Cox Rolls DOCSIS 3.0 Into Rhode Island

Cox Communications is deploying DOCSIS 3.0-based Ultimate Internet service -- offering up to 50 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps up -- to customers in its Rhode Island.

The operator, which is aiming to deploy DOCSIS 3.0 to two-thirds of its footprint by the end of 2010, is using Cisco Systems equipment in the Ocean State. Cox's Ultimate Internet service in Rhode Island is $144.99 per month.

Cox deployed its Ultimate Internet service package with Cisco's DOCSIS 3.0-certified products in other markets earlier this year, including Lafayette Parish, La., Northern Virginia (Fairfax County and Fredericksburg, Va.), and Palos Verdes, Calif.

"With the explosion of video traffic and social networking applications on the networks, speed and reliability are critical factors to keeping our customers happy," Cox vice president of data product management Seth Hogan said in a statement. "Cisco's IP expertise has helped us continuously strengthen and broaden our network to offer faster-than-ever Internet speeds."

Cox is using the Cisco uBR10012 cable modem termination system (CMTS) and DPC3000 cable modems. The DPC3000s support four bonded downstream channels and four bonded upstream channels, providing 160 Mbps down and 120 Mbps up.

Cox, third-largest cable company in the U.S., has more than 6 million residential and commercial customers.