With the DOCSIS 3.1 era clearly underway, the Society of Cable Telecommunications said it has teamed up with some key constituents to deliver what it’s billing as an industry first – live training for cable engineers and ops pros for the new multi-gigabit platform.
SCTE, along with the International Society of Broadband Experts (its global brand), MSOs, vendors and CableLabs have teamed on the development of a DOCSIS 3.1 Boot Camp, training that aims to accelerate workforce readiness and the deployment of DOCSIS 3.1.
“Building on a highly successful debut late last year [in Atlanta], the DOCSIS 3.1 Boot Camp is the first advanced training of its kind and targeted for a nationwide rollout in 2016,” SCTE/IBSE said.
The three-day training program consists of more than a dozen modules and demos covering “foundational elements” of DOCSIS 3.1, along with application exercises on deployment, installation and troubleshooting. From the vendor side, the curriculum uses content from several vendors, including Arris, Averna, Rhode & Schwartz, Trilithic and Viavi. Additionally, Rhode & Schwartz, Trilithic and Viavi provided equipment used for in-class demonstrations for the live training program’s Atlanta debut.
SCTE/ISBE said it will offer more details about DOCSIS 3.1 Boot Camp at the CableLabs Winter Conference, set for February 9-12 in Orlando, Fla., but noted that cable organizations can contact the Society to schedule training at a location of their choice.
The live training program comes about as DOCSIS 3.1 products emerge and as some major MSOs push ahead with initial deployment plans. CableLabs recently certified the first batch of D3.1 modems, while Comcast announced earlier this week that it would initially deploy the new platform in five markets: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Miami and Nashville.
“As we prepare to deploy DOCSIS 3.1, it is essential we also prepare our field engineers and technicians,” Peter Negrete, executive director XOC/network operations for Comcast University, said in a statement. “Partnering with SCTE in the design and creation of the DOCSIS 3.1 Boot Camp unites industry engineering expertise and learning systems that tailor the training with operations in mind. The outcome is a positive learning experience for intermediate and advanced level engineers.”
“Two key factors -- our unique collaboration with the innovators, technology providers and end users and our use of ‘Just in Time’ learning techniques – underpin the unparalleled value of our DOCSIS 3.1 curriculum,” added Reni Gorman, vice president, learning and development for SCTE and ISBE.
