Cable operators are seeing real gains from upstream network upgrades, according to new data from Ookla. The study shows that mid-split and high-split upgrades are improving upload speeds across North America.
These upgrades matter because cable networks traditionally favored downloads. That design matched older internet habits, such as browsing and streaming. Today, users also upload video, back up files, join video calls, and run cloud tools.
To address that shift, operators are giving more network spectrum to upstream traffic. A mid-split expands upstream spectrum from 5MHz-45MHz to 5MHz-85MHz. A high-split pushes that range further, reaching 5MHz-204MHz.
The results look strongest in high-split markets. Spectrum markets using high-split upgrades saw median upload speeds rise eleven-fold. Ookla measured those speeds at about 223.60 Mbit/s. Legacy cable networks, by contrast, showed very little movement.
This gives cable providers a stronger answer to PON fiber services. Fiber providers often market symmetrical speeds, meaning similar upload and download performance. Cable companies want to narrow that gap without replacing entire networks immediately.
However, the transition will not happen instantly. Operators must upgrade local systems, customer plans, and sometimes home equipment. Some subscribers may need newer gateways supporting DOCSIS 3.1, DOCSIS 3.1+, or DOCSIS 4.0.
Ookla also warned that faster tiers need customer adoption. Network upgrades alone do not change median speeds overnight. Users must move to plans that use the new capacity.
“Consumer adoption naturally follows deployment. However, until a split reaches enough of the footprint to be marketed nationally, promoting service plans and equipment that use the new capability may have to wait, resulting in slow early adoption,” Ookla’s Kerry Baker explained in the report.
The study used Speedtest data from US and Canadian cities. It compared operator performance across Q2 2024, Q2 2025, and Q2 2026. Ookla focused on median upload speed, which reflects actual customer adoption.
Upgrade strategies also vary widely by operator. Comcast has leaned mainly into mid-split upgrades across its HFC network. Charter has pursued a multi-phase plan based largely on high-split upgrades.
Cox Communications, now part of Spectrum/Charter, led many peers in upgraded cities. Ookla found 77% of its cities upgraded by Q2 2026. Charter reached 13%, mostly through high-split work.
Comcast reached 32% by the same period, mostly using mid-splits and some PON. In Canada, Rogers showed strong progress in former Shaw eastern markets. That footprint reached 97% upgraded by the end of 2026.
The broader usage trend supports these investments. OpenVault reported average monthly DOCSIS upstream speeds rose 33.7% year over year. Upstream data usage also climbed 19.2%, reaching 58.2 gigabytes per month.
For cable operators, the message is clear. Upload performance now shapes the broadband experience. Split upgrades offer a practical bridge toward faster, more balanced services. Yet execution, marketing, and equipment readiness will decide the customer impact.
