CPE Trouble shooting

1

• CPE Trouble shooting

Making the connection to improve system
performance
A little background
February 10, 2009 DVAC Chapter
Skip Palinkas Product Development, PPC
2
Challenges for Operators

• DOCSIS 3.0 implementation
• Upstream 32 and 64 QAM
• Increased high definition programming
• Not as forgiving as Standard Definition
• Is the number one quality complaint
• from subscribers
• Reduced service calls and repeats
• Keeping ahead of the competition
• Oh Yea, reduce cost and improve performance
• Achieving these and other goals will rely on
  correcting a not so new issue.

3
Loose F Connectors

• Approximately 35 of all installed connectors are
  loose
• Volume used has increased dramatically
• The average home has 40-50 F connectors inside
  and only 3-6 outside.
• How many of these connections are loose?
• 35 average for inside and outside.
• Do all loose connectors create a problem?
• Maybe not today
• Loose F connectors are a primary source of
  ingress and egress.
• A closer look at the problem

4
A Closer look at the problem
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Loose Fitting Issues

• Service calls attributed to loose fittings
• Digital Video Pixilation
• Caused by downstream ingress
• Can affect some or all QAMs
• Affects HD more than SD
• Digital Phone quality
• Audio distortions or dropped calls
• Caused by Upstream ingress
• High Speed Data
• Slow speeds
• Modem drops off line
• Caused by Upstream ingress

6
Egress Issues
7
DTV Interference

• Terrestrial digital TV is creating new issues.
• 95 of digital broadcasts are in the UHF
  spectrum.
• Interference from 1 UHF channel affects 2 QAM
  channels.

UHF
32
33
34
35
36
37
WPSG
WYBE
576-582
582-588
588-594
594-600
600-606
606-612
EIA
83
84
85
86
87
88
576-582
582-588
588-594
594-600
600-606
606-612
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Corrective Measures

• Measurement techniques
• Always verify upstream ingress
• Use leakage detection
• Reinforce SOP
• Ensure all connections are tight
• every time, all the time
• Identify and report trouble calls
• generated by loose connections

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Final Comments and thoughts

• Industry will continue to launch higher
  modulation.
• Success will depend on plant integrity.
• All connections must be tight.
• The F connector was designed in the late 60s.
• While the attachment to the cable has improved,
  the port interface has changed very little
• Was use intended for general public?
• Is it realistic to believe all connections can be
  made tight?

10
Questions????????
Skip PalinkasProduct Development
ManagerSpalinka_at_ppc-online.com315 431 7313