As the cable industry seeks new revenue from the adoption of growing cable modem rental fees, one vendor has received approval for an inexpensive DOCSIS 3 cable modem so small it can fit in your pocket.

Hitron Technologies’ data-only CDA CCC (4.3 inches tall, 2.75 inches wide, and 0.98 inches thick) is no bigger than a stack of two modern smartphones, but is well-equipped with an Intel Puma 5 chip, MaxLinear tuners, and a built-in spectrum analyzer. DOCSIS 3 modems must support a minimum of four bonded upstream and downstream channels, providing support for up to 100Mbps or more broadband speeds.

(Image: Multichannel News/Hitron)

Hitron says its new modem was designed for the developing prepaid Internet service market, currently championed by Comcast. Although the selling price has not been disclosed, Hitron will likely have to match or beat the cost of Comcast’s current $69.95 prepaid Internet Starter Kit that includes an Arris DOCSIS 3 modem, cables, and an instruction manual.

Todd Babic, Hitron’s chief sales and marketing officer said the company expects the tiny modem to be sold at retail, but also offered the lightweight modem could be used as a mailed replacement for the millions of aging DOCSIS 2 cable modems still in use by broadband customers.

The modem was certified for DOCSIS 3 use by CableLabs, the non-profit research and development consortium pursuing new cable telecommunications technologies for the benefit of its cable operator members.

Various DOCSIS standards covering cable broadband modem technology have been in use since November 1997.

Taiwan’s Hitron Technologies delivers over 3 million DOCSIS products annually to cable operators worldwide which support both residential and business class applications.