CableLabs Releases CableHome Docs

Taking the next step in creating specifications for cable-based
home-networking gear, Cable Television Laboratories Inc. issued two documents
Friday that lay out the technical groundwork of its CableHome initiative.

Among them, CableLabs released an interim quality-of-service specification
and a technical report that outlines CableHome's architectural framework.

The QoS portion of CableHome will address time-sensitive, low-latency
Internet-protocol applications such as voice and video. It's expected that
home-networking-equipment manufacturers will make equipment that conforms with
the finalized spec.

Launched late last year, CableHome's goal is to build specifications that
expand the capabilities of the industry's Data Over Cable Service Interface
Specification 1.1 and PacketCable infrastructure. That combination will
eventually enable consumers to share bandwidth and applications with personal
digital assistants, Web pads and other home-networking devices.

Separately, CableLabs said it will hold a vendor meeting July 31 in
Westminster, Colo., to cover the CableHome road map in more
detail.