Last updated November 23, 2018 at 11:30 am by Jon Wilkins

There is some big tech news as VodafoneZiggo laid out its plans to deploy Docsis 3.1 from 2020, starting in your very own city of Utrecht

VodafoneZiggo will start rolling out its new fixed Gigabit network next year in Utrecht after a successful trial in the city.

CEO Jeroen Hoencamp made the statement during the opening of the operator’s new head office, next to Utrecht Central Station.

Internet Access by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

A pilot has already being carried out in the Utrecht Oog in Al neighbourhood. The network in Utrecht is expected to reach internet speeds of 5 Gbps for download and 1 Gbps for uploading.

The operator’s Docsis 3.0 network currently provides speeds at 150-200 Mbps. Residents of Utrecht will get the higher speeds via Docsis 3.1, which will also provide a safer and more stable network, with shorter latency.

The operator promises great benefits for everyone, especially the business community, government and healthcare institutions, with the upcoming upgrade.

Doctors, for example, will now be able to use the more stable and speedier network to hold virtual consultations with patients who are ill at home.

In general, Docsis 3.1 will make it possible for VodafoneZiggo to meet the growing demand for online services. The operator noted that network use is rising by around 40-50 percent every year for households and businesses and has worked tirelessly to accommodate this.

VodafoneZiggo started its Utrecht Docsis 3.1 trial in August when around 20 premises were selected, with the operator testing speeds of 1 Gbps down and 100 Mbps up. VodafoneZiggo has been testing the 3.1 standard internally since 2017.

The switch from analogue TV signal is part of the operator’s preparation for the national implementation of Docsis 3.1.