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| Resource Center | White Papers |
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| Cable Operators have evolved over the last ten years from delivering only analog video to providing a triple play of interactive digital video, voice and data services. Along the way their capital investments have been directed at each service in turn, usually success-based. This investment has resulted in wide scale deployments of high-order digital modulation techniques that deliver vastly increased amounts of content and information. This is achieved within the same 6 and 8 MHz channels that previously only carried one analog video channel. However, this paradigm is starting to show its age, and may become unsustainable if recent trends in HSD growth and increasing competition from Telco and satellite sources continue. The ever-increasing pressure to provide more HD program content, interactivity and whole home personal video recording is forcing cable operators to find new ways to increase the quantity and quality of video programming options for their subscribers. Operators are also being challenged to enhance the overall user experience by offering more options for accessing the subscribers’ personal media stored on their in-home devices as well as the operators’ streaming and stored content. |
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| TCO takes into consideration all costs of operating an E-MTA over its entire useful life. While the lowest acquisition cost is important in controlling initial capital expenditures, it is relatively small compared to the TCO. The cost of installing and maintaining the device over the life of the product represents the largest opportunities for cost reduction. As illustrated in the graph in Figure 1 below, a small fraction in cost reduction, or cost avoidance, in the area of installation and maintenance can easily translate into millions of dollars of annual savings even for the most modest of deployments. This paper discusses basic elements of the TCO cost model and explores several areas where significant cost improvement opportunities can be realized. |
| Cable MSOs are continually seeking to improve levels of service to subscribers in order to stay ahead of competition from Telco and other sectors. DOCSIS, coupled with growth in interactive network capacity, enables them to achieve this through evolution of their existing infrastructure. Increasing capacity will involve segmentation and more narrowcast content. Segmentation places pressure on legacy fiber and increase in narrowcast content can reveal limitations in “QAM Overlay” systems. Full spectrum, multi-wavelength systems are powerful tools that will enable cable MSOs to overcome such roadblocks without the need to resort to costly new fiber construction. This article will explain the technological background to such systems including how to manage optical nonlinear impairments in the fiber. Practical implementations of multi-wavelength solutions in the second and third fiber windows will then be presented. |
| The emergence of RF over Glass (RFoG) architecture enables a cost effective Fiber to the Business passive optical network solution that carries all services traditionally delivered over HFC. These services include analog and digital video services as well as data and voice services over DOCSIS. Compatibility with existing backoffice infrastructure and operations is an inherent benefit of this approach. Connecting SMB customers with short extensions from existing node fiber links provides a fast time-to-market, cost effective, and high capacity solution for high margin business service deployments. |
| Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook have enabled on-demand user-generated content to millions of viewers. In this paper we ask whether it is possible to leverage social-networking web technology, user-generated video, and cable infrastructure to provide a “best of all worlds” experience for these millions of viewers. |
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| Recent studies have shown that bandwidth usage has been exponentially increasing every year since the inception of dial-up modems. Rising customers’ expectations are motivating MSOs and Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) vendors to pursue cutting-edge technologies to satisfy customers’ needs. Therefore, the DOCSIS® 3.0 standard, which was developed recently, proposes different mechanisms to increase the bandwidth offered to cable customers. Among these mechanisms are expanding the upstream (US) spectrum, downstream (DS) channel bonding, and US channel bonding.
While wide, non-bonded channels can provide relatively high throughput (up to ~30 Mbps), deploying DOCSIS 3.0 US channel bonding introduces many new benefits. An obvious benefit of US channel bonding is the ability to offer customer throughput that exceeds 30 Mbps. However, there are many other benefits of US channel bonding, including statistical multiplexing gain, flexible and efficient US spectrum assignment, grow-as-you-go strategy, and better quality of service (QoS).
Although the US spectrum is limited and noisy, it can be used efficiently to offer higher data
rates through US channel bonding. This is primarily because of the excellent performance obtained by US channel bonding in the presence of different HFC noise types. In this article, we closely analyze the performance of US channel bonding in the presence of Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), Semi-AWGN noise, Ingress noise, and Impulse noise. We demonstrate that the performance of US channel bonding can be better than the performance of
wide channels in the presence of AWGN. We also show that the performance of US channel bonding can be better than that of wide channels in the presence of Semi-AWGN, Ingress noise, and Impulse noise. In the conclusion of the analysis, we will show how US channel bonding can offer higher data rates than single wide channels. |
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| Single and multi-carrier systems have identical theoretical capacity in the presence of AWGN noise. This statement, however, does not hold true for different noise types. This article discusses the benefits and performance of multi-carrier systems in HFC networks. We provide a brief background on multi-carrier systems and analyze their performance in the presence of semi-AWGN, Ingress, and Impulse noise environments. The performance of multi-carrier technology is then compared to the performance of single-carrier technology used in HFC networks. |
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Internet activity has been characterized by constant growth and constant change. Recently there has been an explosion of the growth of video consumption from internet sources. A recent report on internet and video usage stated that on-line viewing of video content in November 2008 had increased 34% over a year ago. This growth has been fueled by a combination of factors; most notably, faster broadband connections, and growth in the variety and quality of legitimate on-line content. As recently as 2 or 3 years ago, participation in peer-to-peer download groups was the principal avenue to access recent video content. Within the past year or so, desirable content has become available on-line from reputable sources. The quality of those available downloads is quite reasonable for PC viewing, and the bandwidth consumed by these offerings is rapidly increasing as they seek to provide a comparable experience to that of traditional cable or broadcast sources.
For cable operators, this increased level of traffic demands corresponding increases in available bandwidth to ensure that all subscribers can still receive adequate levels of service. This paper examines through simulation what, if any, changes to network engineering practices should be considered as this trend continues and possibly accelerates.
