Beta testing of DOCSIS 3.1 on Videotron’s network is currently underway involving Montreal-area homes and businesses, the Canadian operator reported on Tuesday. It is now deploying D3.1 modems on its network and adapting equipment and working protocols.

Videotron introduced its new Giga Fibre Hybrid Internet service in Quebec last summer, which supports speeds of up to 940 Mbps (download) and up to 50 Mbps (upload) and goes for $149.95 (Canadian) a month. Following the D3.1 trial, the new technology will eventually allow delivery speeds of up to 10 Gbps for downloads and 1 Gbps for uploads, Videotron says, but packaging options or potential prices were not revealed.

“With this deployment, we are laying the first stones in the foundations of the internet of the future. We will be able to offer better Internet access service that meets the growing speed and bandwidth needs of our customers, who are watching more and more HD and UHD videos and adopting the cloud, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, and virtual reality,” Videotron President and CEO Manon Brouillette says.

Videotron further reports that after testing is completed, it will be possible to roll out DOCSIS 3.1 very quickly since it is compatible with Videotron’s existing network. Users will need a new D3.1 modem, and a software upgrade on the network will also be necessary.

“We are proud to be one of the first operators in the world and the first in Canada to install this new technology, demonstrating once again our leadership in the Internet access market and our commitment to offering our customers state-of-the-art services at all times,” Brouillette adds.

Canadian operator Shaw is aiming to implement DOCSIS 3.1 by the end of its fiscal year 2017.