What occurs if a DOCSIS modem fails to establish time-of-day (ToD) registration?

When a DOCSIS modem fails to establish time-of-day (ToD) registration, it does not shut down outright or become entirely non-functional. Instead, the modem has the capability to continue its operations in a limited capacity while it attempts to re-establish the ToD registration. The ToD serves as a critical synchronization mechanism within the network, ensuring devices have the correct time settings for various processes. While the failure to obtain this registration might prevent the modem from fully realizing all functionalities or features that depend on precise timing, it can still function and maintain some level of connectivity as it retries the registration process. This design allows for greater resiliency within the network and ensures that users are not immediately disconnected while the modem attempts to resolve the issue.