May 08 08:19 2016, Tony Langdon wrote to Markus Reschke:
TL> Cable providers here for years simply provided a bridge, which you TL> could connect a router to, so all you needed was a router with an TL> Ethernet WAN port. I get the impression that the new NBN here is TL> likely to use such bridges for their NTUs. Hopefully, I'll find out TL> for myself next year sometime! :)
It's a little different over here (just Germany). The customer get's a router with integrated cable modem and VoIP (2 FXS ports or ISDN) from the cable provider. That router is enforced by the provider, you can't simply buy the next best router in your local shop. You may log into the router and change basic stuff. A lot of the features are disabled. Some cable providers charge you extra for enabling the WLAN. Not all are like this, but most. A few will give you a cable modem if you ask politely and know exactly which box you need.
Fortunately a new law is changing this soon, but the cable providers are trying to bully the router vendors into a certification program while neither providing any requirements or technical details, nor agreeing on a common standard. They are just playing for time and hope to discourage the router vendors.
