Xfinity, Cox Brands Appear on Arris DOCSIS 3.1 Modem Packaging

Arris recently pushed back the retail debut of its first DOCSIS 3.1 modem, the SB8200, to sometime in “early 2017,” but packaging of the product that surfaced on the DSL Reports message boards shows that the Comcast Xfinity brand and Cox Communications logo will grace the box.

Arris nabbed CableLabs certification for the SB8200 last year, and it appears that both Comcast and Cox have cleared its use on their respective networks. This page shows the SB8200 to be among the models approved by Cox.

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Comcast has been expanding its DOCSIS 3.1 trials; Cox, which has a major 1-Gig initiative underway, said last month that it plans to announce its D3.1 rollout plans in the coming weeks.

The SB8200, like other D3.1 modems, are hybrids in that they are compatible with DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 3.1 networks. The D3.0 side of the device can bond up to 32 downstream 6MHz-wide channels and eight upstream channels.

The packaging also offers a glimpse at how D3.1 and its capabilities will be marketed to consumers, urging them to “invest in the future.” Among the bullet points: “Perfect for 4K Ultra-HD Video Streaming.”  

Cox and Comcast have also approved Netgear’s first DOCSIS 3.1 device, the CM1000, which sells for $179.99. Arris has not announced pricing on the SB8200.

Update: Arris expects to make an official announcement about retail availability of the SB8200 sometime next week. 

At CES last week, Linksys said it plans to launch a DOCSIS 3.1 modem, the CM3132, by April with an MSRP of $199.99. Zoom Telephonics, which has a license to use the Motorola brand, has DOCSIS 3.1 on its product roadmap.

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