Mediacom Partners with AOI to Advance DOCSIS 4.0 Upgrade Plan

Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI), a leading supplier of advanced optical and HFC network products for artificial intelligence, announced on May 12, 2026, that it is collaborating with Mediacom to accelerate the upgrade and continuous expansion of its fiber-optic and coaxial network infrastructure.

Mediacom is the fifth-largest cable television operator in the United States, providing high-speed data, video, telephone, and mobile services to over 3 million households and businesses across 22 states. Last year, the company announced plans to upgrade its network, aiming to deliver faster upload and download speeds to 1 million homes by the end of 2026. Mediacom intends to achieve this by adopting a distributed access architecture (DAA) with DOCSIS 4.0 technology, fiber expansion, and a whole-home Wi-Fi solution powered by eero 7 technology. The company has already deployed these upgrades in key markets such as Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota, with plans to expand further within its coverage area to reach approximately 1 million homes by the end of 2026.

As the primary supplier for Mediacom in its existing Gainmaker and Motorola system amplifier upgrade projects, AOI will leverage key products from its broadband network portfolio to ensure the continued success of these initiatives. These products include: QuantumLink™ remote management and monitoring software, Quantum18™ MB 1.8GHz amplifier, and Quantum18™ BLE 1.8GHz line extender.

AOI’s exclusive distribution partner, Digicomm International, will leverage its warehousing and distribution center in Englewood, Colorado, to provide Mediacom with immediate supply and logistics services. Over the past 12 months, Digicomm has shipped hundreds of thousands of AOI 1.8GHz amplifiers to multiple North American operators.

Mediacom’s Chief Technology Officer JR Walden stated, “Mediacom is committed to providing our customers with the best network connectivity experience, delivering exceptional service and reliability both at home and on the go. In the process of promoting the construction of DOCSIS 4.0 network, AOI’s intelligent amplifier will help us increase capacity, improve signal quality, provide more reliable services, and reduce operating costs.”

Todd McCrem, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AOI Broadband Access Business, stated that Mediacom is rapidly advancing to demonstrate the power of DOCSIS 4.0 to change the future of broadband. We are working together to build a new model, an edge oriented architecture, which can be expanded to provide gigabit speed and similar optical fiber performance through existing coaxial cables, so that Mediacom users can get the Internet experience they want today without waiting for a complete optical fiber laying.”