Analysts predict that the current global figure of 247 million broadband subscribers will increase to 400 million by 2009 and that mobile broadband will become a larger part of this growth trend. The innovative IP technology in Redback's SmartEdge product family forms the basis of the multi-access edge platform in Ericsson's Full Service Broadband offering.
Apart from the fact that consumers will have access to a larger number of services for voice, video and data, the key word is interactivity. Arpit Joshipura, vice president, marketing standards and solutions at Redback Networks, says: "Vision on any screen, anywhere becomes a reality where video moves from broadcast TV to internet video on demand, content creation moves from Hollywood to home and content distribution and storage moves from devices to global internet."
Regardless of the access method, the SmartEdge platform ensures that the correct network and quality of service are applied to all users. The technology will make a cable TV service as portable as a cell phone service, and it will be possible for a subscriber to watch a favorite TV-show from the beach instead of the living-room. Another change from today will be that end-users can be reached by TV advertising specifically targeted towards a defined group, in the same way banners currently target specific groups on the internet. How TV habits will change in the long run is, of course, impossible to predict, but they will certainly change as new services and formats emerge.
For media companies, such as TV stations, two characteristics of the SmartEdge platform are of specific importance. First, on demand and VOD (traditionally unicast traffic) and IPTV/broadcast traffic can be seamlessly offered on the same network, allowing TV stations to compete cost effectively with cable and satellite companies. Secondly, it will be possible to differentiate different target groups. Since IP intelligence is distributed in the network along with peer-to-peer control and security, tailor-made advertising for specific target groups, as well as local content, can be inserted easily and efficient.
Fifteen of the top 20 operators such as AT&T, British Telecom, France Telecom, Telefonica, China Telecom and Korea Telecom are using the SmartEdge multi-service edge router for providing both residential and business services. French operator Neuf Cegetel used it to expand geographic coverage and increase network access speeds. In addition, the advanced service creation capabilities and extensive protocol support on the SmartEdge platform helped the operator to reduce the time to market for new business services while leveraging existing infrastructure.
"A single multi-service platform allows a service provider to create a simple, flexible next generation network that is ready to run residential triple play services (voice, video/IPTV and internet), business services and mobile broadband off the same IP edge." Joshipura says. Due to this simple consolidated approach, operators have realized up to 50 percent savings in capital and operating expenditures and have increased new services revenue.
