Com Hem tests symmetrical 1.2 Gbps service with view to possible launch in 2019

Swedish operator Com Hem said its division Com Hem Labs is conducting a test in a property in Stockholm with symmetrical broadband speeds of 1.2 Gbps on its fibre-coax network. The aim is to prepare and fine-tune the service before commercial launch in 2019. It said upgrading to the next generation of cable network under the international Docsis 3.1 standard could in theory supply service at up to 10 Gbps for downloads and just over 1 Gbps for uploads.

In preparation, Com Hem replaced electronics and optics in the most important nodes in the network during 2017, and will continue upgrading the access network in 2018 to provide extra capacity for customers. Com Hem's Thomas Helbo said many of the larger international cable operators were contacting the Swedish firm to learn more about how it is working on the introduction of Docsis 3.1.

The test will run during the spring of 2018. It will initially launch services at 1,200/100 Mbps late in 2018, with the option to provide a symmetrical 1.2 Gbps if there is sufficient customer demand. Helbo said this will future-proof Com Hem’s network, as data usage increases by 40 percent annually. It will offer faster, more stable broadband to end-customers, and a lower cost of investment for landlords.