Written by: Peter Arberg, Torbjörn Cagenius, Olle V. Tidblad, Mats Ullerstig and Phil Winterbottom
Download PDF file
Millions of people around the world already subscribe to IPTV over broadband networks, and looking ahead, the anticipated uptake in subscribers is substantial.
Two factors an operator should take into account when designing an IPTV-capable broadband network are the expected mix of unicast and multicast content and the range of combinational services, including communication services.
The authors describe Ericsson's IPTV solution, calling special attention to the network infrastructure, which emphasizes recent additions of GPON fiber access and Multi Service Edge Routers (MSER) to the product portfolio. They also highlight experiences garnered from several years of deploying broadband networks for IPTV delivery.
Introduction
IPTV, as an operator service over broadband networks, has been available for some time. Until recently, however, it has mainly been offered in small networks or in parts of networks. Figure 1 shows the anticipated increase in traffic over broadband access networks. This increase will largely be driven by IPTV service.
Even though today's networks have been built to support triple-play service, upgrading them to support mass deployment of IPTV service will be a major challenge. This is because the new media experience this service provides is not restricted to passively viewing broadcasted content but rather presents end users with interactive and personalized media, including on-demand content and combinational communication services. To meet these challenges, operators are investing in deep-fiber access and upgrading their IP edge capabilities.
Ultimately, the network must support an increasing portion of unicast traffic (that is, dedicated media streams to individual users). Notwithstanding, multicast traffic will continue to be an important feature for efficiently distributing content to many users.
Another challenging issue relates to the efficient distribution of content while guaranteeing the quality of the IPTV media experience. In summary, to successfully deliver this service, the network must scale well and be flexible in order to account for user uptake and future services.
This article describes the IPTV network infrastructure as currently deployed by Ericsson and how it can evolve into the Full Service Broadband architecture, thereby supporting the new media experience of IPTV.
