On Sept. 8, CI&M's sibling publication in Endeavor Business Media, Broadband Technology Report (BTR) announced the honorees of its Diamond Technology Reviews 2022 ranking.
The 18th edition of the Diamond Technology Reviews convened a panel of judges in which BTR again recognizes innovation in broadband communications, video transmission, and related technologies, and discerns a wave of new technology aimed to address the drive toward 10G networks.
And, for the first time in a couple of years, much of the reviewed technology will be seen by live attendees of the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2022 (Sept. 19-22) in Philadelphia.
In the award program's "Cabling and Accessories" category, CommScope's NOVUX Hardened Terminals and Prodigy Universal Small Form Hardened Connector System took home top honors.
Part of CommScope’s NOVUX fiber-to-the-home ecosystem, the NOVUX Hardened Terminals are engineered to be configurable, scalable, and simple. The manufacturer asserts its NOVUX Hardened Terminals use 75% fewer components than alternative terminals and offer 50x the number of configurations. The portfolio supports single-fiber and multi-fiber, splitters, optical tap, and fiber indexing and can accommodate on-demand configurations.
Judge’s Comment: “This may prove highly useful for a variety of operators facing the challenge of training new technicians or having to retrain existing ones. It simplifies what was once a very complex task in installing new endpoints using modular technologies.”
For its part, CommScope's Prodigy Universal Small Form Hardened Connector System is designed to accelerate and simplify field installation for highly reliable fiber networks.
Featuring a universal design, Prodigy fiber-optic connectors and adapters are quick and easy to deploy. The Prodigy universal design approach makes interoperability across different fiber hardened terminals and cable assemblies possible, which is an important feature given today’s supply chain constraints, the company adds.
Judge’s Comment: “Operators deploying FTTH and deciding that they want connectors in splitter cabinets or at drop terminals (or both) will find this useful.”
Awards program highlights
For the Diamond Techology Reviews 2022, BTR invited vendors serving the broadband cable industry to submit information about products that had been released or upgraded since last year's SCTE Cable-Tec Expo (October 2021).
This year’s BTR Diamond Technology entries were marked by technology that will prep cable networks for 10G, both via HFC and fiber technologies. Systems to enable 1.8 GHz capabilities as well as advancements for Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) were highlights.
Similarly, BTR's judges noted that fiber networking technology has shown significant advancement. Additionally, test instruments are now seen to offer new features to keep pace with this evolution in the physical plant.
"Our 2022 Diamond Technology Reviews honorees again illustrate the high level of innovation that today’s and tomorrow’s cable networks demand," commented Broadband Technology Report editorial director Stephen Hardy, who again served as program director this year. “I’m looking forward to finally seeing many of these honorees in person in Philadelphia.”
Program judging
Each Diamond Technology Reviews entry was assigned to at least three expert volunteer judges. To help ensure fairness, similar products from different vendors were reviewed by the same group of panelists. Judges based scores/comments on written material provided by vendors, as well as their own experience with or knowledge of the specific technologies. Review panelists were informed that scores/comments would remain anonymous.
Specifically, judges used the following scale to determine Diamond scores:
1.0-2.5: Not a useful product
3.0: Useful product, yet commodity
3.5: Solid product with viable attributes that set it apart
4.0-4.5: Excellent product with technical features and performance that provide clear and substantial benefits
5.0: Superb product that sets new standard for performance and/or breaks new ground
Each entry’s scores were averaged and rounded to the nearest full or half Diamond. Scores of 3.5 or above are considered superlative and reflect a very positive opinion from the panel. Only products receiving a 3.5 or above were included in the ranking.
The Diamond Technology Review judging panel remains the engine of the program. “Our judges reviewed a lot of entries in a short amount of time, and we remain grateful for their contributions to our program,” Hardy concluded.
2022 DIAMOND JUDGES PANEL
Program Director: Stephen Hardy, Editorial Director, Broadband Technology Report
Jack Burton, Principal, Broadband Success Partners
Zac Cronauer, Head of Fiber Initiatives, Blue Ridge Communications
Jeff Finkelstein, Chief Access Scientist, Cox Communications
Tee Harton, Sr. Director, OSP Engineering, Cox Communications
Robert Kuse, Senior Director - Access Engineering, Cox Communications
Tom Williams, Chief Technology Officer, Schurz Communications
Mark Woodworth, Engineering Architect, Comcast