Data Sheet
Cisco MC16E Universal Broadband Router Line Card
The Cisco® MC16E 8-MHz Universal Broadband Router line card allows the Cisco uBR7246VXR to support European Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (EuroDOCSIS) (Figure 1). The card enables cable operators worldwide that use 8-MHz channel plans and want greater frequency options for the return-path spectrum to optimize their EuroDOCSIS networks. The Cisco MC16E supports the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) J.83 Annex A standard. The card is EuroDOCSIS 1.1-qualified.
Figure 1
Cisco MC16E Line Card
The Cisco MC16E is an example of the attention Cisco Systems® gives to worldwide cable markets and to customers outside the United States. With this card, Cisco offers another choice for data-over-cable standards, where cable operators can offer data and video services in EuroDOCSIS environments to standards-based, low-cost cable modems and set-top boxes. The Cisco MC16E 8-MHz line card builds on the DOCSIS standard, adding support at the physical layer (PHY) for Phase Alternating Line (PAL) and Systemme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM) channel plans. The Cisco MC16E offers a similar port configuration to the Cisco MC16C line card, with one downstream and six upstream ports. The card differs, however, from the Cisco MC16C card by offering a greater upstream spectrum range of 5 to 65 MHz and an increased downstream channel width of 8 MHz.
Other Cisco cable line cards that support EuroDOCSIS include the Cisco 5x20U and 5x20 Broadband Processing Engine for the Cisco uBR10012, and the Cisco uBR7200 Series MC28U, MC16U, MC28X, and MC16X Broadband Processing Engine for the Cisco uBR7246VXR. For more information on these products, refer to their respective data sheets.
Applications
Table 1 Features and Benefits
| Feature | Benefits |
| Provides 5- to 65-MHz frequency range on the upstream ports, offering an additional 23 MHz of spectrum for return-path service | |
| Translates the volume economies of DOCSIS customer premises equipment (CPE)—set-top boxes and cable modems—into cable markets with 8-MHz channel plans | |
| Gives cable plants running Annex A more efficient use of their available plant spectrum | |
| Provides IF output compliant with European upconverters (36.125 MHz); interoperates with existing 8-MHz upconverters | |
| Software is upgradable to DOCSIS 1.1 | |
| Baseline privacy interface (BPI) and extensions to BPI (BPI+) provide secure link-layer communication over a shared hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) cable physical medium | |
| Supports all DOCSIS and EuroDOCSIS-required Management Information Bases (MIBs) |
Technical Specifications
Downstream PHY
Table 2 Downstream PHY Values
| Modulation | Channel Width | Line Bit Rate | Effective Bit Rate |
Upstream PHY
The following parameters are supported and transmitted to the cable modems by the CMTS:
- Symbol rates of 160, 320, 640, 1280, and 2560 ksym/sec
- Modulation: Quaternary phase shift keying (QPSK) and 16 QAM
- Upstream frequency range: 5 to 65 MHz, edge-to-edge
- FEC length (T = 0 to 10)
- Calibrated and widely adjustable upstream voltage level
- Total input power: less than 35 dBmV
- Operating power range: bursts within ±6 dB of commanded level
- RF performance stable to ±1.5 dB across -5 to 50°C
- RF spurs less than 5 mV on all inputs and output
Table 3 Upstream PHY Values
| Symbol Rate | Channel Bandwidth | Bit Rate (QPSK) | Bit Rate (16 QAM) | Input Power Ranges |
Power requirements
Physical configuration
Universal chassis environmental specifications