January 14, 2013, Seoul - STMicroelectronics (hereinafter ST), a global semiconductor company providing diverse electronic applications and a leading provider of ICs for cable set-top boxes and home gateways, has unveiled three new chip products supporting the DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem standard.

Since first introducing DOCSIS 3.0 technology in September last year, ST has been rapidly preparing the launch of the 12-channel STiD125 and 16-channel STiD127 for set-top boxes and headed gateway front ends[1], as well as the 16-channel STiD128 for data gateways and cable modems including headed gateway front ends.

These new products are DOCSIS 3.0 devices featuring 4 uplink channels and up to 16 downlink channels, capable of providing downstream data speeds of up to 800Mbps and upstream speeds of 108Mbps.

DOCSIS 3.0 provides the foundation for evolution from legacy MPEG to IP video in the home and mobile entertainment sectors. By guaranteeing high-speed data rates, it enables set-top boxes and home gateways to deliver converged video and internet data services over a single network, and allows simultaneous connection and use of multiple devices such as smart TVs, DVRs, tablets, smartphones, and gaming devices. Market research firm IMS forecasts that with the adoption of DOCSIS 3.0, the DOCSIS home device market will grow from 32 million units annually in 2012 to over 49 million units by 2015.

ST's DOCSIS 3.0 utilizes dual-core ARM® Cortex™-A9 processors to control routing, switching, and telephony functions. DOCSIS 3.0 devices can work in conjunction with ST's advanced set-top box devices such as Orly[2] STiH416 to provide security and media server functions for internet-based services used in pay-TV and next-generation connected home products.

Laurent Remont, Group Vice President and Head of ST's Integrated Platform Division, stated, "ST is recognized for its expertise in this field, which has enabled us to achieve rapid launch of these devices. ST has shipped tens of millions of first and second-generation DOCSIS chips to date. As the first company to demonstrate 16x4 channel DOCSIS 3.0 technology, we have now rapidly brought to market our latest product lineup, enabling operators to provide more advanced services to multiple connected home users."

ST plans to release development kits for the STiD125, STiD127, and STiD128 in 23x23 BGA packages within the first quarter of 2013.

Key Features of STiD125/127/128:
• Multiple high-speed DOCSIS 3.0 channels: up to 16x4 channels for data, up to 8 channels for video
• Diverse connectivity: FST interface, up to 3 Ethernet ports, up to 2 PCI-e (WiFi DBC) ports, 200Mb/s digital video transport stream output bus
• Enhanced internet telephony supporting PacketCable 1.5 and 2.0
• Low-power, high-performance multicore ARM processor delivering industry-leading power efficiency and performance

DOCSIS 3.0:
DOCSIS[3] is the major cable modem standard adopted by North American cable service operators and equipment providers. The similar EuroDOCSIS standard is widely used in Europe. These DOCSIS standards, supporting the highest data speeds, have enabled cable TV operators to provide all services including video, voice, and data communications.

The latest version, DOCSIS 3.0, supports IPTV and enables static and dynamic multicasting for improved services, allowing delivery of personalized content and streaming video services. Additionally, it significantly expands the IP address range and supports next-generation internet protocol (IPv6) to connect more devices to the internet.

Furthermore, it supports channel bonding, a flexible technology that expands the maximum data bandwidth of cable modems. ST's STi7141 for DOCSIS 2.0 supports 40Mbps downstream data speeds, while DOCSIS 3.0 technology with channel bonding capability can achieve up to 800Mbps. This is a critically important advantage enabling cable operators to simultaneously deliver diverse multimedia services and high-speed internet access to multiple home users.