july august | Page 10

“ Equipped with natural voice inputs , audio outputs , visual screen outputs , and inputs from cameras and sensors , the STB will become a central hub for Generative AI engagement .” – Charles Cheevers , Vantiva end-user ,” suggests Thomas . “ AI / ML will continue to play a huge role at the network edge and home CPE , enhancing user services , service predictability and ensuring QoE at the application level . While AI / ML can recognise and perform actions automatically to enable a seamless user experience , a containerised service that unlocks new CPE services without the need for a firmware upgrade provides the service management and monitoring fluidity and control that CSPs desire . A containerised CPE has the potential to act as a ‘ hub ’ for subscriber services and increasingly , for IoT , providing CSPs with the opportunity to manage the home network and personalise their offerings .”
“ AI and ML still have a way to go before delivering on their promises with the appropriate chipsets , which are only now on the market ,” notes Gremeau . “ AI will make Service ID more robust , enabling advanced services such as personalised QoS and improved customer care tools ( including self-care ). For example , CPE ’ s footprint will become even more closely managed with AI helping to switch off unused components and frequencies . “ In the longer term , GenAI can assist subscribers in improving home connectivity . One day , automated repeater positioning with a mobile robot might even find the best spot in the house ,” he predicts .
“ The connected home is on the brink of a major transformation , driven by the power of Artificial Intelligence ( AI ),” declares Cheevers . “ With advancements in Generative AI and Machine Learning , we ’ re entering a new era where AI can be fine-tuned to meet the specific needs of our homes and their occupants . This next phase of AI for the home will significantly enhance various aspects of our digital lives , such as entertainment , security , productivity , information access , privacy , and connectivity . CPE is best positioned to enable such a revolution to happen as it will provide the connectivity , multi modal inputs and outputs , sensor capabilities to all AI solutions to optimise our home environment ,” he contends . INVESTMENTS . He warns , however , that key investments in additional processing capabilities across CPUs and GPUs will be essential and the introduction of a new component , the Neural Processing Unit ( NPU ), will be a game-changer , enabling CPE to run increasingly complex AI models . “ While laptops and smartphones will incorporate NPUs , at Vantiva , we believe that key home CPE like broadband gateways , Wi-Fi meshing solutions , and set-top boxes are poised to have an even more significant impact on the AI empowerment of the home . These devices form the backbone of the home connectivity and entertainment ecosystem , offering alwayson availability and serving as fundamental platforms for an ‘ AI for the home ’ revolution ,” he suggests .
Additionally , Vantiva also sees the need to create this ‘ AI for the home ’ platform for the following key reasons : 1 . Offloading Cloud-Based Large Language Models ( LLM ): Transitioning from LLMs in the cloud to Small Language Models ( SLM ) in-home or on personal devices . 2 . Improved Latency : Enhanced performance due to in-home AI processing , reducing reliance on cloud or network-based AI solutions . 3 . Enhanced Security and Privacy through localised AI and personalised device operations . 4 . Permanent AI Platforms to support most home tasks and provide AI proxy support to non-AI capable devices , such as lower-cost IoT devices .
Broadband Forum enhances connected devices
Global standards development
organisation the Broadband
Forum has made what it
describes as significant
advancements in the remote
management of broadband
and Wi-Fi Customer Premises
Equipment ( CPE ).
Version 1.4 of USP ( User
Services Platform / TR-369 ),
version Device : 2.18 of the TR-
181 data model , and version
1.3 of the Broadband Forum
USP certification programme
for USP Agents have all been
published , driving innovation
and interoperability within the
broadband industry .
USP 1.4 supports secure ,
dynamic , and interoperable
applications on applicationenabled
service gateways .
This enhancement enables
broadband and Wi-Fi CPE to be augmented with valueadded applications , offering unprecedented flexibility and security for service providers and end-users .
“ USP 1.4 is a milestone in our journey towards more secure and dynamic broadband services ,” declared John Blackford , Broadband Forum chairman and work area codirector for the Broadband User Services Work Area . “ This update ensures that service providers can deploy new , value-added applications seamlessly , enhancing the customer experience while maintaining the highest security standards .”
Device 2.18 of the TR- 181 data model represents the Broadband Forum ’ s continuous commitment to agile , community-driven updates . This latest version
supports managing a broader range of network interfaces and applications , reflecting the industry ’ s strong interest in and adoption of TR-181 .
“ Device : 2.18 showcases the collective effort and dedication of our community ,” explained Daniel Egger , Broadband Forum USP Data Modelling project stream leader and principal software engineer at Axiros . “ The ability to manage more and varied network interfaces and applications demonstrates the commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the broadband industry .”
Version 1.3 of the BBF . 369 Certification Programme introduces new tests for advanced search expression use , trigger actions , and more . This ensures that USP Agents are thoroughly tested and certified to meet the latest
standards , guaranteeing high performance and reliability . “ Certification testing is crucial for ensuring the reliability and performance of USP Agents ,” added Jason Walls , work area co-director for the Broadband User Services Work Area at the Broadband Forum and director of technical marketing at QA Cafe . “ The new tests in version 1.3 of the USP certification programme , conducted using CDRouter , the official test platform , underscore our commitment to rigorous , comprehensive validation processes .”
These advancements reinforce the Broadband Forum ’ s mission to drive broadband innovation and excellence , ensuring that service providers can deliver cutting-edge , secure , and interoperable broadband services to their customers .
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