Cable modems' transmitted RF: A study of SNR, error rates, transmit levels, and trouble call metrics

Hypotheses were developed and tested to measure the cable modems operational metrics response to a reconfiguration of the cable modems' transmitted RF applied to the CMTS. The purpose of this experiment was to compare two groups on the use of non-federal RF spectrum to determine if configuring the cable modems' transmitted RF from 25.2 MHz, at 6.4 MHz Wide, 64 QAM and 31 MHz, at 6.4 MHz Wide, 64 QAM to 34.8 MHz, 6.4 MHz Wide, 64QAM improved the data services operational metrics measured by a wire line service operator to determine the quality of their product. The experiment tests the theory; configuring cable modems' transmitted RF to 34.8 MHz, 6.4 MHz Wide, 64QAM on the CMTS significantly impacted a cable modem's operational metrics, and as a result, increased operational effectiveness.;A randomized experiment on 117,084 cable modems resulted in a significant impact on SNR and transmit rates but did not present a significant impact on error rates and the trouble call metrics. The results showed that reconfiguring the cable modems' transmitted RF from 25.2 MHz, at 6.4 MHz Wide, 64 QAM and 31 MHz, at 6.4 MHz Wide, 64 QAM, to 34.8 MHz, 6.4 MHz Wide, 64QAM did significantly increase the SNR and transmit rates but did not significantly impact error rates and the trouble call truck roll metrics. The results are discussed in relation to other work implicating engineering RF management strategies and the impact on the cable modems operational metrics by reconfiguring the cable modems' RF from the lower ends of the RF spectrum into the middle of the RF spectrum configured on a wire line service operator's CMTS.