Cox was one of the first cable operators to offer gigabit-speed Internet service when it began deploying fiber to the home in new neighborhoods in 2014. That buildout has continued, with Cox now saying its Gigablast offering is available, at least selectively, in each of its major markets. However, the company is also ready to "step on the gas" with DOCSIS 3.1 technology, the network advancement that allows cablecos to deliver gigabit broadband over traditional hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) infrastructure.

A spokesperson shared the news that Cox Communications Inc. has begun D3.1 employee trials and plans to launch the technology commercially later this year.

"Our current deployment schedule is ahead of many providers: 40 percent of the households we serve nationwide will have access to Gigabit speeds by the end of 2017 and we will continue to aggressively expand the availability for our customers going forward," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The news comes shortly after Light Reading reported that Cox plans to make gigabit service available across its entire footprint by 2020. Like many of the large cable companies nationwide, Cox is combining a strategy of driving fiber deeper into its networks (sometimes all the way to the home) and DOCSIS 3.1 upgrades. To support the D3.1 rollout, Cox is currently installing new converged cable access platform (CCAP) hardware at headends and hub sites. The company expects to have about a third of the new CCAPs in place by the end of the year. (See Cox Aims for 'Gig for All' by 2020.)

— Mari Silbey, Senior Editor, Cable/Video, Light Reading