Mediacom Communications (Ames, IA) this month provided a firsthand look at the future of connected living during a smart home event at its Iowa headquarters powered by the next generation of broadband technology.
Conducted in partnership with CableLabs and NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, the tour of the Mediacom 10G Smart Home represented the first U.S. field trial of the cable industry’s new 10G platform. As reckoned by the partners "The next great leap forward for broadband, 10G is a powerful, capital-efficient technology breakthrough that will ramp up from the 1 gigabit offerings of today to speeds of 10 gigabits per second and beyond in the coming years."
“Mediacom worked with CommScope and other leading tech companies to move 10G from a laboratory concept to real world consumer experience,” explained Mediacom CTO, JR Walden. “Similar to our rapid deployment of 1-Gig across our national network in 2017, the beauty of 10G is that it’s extremely scalable within our existing network infrastructure. This means the compelling demos we showcased today in Ames will be part of the near future for Mediacom customers.”
In order to simulate the types of experiences the 10G platform will make possible, Mediacom installed over 70 internet-enabled devices within the home. Many of these were bandwidth intensive applications such as stunning footage shot by Mystery Box in 8K 60fps that was streamed over Vecima servers to a Samsung QLED Smart 8K ultra-high definition television inside the home.
“Some of these emerging technologies were once thought of as science fiction, but now they’re on the cusp of reality,” said CableLabs CEO, Phil McKinney. “What Mediacom was able to do with this demonstration was give consumers a glimpse of the unbounded innovation the 10G platform will drive in the years ahead.”
The tour of the Mediacom 10G Smart Home was led by connected living experts who demonstrated cutting-edge technology and applications that are changing the way subscribers live, learn, work and play, including:
- Alarm.com exhibiting home automation functionality that greatly enhances security and efficiency.
- CableLabs presenting holographic 3D images through a Looking Glass light field display that could be seen without the need for glasses or headwear.
- Healium harnessing the power of virtual and augmented reality to improve mental fitness.
- Iowa Chill exploring the innovation driving the rapidly expanding eSports revolution.
- UnityPoint Health connecting patients with doctors using the latest telemedicine solutions.
- Zestful Kitchen creating delicious recipes using state-of-the-art kitchen appliances and fixtures.
“The cable industry’s commitment to bringing world class technology to American homes and businesses was on full display today in Iowa,” concluded NCTA President and CEO, Michael Powell. “Mediacom’s groundbreaking 10G field trial is the latest example that member companies are delivering an exceptional national infrastructure that will inspire American ingenuity for generations to come.”
More information is available at www.mediacomcable.com.
