DSL FORUM NEAR UPDATE TO PUSH MODEMS TOWARD RETAIL

The DSL Forum in the next couple of weeks is expected to announce ratification of an update to the widely used TR48 testing document that is expected to continue DSL modems’ slow migration to a retail environment.

The new test plan, which is out for vote now, expands the scope of TR48 to include more than just upload/download speeds, said Michael Brusca, vice president of strategy with the DSL Forum.

“It’s not just interoperability, but it also raises the bar on performance,” Brusca said. “The whole industry converged on this test plan. The reason that whole industry bought into the test plan was because we all had something at stake.”

Previously, under TR48, CPE vendors would tweak their modems based on the requirements of particular carriers. “Now that we have raised the bar on performance, it’s relieved the vendor of that tweaking,” Brusca said.

Additionally, carriers will have a trusted set of tests that can be performed by an independent lab under recognized guidelines. The new document, which has yet to be assigned a name, continues the movement toward putting DSL modems into retail stores.

“This working text is key to moving in that direction,” Brusca said.