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The growing market demand for service convergence is the driving force behind the development of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Wi-Fi / cellular integration, commonly known as fixed-mobile convergence (FMC). FMC has become a recurring theme amongst service providers such as cable operators worldwide, many of whom are seeking to deliver combined fixed-mobile services to their customers as part of a 'quadruple' service bundle. Whatever form these services take, they will require operator investment in network infrastructure, subscriber devices, and back office systems. But there are immediate, viable, standards-compliant FMC solutions on the market now that migrate forward into an IMS environment without stranding capital investments - and that provide for a graceful customer experience during the network evolution.
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| There are an estimated 30 million already-installed Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) Key Telephone Systems (KTSs) providing voice services in as many business locations in the U.S. This represents an estimated 365 million telephone stations connected to the public telephone network (PSTN) by approximately 90 million analog telco lines. Even though many of these KTS are still within their useful life cycles, MSOs can add the benefits of having multiline E-MTAs provide Internet Protocol (IP) based voice and data services at these locations. MSOs can immediately offer less expensive analog line connections to replace IXC/LEC lines. In addition, with this IP-Adjunct strategy, MSOs would ultimately be in a position to up-sell the full replacement of these TDM KTSs . This paper provides, integration and installation recommendations. It also addresses interoperability concerns that could come into play with such an MSO strategy. |
| The Telecommunications industry is defining solution architectures that will meet the highly competitive residential and business services market for video, data, and voice services. It is widely known that the major U.S. Telecom providers, AT&T and Verizon, have announced substantial investments in their network infrastructure in an effort to add video and high-bit rate data services to compete with cable. The Cable Multiple System Operators (MSOs) have enjoyed a technical competitive advantage over the last few years with a network infrastructure that can deliver the triple play – video, data, and voice services – over one common network architecture. This paper describes one of several MSO efforts to maintain a leadership position in the marketplace and to leverage their extensive capital investment via the development DOCSIS 3.0®. This paper shows their ability to increase the data bandwidth capabilities for residential and business services, without network-wide upgrades. |
| This case study outlines the planning steps taken during a business service project involving ARRIS and an unnamed service provider. The purpose of the project was to analyze the possibility of transporting E1 links through an existing HFC network as a way to reduce the costs associated with provisioning E1 connections to Business Customers. This study compared connections that were currently being leased from a third party carrier or provided via Wireless Links with an alternative solution proposed by ARRIS based on interoperable standardized equipment. |
The rationale for, and technology of, the business services opportunity for cable operators has been well-documented. Now is the time for the block and tackle marketing of this new source of potential revenue.
Despite the near-ubiquity of HFC plant and cable’s expertise in delivering highly reliable residential voice and data service, the industry’s entry into the Business Services marketplace has been slow and cable’s share of the enterprise sector market revenue a fraction of its potential.
But that is changing – major North American MSOs are leading the charge in marketing carrier-grade Business Services to small and medium businesses and this presentation will provide attendees with actionable strategies and marketing tips to tap this under-served segment. |
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| The ARRIS C3 Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) enables advanced Layer 2 Virtual Private Network (VPN) services in DOCSIS cable networks worldwide. With support for secure, high performance Layer 2 VPNs, the ARRIS C3 CMTS gives the cable operator compelling market advantages over the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) offering Transparent LAN Services (TLS) to the same customer base. The ARRIS C3 CMTS is currently deployed by Top MSOs in networks with complete traffic separation between residential and business customers. |
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Carrier Ethernet brings the speed, low cost and flexibility of Ethernet to the carrier market, with simultaneous reduction of costs and rapid ROI. In 2007, MSOs are poised to enter a marketplace that shows fast increases in Carrier Ethernet service revenues. The advantages of Ethernet based services are due to their simplicity and widespread adoption in home and business communication. Ubiquitous Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) networks, which cover geographically diverse locations, can economically provide a variety of native Ethernet services to business. This paper describes the network architectures and tools available for MSOs to offer Carrier Ethernet business services over DOCSIS as well as using fiber facilities while ensuring reliability, scalability, and service management capabilities. |
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Considering a 24-Fiber Node System - This paper will show that wideband subscriber pool can be well-supported by an ARRIS FlexPath™ system using four downstream channels and twenty-four upstream channels (which can be provided by two 2Dx12U Cable Access Modules within an ARRIS C4® CMTS). |
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The cable industry has enjoyed tremendous success serving residential voice services over the past several years. MSOs are now cashing in on offering these same attractive voice packages to small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, while bundling the delivery of very high-speed data services as well. MSOs can even use VoIP to cap growth of existing legacy circuit switched PBXs and key systems using E1/T1 circuit emulation technologies to create multi-location wide area networking capabilities. ARRIS published a white paper entitled "Implementing IP Voice for Commercial Services" in conjunction with the October 17th, 2006, SCTE Business Services Symposium. This paper discusses how MSOs can satisfy SMB needs and provides a useful sales tool for MSO Business Services Product Managers. |
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Cable operators (MSOs) worldwide face a growing, profitable opportunity to add mobility to their portfolio of
triple-play services. Consumers are increasingly using their mobile phones from home. Technology now
enables a blending of fixed and mobile phone services to bring the consumer cost savings and new value
services. The MSOs have critical advantages in gaining voice subs: they own last-mile access, they have
existing relationships with subscribers, and they have the ability to bundle services. |
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The CableLabs DOCSIS 3.0 specification initiative is a response to cable operators’ need to harness new technological developments to be able to offer:
• greater bandwidth through wideband channel bonding
• access to more IP address via implementation of IPV6
• interoperability of VPN via standardization
• enhanced security management
The architectural advantages and powerful features of the C4 CMTS will provide operators with a seamless migration cost-effective deployment solution. |
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