Access technologies comparative chartThe wired home networking technologies are all targeting speeds in the range of 100 Mbps or higher. This will make them appropriate choices for both VDSL and FTTP broadband access services.
However, home networking is not about a single solution since there is not “The Solution”. There are different physical layer home networking solutions available today for each home and the IPTV service provider must assure a range of technologies which cover properly all the subscribers' homes that it might serve with an IPTV service.
Because different telcos in different parts of the world have very different next-generation broadband approaches and in-home LAN environment will vary greatly (U.S. homes tend to have much more pre-installed co-ax than do many European ones, for example), the market for home networking devices will inevitably be fragmented, despite major, ongoing standardization efforts.
Telco companies have developed sophisticated systems for managing broadband services that reach up to DSL modem at the subscriber's home.
Previous scenarios.
Previously to offer broadband services, service providers managed domain reach access edge inside the network infrastructure. The standard analogical telephone is a dumb device that has few capabilities for supporting remote testing; consequently there was technically no way for the service provider to manage this POTS service out to the home.
ISDN services included the ability to perform loop back and other tests out into the subscriber's home, but it was not widely used despite of being more advanced technology than POTS. It was usually impossible logging or gathering other information available from devices in the subscriber's home to monitor and anticipate problems on the line.
DSL started with the same approach. The DSL loop itself was not managed. This generated a significant number of issues for the DSL service providers when launching the service. Interference with pre-existing phone line or ISDN services were a common problem. Service providers were forced to develop management systems that gave them the ability to use the information available from DSL modems to monitor the performance of each DSL line even if the subscriber had not registered a complaint. These service providers use this information to optimize the over-all operation of the network by minimizing interference between neighboring DSL services as well as DSL services These systems have proved to significantly improve the performance of the broadband network, reducing the number of problems reported, and most importantly, increasing customer satisfaction.
Current and future scenarios.
Broadband services now reach the DSL modem. If the subscriber uses this service with a single computer, then only a short cord is required to connect the computer to the DSL modem. If the subscriber sets up a LAN inside the home, the service provider cannot manage any other device beyond the DSL CPE. The end user must manage this in home LAN, and it is thus his responsibility.
This situation becomes much more complex when adding the IPTV service into the picture. Sharing a broadband connection between several IPTV STBs and one or more PCs requires a home network. In addition, this home network is critical to the IPTV service. If it is not capable of supporting the required IPTV traffic, this will result in the degradation of the IPTV service, what will end up in considerable customer dissatisfaction.
Bandwidth and Quality Inhome RequirementsThe IPTV service requires higher quality than both voice and data services, as well as extremely high availability. There must be no service disruption.
On the other hand, people spending a lot of money buying an HD home theatre system will not tolerate video quality degradation. Moreover, cable and satellite services already provide high quality video and audio; people will not move to different and newer platforms unless at least same quality standards are guaranteed.
Many IPTV service providers have concluded that they must provide some level of operation and management for the home network if they want the IPTV services to be gracefully for customers. In fact, this will give them a competitive advantage because cable and satellite service providers are not able to directly manage the service inside their home. The cable and satellite companies rely on the subscriber to take a reference for the quality of the service. If there is any problem about IPTV service, they will make any adjustments that could be appropriate to solve problems on the STB or the home network.
Ultimately, the move toward home networking is a double-edged sword for STB vendors. Home networking will certainly help to drive sales of IPTV services. However, it also means that IPTV deployments designed for multiple TVs within the home will be less lucrative on a per-home basis than multi-TV deployments have historically been in satellite and cable markets. Fewer fully functional STBs may be required for each home. This will be good for operators keen to keep capex down, but less attractive for the STB vendors, as the opportunity for multiple box sales per IPTV subscriber will be lower. And while IPTV boxes are expected to be more expensive than standard cable STBs and satellite boxes, the price difference will not be great enough to dampen this effect.
Other future scenery is the digital room. This is an evolution of the idea that PCs, consumer electronics and mobile devices should work together seamlessly through a wired or wireless network to share digital content within a home environment.
The goal is to provide you with an immediate connection between your digital devices, regardless of the manufacturer. You will finally enjoy the freedom to access, play and share your favorite movies, music and photos at home. If you have a home network, you are ready to get started.
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