For tech geeks like me, Cox Communications' recent announcement of its Extendable Optical Network (EON) is music to our ears. Others will probably scratch their heads and think, "Extendable what?!?"

Cox Communications, Lakewood's cable provider for more than 26 years, made some major announcements in November regarding the future of its network. Chris Bowick, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer, laid out Cox’s directives under the 2010 Plan:

- Reduce analog channel count from 74 to 68.

- Increase digital, standard-definition channels to 200.

- Make 100+ high definition channels available.

- Boost data speeds to 25 Megabits downstream, 4 Megabits upstream and beyond.

Bowick refers to the new network as "flexagile," a newer, more flexible network design that adds bandwidth and capacity as needs allow. Initial efforts will include splitting nodes—aggregation points between homes and the network—from approximately 620 homes at present to 310, and eventually 250. (A tech I spoke with recently indicated this was underway.)

Also in the works is a move of all Cox networks to 1 Gigahertz capacity, making Cox the first cable operator to complete such a task. Presently, Cox's network provides between 750-860 Megahertz of total bandwidth. The new 1 GHz flexagile network would mean more capacity, and ultimately faster speeds, using next-generation equipment. This major upgrade has already been completed in "70 percent of Cox's markets, with almost no disruption of service," says Bowick.

Bowick went on to reveal the network switch is at a substantial savings compared to Verizon's $800-per-home expense to build its all-fiber FiOS network, telling cable industry publication OneTRAK its costs “wouldn't be even close to that.”

Two major announcements really caught my eye: Switched Digital Video and the rollout of DOCSIS 3.0 equipment. SDV has been launched in two markets, and a third will be added this year. SDV is very attractive to cable operators because of its virtually unlimited channel capacity, as it delivers only video currently being viewed to the home, instead of all channels being sent through the cable. DOCSIS 3.0 trials will be starting this year as well. With the first versions of DOCSIS 3.0 equipment starting to make their way onto the market, the new technology offers more than 160 Megabit downstream and 100 Megabit upstream speeds, finally giving Verizon's FiOS some real competition.

Bowick saved the largest announcement for last, stating that the company plans to build its own Internet backbone. Currently Cox's backbone, composed of high-speed/high-capacity data connections, is provided by Level 3 Communications, a company operating most of the nationwide backbone that supplies Internet service providers. Cox pays for this connection on a per-bit basis, but in the past year traffic has increased exponentially. While the per-bit cost has dropped, Cox believes it can connect and operate its own backbone network at a substantial savings.

Cox will connect its own 18,000-mile backbone using Level 3's dark fiber under an “indefeasible right-to-use” lease. This requires a high initial investment, including buying equipment and hiring techs to run the network, but ultimately Cox will have a network that is cheaper and more agile. Bowick explains, "Now we need to take a look at the infrastructure and own, if you will, that infrastructure."

According to Bowick, half of the EON upgrades have already been finished, and the remainder will be completed by the end of this year.