PNM Archives

3 09, 2026

I Hate AI: Why Broadband AI is the Tech We Complain About and Use Anyway

PONisNext2026-09-03T12:27:48-04:00September 3rd, 2026|

I Hate AI: The Technology Everyone Complains About and Uses Anyway In broadband, skepticism is a survival skill. This industry is built on engineering, reliability, and real-world problem-solving. Many professionals have watched buzzword after buzzword pass through product roadmaps and conference agendas—digital transformation, big data, IoT, cloud-first strategies, and numerous other “revolutions” that often delivered more marketing than material change on the ground. The reaction to AI’s sudden “I’m here” presence in demos, keynotes, vendor pitches, and press releases is entirely understandable. "I hate AI" has become a

6 05, 2026

AI in Broadband What’s Real, What’s Next, and What’s Still Missing

PONisNext2026-05-06T15:25:32-04:00May 6th, 2026|

AI in Cable: What’s Real, What’s Next, and What’s Still Missing AI has become the cable industry’s favorite buzzword. It’s in the keynote titles, the vendor brochures, the analyst reports, and increasingly embedded in the tools we use every day. But after 30-plus years in this business, I’ve learned to ask a simple question: What’s actually working, and what hasn’t left the lab yet? The answer, as of early 2026, is more encouraging than you might expect—and more uneven. Some operators are running AI at genuine scale,

3 09, 2025

AI Accelerating DOCSIS Troubleshooting for Cable Operators

DOCSIS Rocks2025-09-22T12:28:28-04:00September 3rd, 2025|

Getting Smart with AI and PNM: The Operator’s New Edge Let’s not sugarcoat it—HFC networks, for all their engineered resilience, are still full of difficult-to-uncover problems. Under the surface, impairments like amplitude variation, ingress, and corrosion sneak in or often explode in. These impairments negatively impact throughput and cause avoidable truck rolls. Lately, though, there’s a promising path forward: integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with proactive network maintenance (PNM). I’m discussing AI a lot these days in the context of DOCSIS because AI’s advancement is remarkable—and its ability

7 02, 2025

Precision Impairment Location with OFDM & OFDMA Channel Estimation

DOCSIS Rocks2025-03-20T16:59:13-04:00February 7th, 2025|

Proactive Network Maintenance: Precision Impairment Location with OFDM & OFDMA Channel Estimation Are you ready to revolutionize your network maintenance approach? In this video, we explore how advanced OFDM and OFDMA channel estimation techniques are driving precision impairment location, setting a new standard in Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM). What You’ll Learn: • Precision Fault Detection: Discover how EQ and Pre-EQ channel estimation techniques pinpoint network impairments with laser accuracy. • PNM in Action: See why proactive network maintenance is a game changer for field technicians and network

9 09, 2024

Embracing Proactive Network Maintenance with AI

DOCSIS Rocks2024-09-09T11:20:30-04:00September 9th, 2024|

The Future of DOCSIS Networks In an industry known for its reactive problem-solving prowess, shifting to a proactive approach in proactive network maintenance (PNM) could be transformative. Instead of constant firefighting, what if we could prevent those fires from starting in the first place? Proactive network maintenance is the key to this paradigm shift, leveraging the power of AI to revolutionize how we maintain and enhance our DOCSIS networks. The limitations of reactive maintenance The cable industry has long prided itself on its ability to respond swiftly to

5 12, 2023

The Reactive Power of DOCSIS PNM Tools

DOCSIS Rocks2024-01-16T11:28:31-05:00December 5th, 2023|

In the demanding realm of DOCSIS networks, being proactive has become a necessity, not a luxury. To ensure efficient operation of these networks, cable operators must embrace proactive network maintenance (PNM) tools. These resources not only offer the ability to anticipate and address network issues before they significantly affect service delivery, thus creating a more robust and reliable network for users, but they can also be utilized reactively to help optimize the workforce, improve subscriber quality of experience (QoE) and are not impacted by supply chain constraints. Let’s

29 11, 2023

PMA-PNM Connection in DOCSIS 3.1

DOCSIS Rocks2023-11-30T08:58:56-05:00November 29th, 2023|

DOCSIS 3.1 modems have ushered in a new era of high-speed connectivity. However, ensuring their consistent performance, especially in the face of network impairments, demands a robust strategy. This is where the synergy of the profile management application (PMA) and proactive network maintenance (PNM) becomes invaluable. The twin pillars of optimal network performance 1. The PMA is designed to compensate for RF impairments in OFDM and OFDMA channels—it doesn’t fix the impairments, but goes a long way to work around them. Function: PMA is dedicated to refining the data

24 05, 2023

UTSC

DOCSIS Rocks2023-07-07T21:52:56-04:00May 24th, 2023|

Welcome, Brady Volpe and John Downey will dive into the world of UTSC (Upstream Triggered Spectrum Capture) for return path monitoring in a DAA world, how cable operators can harness these game-changing technologies. Join us as we discuss the latest updates on UTSC and PNM. Whether you're a cable operator looking to stay ahead of the competition or a curious tech enthusiast eager to learn about the next generation of broadband technology, this video is a must-watch! this video is a must-watch! Brady Volpe and special guest John

23 02, 2023

Why should PNM be on your mind?

DOCSIS Rocks2023-02-23T13:29:46-05:00February 23rd, 2023|

Why should PNM be on your mind? Discover the power of PNM in this informative panel discussion with industry leaders Brady Volpe, Jason Rupe of CableLabs, and Larry Wolcott of Comcast. Learn why PNM should be top of mind for anyone in the tech industry and the numerous benefits it offers. Tune in now and gain valuable insights from the experts in this must-watch video! Be sure to join and ask your own questions in the live chat! Topics: 0:00 Inro 2:15 What is FMECA 5:00 Where FMECA

22 02, 2023

Are Staples in Coax Cable Impacting My DOCSIS speed?

DOCSIS Rocks2023-02-22T17:43:08-05:00February 22nd, 2023|

I recently posted a YouTube short (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/n5ucjCb-iGA). ) about how staples in coaxial cable can cause micro-reflections and interfere with subscriber modems. The video was well-received, and I received a lot of feedback, including real-world experiences and questions about the implications of these issues. Let’s take a closer look at this subject. Staples in coax cable meets the real world Let’s start off with an example of real-world feedback I received. The example goes as follows: “I’ve had calls for this. Poor US voice quality. My worst