Fast Net News, DSL Prime, DOCSIS Report

Bonding two lines and using vectoring to minimize interference, Alcatel announced that two pair of DSL lines "achieved downstream transmission speeds of 300 Megabits per second (Mbps) over distances up to 400 meters (or 100Mbps at 1km)." They' That makes a great headline: "300 Megabits per second over just two traditional DSL lines." For real world networks like AT&T, the important results are (lab) speeds of 50 megabits/pair and 100 megabits bonding two pairs over a meaningful 3,000 feet. They hope for commercial products in 2012.

     Along with vectored noise reduction and bonding, Alcatel is introducing what they are calling "phantom mode," Alcatel describes "Phantom Mode" as "the creation of a virtual or 'phantom' channel that supplements the two physical wires that are the standard configuration for copper transmission lines. It's best explained by diagrams at BBP. bit.ly/bZF8Em I'll leave my description at that until one of of my engineering friends explains to me how the different techniques work together.

    AT&T field trials are proving bonding is working and they intend to use it to offer 25 megabits U-Verse to more customers.