july august | Page 14

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homeworking applications . The investment in more intelligent CPE that enables software containerisation is a key part of the Broadband Forum open standards and open source work . Software Module Management is defined in the Broadband Forums Universal Services Platform ( USP / TR-369 ) which is the evolution of TR-069 . SMM defines the commands for installation , uninstallation , upgrading , downgrading , monitoring and fault handling . That means that service containers can be managed by any access control system ( ACS ).
Cloud-based software platforms such as smart WiFi can enhance QoE in the home , and service providers need to make sure they innovate around new value-added broadband services and features . Creating a containerised environment ( adding software to CPE without upgrading the firmware ) and standardising the management of third-party software within a
virtualised applications and lightweight CPE devices . Freesat : The Cloud offers service providers with a huge opportunity to deliver increasingly advanced services and a great experience without the need to provide highly complex and costly CPE into the homes of their customers . This is of course very exciting and should provide some cost savings to both groups . However , there may be some trade-offs regarding both the robustness and security of the services . With a small but not insignificant minority still not connecting their devices , service providers will need to balance their desire to deliver via the Cloud with the need for a consistent experience . Plume : With the global silicon shortages , cloud provides the fastest time to market and is one of the most important benefits helping deliver new and powerful smart home services to independent service providers . Ideally ,
Connected TVs , OTT devices , PC , tablets or game consoles , are complementing the traditional STB offer . A second complexity is the user experience as multiscreen implies multi modal consideration , being able to navigate with a remote control , a keyboard , a mouse or by touch mode . In that matter , to maximise service availability while minimising costs , SoftAtHome has developed a cloudbased approach thanks to its VASP solution : the multimodal and multiscreen framework , combined with a cloud-based architecture . At the end , the STB remains key as this is the way to bring the aggregator video service portal while controlling the offer , and bringing the same services over all available connected devices , will enlarge the number of touch points to end user while bringing what is missing to most OTT devices : access to linear TVs and associated replay TVs . Technicolor : There is no more dynamic issue than the balance evolving between the cloud and the on-premises environment . Applications like online gaming require a high amount of CPU that benefits from data processing power moving to the edge . But as technologies and applications evolve , a balance between cloud and on-premises approaches will also evolve over time . It will be necessary to have an edge compute device such as CPE in the home to protect privacy . From an economics and resource utilisation perspective , it doesn ’ t make sense for every bit and byte to travel between the home and a cloud resource . This requires more open and intelligent gateways to manage issues like latency and security . But as there will be more services that are cloud driven , the relationship between edge computing and cloud will continue into the future .
Will Smart TVs become the main
gateway to entertainment consumption
going forward , or some other device ?
Broadband Forum : In essence , whilst
the Smart TV will be the hub for ‘ family
container will unlock rapid innovation , cost efficiency , and allow CPE to be tested in a shorter timeframe . CommScope : There should be a level of both offerings so service providers can provide a quality experience for the subscriber . Service providers can use a blend of cloud technologies so they do not overload network traffic delivering various video and content services . Some service providers offer storage in the home on CPE devices ; however the right balance of cloud and on-premises is determined by what the provider ’ s overall business objectives are or how they engineer and operate their network . Another example is service providers delivering a rich , home entertainment experience using simple
centralised controls should be located in the cloud , enabling service providers to harness the combined power of the cloud and artificial intelligence . AI-driven solutions ensure that subscribers ’ home networks can support connected devices , while the cloud offers the memory and computing power that AI needs . And , importantly , deploying on cloud means no legacy hardware or material waste -- updates can be made seamlessly , without a subscriber involvement or truck roll to the home . This leads to happier subscribers and significantly lower costs . SoftAtHome : Operators need to deliver their services on various connected CPE in the home . Where historically , STB was the main device for video service delivery , it is today key to have a multiscreen approach .
entertainment ’ handheld devices such as tablets , smart phones etc have an increasing role as the most used device for entertainment in the home . Entertainment consumption will not be managed from a single gateway device . CommScope : While Smart TVs are one way to consume content and entertainment , service providers are seeking ways to address the viewing needs of their broadband-only customer by providing them with a compelling streaming alternatives to retail devices . That ’ s why service providers are now deploying streamers , cost-effective , WiFi connected video devices optimised to deliver aggregated streaming services . Streamers enable service providers to differentiate their broadband service , have their brand and user interface on the TV , offer additional paid-for content
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