Key Talking Points
General
Gigasphere represents the incredibly fast access to the world, the web, and the things that
matter most to cable broadband customers. It helps enforce the notion that cable is more than
TV, it’s how we connect. And, it’s forward-looking, to capture the many new and upcoming
services and applications that our evolving platform will breed.
Gigasphere technology will enable a new generation of cable services, and help cable operating
companies continue to meet consumer demand for high-speed connections and sophisticated
online applications. The new technology will position cable companies to remain the broadband
providers of choice in their markets.
Technology made possible by the DOCSIS 3.1 specification soon will be built into cable
modems and will start providing consumer benefits. As the transition from DOCSIS 3.0 to
DOCSIS 3.1 continues, each company is evolving, adopting and deploying the technology at the
pace best suited to its customer base, so there will be no coordinated “rollout” of Gigasphere
products and services on any pre-set timeline.
Usage of the Term
The term Gigasphere will be used going forward in discussing this new wave of technology,
services, and applications, with audiences – such as consumers, media, analysts, and others –
that generally are non-technical in nature.
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The term DOCSIS 3.1 won’t go away; it is the permanent acronym for the technical
specification that is the foundation for the new technology. CableLabs, cable
engineers, and other technical personnel – inside and outside of the cable industry –
will continue making reference to DOCSIS 3.1.
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But for the rest of us, Gigasphere lends good visual and alliterative meaning to
describe the breadth, scope, scale, opportunity, and impact of our next-generation
technology.
The term will be used in a variety of ways:
 Generically, to identify our next-generation broadband technology
 Possibly in combination with other industry product names
 Possibly even in the same sentence with “DOCSIS 3.1” to emphasize the linkage
between the two terms
Talking Points and Q&A on “Gigasphere” – For Cable Industry Internal Use Only
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Q&A
1. Are you re-naming DOCSIS?
No. Because it’s a technical specification, the acronym “DOCSIS” will remain, and it’s likely
to continue enjoying widespread use in technology circles. Gigasphere will live in concert
with it and will be the consumer-oriented term that companies and executives use when
discussing DOCSIS 3.1 technology and the suite of products and services it will support.
2. Why Gigasphere?
Cable industry leaders believed that DOCSIS 3.1 was too technical to summon the full
breadth and scope of the services that the specification itself will enable. Gigasphere is a
much more consumer friendly term that highlights the incredibly fast access to the world, the
web, and the things that matter most to cable broadband subscribers.
3. Will Gigasphere be a brand name or product name used for specific products?
Gigasphere is a category name, used to encompass the DOCSIS 3.1 platform itself as well
as the many products and services the technical specification will enable. While it may be
used in combination with specific products and services sold and marketed by cable
operators, it’s not expected to be used as a brand name for any specific cable product line.
Suggested guidelines for usage of the term will be developed by industry marketers and
communicators in the weeks ahead.
4. Are there Gigasphere services on the market? When and where can I find them?
Gigasphere technology still is in development, based on the DOCSIS 3.1 technical
specification, and as the industry transitions from DOCSIS 3.0 to DOCSIS 3.1 and beyond.
Cable companies are adopting it and will deploy it based on the pace that works best for
their business plans and customers. The technology will be phased in by cable operators,
and Gigasphere products and services will track that deployment. Companies themselves
may share their deployment plans as they incorporate the new technology and make it
available to their customers.
5. Who came up with all this?
Industry leaders late last year voiced concern about the heavily-technical orientation of the
term DOCSIS 3.1 and expressed a need for a more consumer friendly term. In coordination
with CTAM, CableLabs, Cable Europe, and NCTA, a small group of cable leaders in
technology, operations, strategy, marketing, and communications, began conversations
about developing a term that could describe the breadth, scope, scale, opportunity, and
impact of cable’s next-generation technology.
6. Will there be some kind of launch or rollout of the Gigasphere name?
A press announcement was distributed in mid-2014.
https://www.ncta.com/news-and-events/media-room/content/cable-industry-announces%E2%80%9Cgigasphere%E2%80%9D-new-consumer-facing-name-represent-docsis-31
Talking Points and Q&A on “Gigasphere” – For Cable Industry Internal Use Only
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Otherwise, Gigasphere is available for industry executives and companies to use as needed
in talking about DOCSIS 3.1 technology and its impact on new products and services. We
expect that over time it will gain widespread use. Also, because of CableLabs’ global reach,
the name could be adopted by cable interests in other parts of the world beyond the U.S.
Talking Points and Q&A on “Gigasphere” – For Cable Industry Internal Use Only
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