data and voice traffic efficiently using a single high-speed, quality-of-service (QoS)-enabled broadband
(cable
) architecture.
The PacketCable effort dates back to 1997 when cable operators identified the need for a real-time multimedia architecture to support the delivery of advanced multimedia services over the DOCSIS architecture.
The original PacketCable specifications were based on the physical network characteristics of operators in the U.S. For the European market, Cable Europe Labs, maintains a separate, but equivalent effort, EuroPacketCable, based on European network implementations.
CableLabs
Founded in 1988 by cable television operating companies, Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. is a not-for-profit research and development consortium that has cable operators as its members. System operators from around the world are eligible to be members. Members dues are based on revenue...
with the goal of defining standards for the cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
modem access industry.
CableLabs leads this initiative for interoperable interface specifications in order to deliver real-time multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
services over two-way cable networks.
Built on top of the industry’s DOCSIS
DOCSIS
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification is an international telecommunications standard that permits the addition of high-speed data transfer to an existing cable TV system...
(Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) cable modem
Cable modem
A cable modem is a type of network bridge and modem that provides bi-directional data communication via radio frequency channels on a HFC and RFoG infrastructure. Cable modems are primarily used to deliver broadband Internet access in the form of cable Internet, taking advantage of the high...
infrastructure, PacketCable networks use the Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
(IP) to enable a wide range of multimedia services, such as Voice over IP
Voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
(IP telephony), multimedia conferencing, interactive gaming, and general multimedia applications.
A DOCSIS network with PacketCable extensions enables cable operators to deliver data and voice traffic efficiently using a single high-speed, quality-of-service (QoS)-enabled broadband
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
(cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
) architecture.
The PacketCable effort dates back to 1997 when cable operators identified the need for a real-time multimedia architecture to support the delivery of advanced multimedia services over the DOCSIS architecture.
The original PacketCable specifications were based on the physical network characteristics of operators in the U.S. For the European market, Cable Europe Labs, maintains a separate, but equivalent effort, EuroPacketCable, based on European network implementations.
PacketCable interconnects 3 networks
- Hybrid Fibre CoaxialHybrid fibre-coaxialHybrid fiber-coaxial is a telecommunications industry term for a broadband network which combines optical fibre and coaxial cable. It was commonly employed globally by cable television operators since the early 1990s.-Description:...
(HFC) Access Network - Public Switched Telephone NetworkPublic switched telephone networkThe public switched telephone network is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. It consists of telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables, all inter-connected by...
(PSTN) - TCP/IPInternet protocol suiteThe Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
Managed IP Networks
PacketCable Protocols
- DOCSISDOCSISData Over Cable Service Interface Specification is an international telecommunications standard that permits the addition of high-speed data transfer to an existing cable TV system...
(Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) - standard for data over cable and details mostly the RFRadio frequencyRadio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
band - Real-time Transport ProtocolReal-time Transport ProtocolThe Real-time Transport Protocol defines a standardized packet format for delivering audio and video over IP networks. RTP is used extensively in communication and entertainment systems that involve streaming media, such as telephony, video teleconference applications, television services and...
(RTP) & Real Time Control ProtocolReal time control protocolThe Real-Time Transport Control Protocol is a sister protocol of the Real-time Transport Protocol . Its basic functionality and packet structure is defined in the RTP specification RFC 3550, superseding its original standardization in 1996 .RTCP provides out-of-band statistics and control...
(RTCP) required for media transfer - PSTNPublic switched telephone networkThe public switched telephone network is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. It consists of telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables, all inter-connected by...
Gateway Call Signaling Protocol Specification (TGCP) which is an MGCP extension for Media Gateways - Network-Based Call SignalingNetwork-based Call SignalingNetwork-based Call Signalling is a call signaling protocol.The call signaling protocol is one layer of the overall PacketCable suite of specifications and relies upon companion protocol specifications to provide complete end-to-end PacketCable functionality.Network-based Call Signaling, based on...
Protocol Specification (NCS) which is an MGCP extension for analog residential Media Gateways - the NCS specification, which is derived from the IETFInternet Engineering Task ForceThe Internet Engineering Task Force develops and promotes Internet standards, cooperating closely with the W3C and ISO/IEC standards bodies and dealing in particular with standards of the TCP/IP and Internet protocol suite...
MGCP RFC 2705, details VoIPVoice over IPVoice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
signalling.- Basically the IETFInternet Engineering Task ForceThe Internet Engineering Task Force develops and promotes Internet standards, cooperating closely with the W3C and ISO/IEC standards bodies and dealing in particular with standards of the TCP/IP and Internet protocol suite...
version is a subset of the NCS version. The Packet Cable group has defined more messages and features than the IETF.
- Basically the IETF
- Common Open Policy ServiceCommon Open Policy ServiceThe Common Open Policy Service Protocol is part of the internet protocol suite as defined by the IETF's RFC 2748. COPS specifies a simple client/server model for supporting policy control over Quality of Service signaling protocols...
