Ericsson Worldwide

As the ramp up to mainstream IPTV accelerates, mission critical for operators will be to satisfy user expectations in terms of picture quality that rivals what users get on their standard TV set. Redback’s SmartEdge solution, as a fully integrated part of Ericsson’s total IPTV solution, can help.

The number of global IPTV subscribers in 2007 (about 14 million) highlights IPTV’s rapid advance from trial to mainstream. And the market shows no signs of slowing down. Growth predictions anticipate about 140 million subscribers by 2013.

Glen Hunt, Principal Analyst for Carrier Infrastructure at Current Analysis, says operators must be prepared for mainstream IPTV and the demands it makes on IP infrastructures. Delivering significant increases in bandwidth per subscriber, providing end to end management and controlling ongoing opex are critical to providing quality video-based services.

“Adding bandwidth on the fly is too difficult, so a healthy dose of preplanning and capacity planning would be high on my list before turning on a full IPTV service,” Hunt says.

Simon Williams, Senior Vice President of Products, Marketing and Strategy at Ericsson’s Redback Networks, says that SmartEdge is a fully integrated part of the Ericsson IPTV solution including the latest IMS-capable version. So when operators select it, they are securing their investments with a future-proof solution capable of supporting advanced IPTV services.

“Operators are effectively getting an insurance policy,” Williams says. “They get the connectivity, features and capacity they need today, as well as the future ability to turn on more advanced services using the infrastructure they’ve already installed.”

“ Redback’s recent deal with Hong Kong’s PCCW, one of the world’s largest IPTV service providers, is a good example of this kind of preparedness.

Redback at a glance

Headquarters: San Jose, USA
Business: networking solutions for IP-based services and communications
Market: Global
Customers: 500+
Since the Ericsson acquisition, Redback has been involved in 68 Ericsson deals in 45 countries globally as of the end of 2007, and as of Q2 2008, approximately 125 deals globally.
Founded: 1996
Owner: Ericsson

“By selecting Redback to upgrade its network for video-on-demand and other broadband services, PCCW is choosing a next-generation broadband infrastructure that will make it much easier to combine data, voice, video and mobility services over time,” says Herve Brunet, Vice President, Asia-Pacific Sales and Operations at Redback Networks.

Redback is also part of Ericsson’s recent end-to-end IPTV contract with Emaar, developer of Saudi Arabia's high-tech flagship, King Abdullah Economic City, a deal which brings together products from Ericsson's major fixed-line acquisitions – Redback (for Core and Edge IP routers), Entrisphere (for GPON), Marconi (for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing optical transmission), and TANDBERG Television (for IPTV) – as well as Ericsson’s complete Managed Services operations.