Tier 2 and 3 cable system operators will soon be able to offer higher downstream speeds without upgrading to full DOCSIS 4.0:
DOCSIS 3.1+ gets ready to roll
Next-gen DOCSIS 3.1 modems and gateways featuring new Broadcom and MaxLinear chips are quietly making their way to market. The devices will let cable ops ramp up downstream speeds to about 8 Gbit/s – without major HFC network upgrades.
https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/docsis-3-1-gets-ready-to-roll