(COPS) for Quality of ServiceQuality of serviceThe quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
PacketCable Voice Codecs per PacketCable Codec Specifications
- Required
- ITU G.711G.711G.711 is an ITU-T standard for audio companding. It is primarily used in telephony. The standard was released for usage in 1972. Its formal name is Pulse code modulation of voice frequencies. It is required standard in many technologies, for example in H.320 and H.323 specifications. It can also...
(both µ-law and a-law algorithm versions) - for V1.0 & 1.5 - iLBCILBCInternet Low Bitrate Codec is an open source royalty-free narrowband speech codec, developed by Global IP Solutions formerly Global IP Sound . It was formerly licensed as a freeware with limited commercial use, but since 2011 it is available under an open source license as a part of the open...
- for V1.5 - BV16 - for V1.5
- ITU G.711
- Recommended
- ITU G.728G.728G.728 is an ITU-T standard for speech coding operating at 16 kbit/s. It is officially described as Coding of speech at 16 kbit/s using low-delay code excited linear prediction....
- ITU G.729 Annex E
- ITU G.728
- Optional
- Any
PacketCable 1.0
- PacketCable 1.0 comprises eleven specifications and six technical reports which define the call signaling, Quality of Service (QoS), CodecCodecA codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
, client provisioning, billing event message collection, PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) interconnection, and security interfaces necessary to implement a single-zone PacketCable solution for residential Internet Protocol (IP) voice services.
PacketCable 1.5
- PacketCable 1.5 contains additional capabilities that do not exist in PacketCable 1.0, and superseded previous versions (1.1, 1.2, and 1.3).
- PacketCable 1.5 comprises 21 specifications and one technical report which together define the call signaling, Quality of Service (QoS), Codec, client provisioning, billing event message collection, PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) interconnection, and security interfaces necessary to implement a single-zone or multi-zone PacketCable solution for residential Internet Protocol (IP) voice services.
PacketCable 2.0
- Version 2.0 introduces IMS Release 7 IP Multimedia SubsystemIP Multimedia SubsystemThe IP Multimedia Subsystem or IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem is an architectural framework for delivering Internet Protocol multimedia services. It was originally designed by the wireless standards body 3rd Generation Partnership Project , as a part of the vision for evolving mobile...
into the core of the architecture. Packet Cable uses a simplified IMS in some areas and enhances it in some cable-specific areas.PacketCable defined Delta specs related to the most important IMS specs from 3GPP.
Deployment
VoIP services based on PacketCable architecture are being widely deployed by operators:- VidéotronVidéotronVidéotron GP is a Canadian integrated telecommunications company active in cable television, interactive multimedia development, video on demand, cable telephony, wireless communication and Internet access services. Currently, the company primarily serves Quebec, as well as the francophone...
- "VoIP services" (Canada: Quebec) - Time WarnerTime WarnerTime Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
- Digital Phone (System wide) - Cablevision – Optimum Voice (System wide)
- CogecoCogecoCogeco Inc. is a Canadian media and communications company. The name is an acronym for Compagnie Générale de Communication .-History:...
- Cogeco Home Phone (Canada) - ComcastComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
- Comcast Digital Voice (System-wide) - CoxCox CommunicationsCox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
– Cox Digital Telephone (System-wide) - CharterCharter CommunicationsCharter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
(St. Louis, Wisconsin) - Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
(Florida) - Liberty Cablevision (Puerto Rico)
- GCI (Alaska)
- OptusOptusSingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
- SingTel Optus Pty Ltd (Australia) - NET Virtua - NET Serviços de comunicação (Brasil)
- Shaw - "Shaw Digital Phone" (Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Victoria.)
- Shentel - "Shentel Home Phone" (United States: Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland.)
- "BRAGATEL" / Bragatel (Braga, Portugal)
- "TVCABO" / PT Multimedia (Portugal)
- Rogers - Rogers Home Phone http://www.shoprogers.com/store/cable/rhp/(Canada wide (Major cities and towns serviceable with rogers high-speed internet are eligible, still expanding, St John's, NLSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
to Vancouver, BC Serviceable as of July 2007)) - Bresnan Communications - Bresnan Digital Phone (System wide)
- CableOne - "CableONE.net" (System wide)
- Ziggo - "Ziggo Telefonie" (The Netherlands)
- UPC Broadband - "UPC Broadband" (Across Europe)
- Unitymedia (UPC Germany)
- KabelBW - "Clever Kabel"(Germany)
- ONO / Cableuropa - www.ono.es (Spain)
- Telecentro Argentina - www.telecentro.com.ar (Argentina)
Further reading
- Riddel, Jeff. (2007). PacketCable Implementation. Cisco Press. 1061 pages. ISBN 1587051818.