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a level of risk based only on trust . A sensible approach is to monitor at these economic demarcation / handover points , so that ‘ fingers can be pointed in the right direction ’ when things go wrong . Broadpeak : When video service providers rely on network operators to package their content , they usually negotiate a minimum level of QoS that translates into QoE KPIs measured with analytics libraries embedded in the applications . This gives some level of control back to the video service providers . Mediaproxy : The third parties should be aware , or made aware , of compliance standards but , even if they are , the main distributor is ultimately responsible of the quality of its output and should make sure full monitoring and QC is in place . Plume : While there can be problems with an OTT provider ’ s service , the WiFi link in the home is the most difficult portion of the entire pathway to guarantee good QoE across . Torque : The distributed nature of OTT makes for many possible technical implementations of a third party content . For example , if the service provider operates their own CDN and access network , they would have quite a good degree of control and visibility . On the other hand , if they only ‘ white label ’ the service with the encoding , packaging and CDN operated by someone else , they would have almost no control at all . VeEX : In our opinion , unless the network or service is outdated or in bad shape , OTT channels are very forgiving due to their dynamic nature ( and sometimes with lower consumer expectations ). They normally affect the downstream , which is usually more abundant . Additionally , now with subscribers working from home , connecting to remote office servers and conducting multiple video conference calls at any given time , they may be less tolerant to problems caused by the upstream . VIAVI : To ensure performance and QoE of today ’ s more complex , dynamic networks , service providers need to make field operations faster and more efficient by increasing reliance on automation . Broadcasters and telco partners have been conducting a number of 5G broadcast trials . Is 5G likely to pose fresh challenges for T & M ? Accedo : 5G is going to deliver more bandwidth at a lower cost and will be accessible for anyone who wants to deliver high quality video anywhere . This will open the market for even more newcomers , increasing video service fragmentation . This competition |
will make it more challenging than ever for video providers to differentiate . AWS : Much of the 5G core is IP and multicast enabled just as many of the broadcast IP networks are today . As such many of the T & M challenges stay the same . But what ’ s really significant is that with the drive for more Internet bandwidth , a more diverse and complex conglomerate of network components becomes involved ( the ISP , the CDN , the video service provider ), and monitoring across this diversity of components requires an endto-end , joined up , flexible solution that can accommodate hybrid network structures . But the central challenge that 5G really brings is the increasingly heavy reliance on OTT delivery . In general , we ’ re seeing two proposals for customers ; traditional fibre that bundles Internet with IPTV , and mobile broadband with OTT . Where the latter is adopted , then it ’ s not just non-live OTT content that needs to be monitored , but increasingly , live OTT too . That presents difficulties because in general you have less control over the last mile of delivery and thus require a more focused approach to ensure that the QoE and QoS is checked along the full signal chain ; from playout , across the CDN and right to the edge . Interra : Higher bandwidth will facilitate better video viewing experiences , which will prompt consumers to switch from linear TV to OTT services . 5G will also make it possible to offer even higher quality video such as 4K and 8K , which in turn will require more stringent monitoring and QC of those services for quality . Mediaproxy : Testing methodologies will be much more complicated because of the multiple layers involved in 5G but they will be necessary to guarantee that signals are compatible with mobile devices and networks . Plume : There is no doubt that there will be new challenges for test and measurement . But beyond test and measurement , the use of 5G for fixed wireless access , whether as the primary Internet access , or as a fallback , will require new types of in-service monitoring and optimisation . Traditionally , cellular |
systems have been monitored and controlled from the infrastructure ( base station ) side . However , a 5G modem used in a FWA system is a client device , and the provider may not have access to the infrastructure data or control . Plume is partnering with 5G client chipset manufacturers to collect a rich set of measurements , and be able to influence the operation of these client devices in the cellular network , in order to optimise the performance to each home . Synamedia : We believe 5G has the potential to revolutionise the way video is delivered and consumed , allowing new premium video services across broadcast and the entire spectrum through narrowcast , AVOD , SVOD , and more . We also believe it has the potential to unleash new opportunities for many rural and semi-rural areas . Torque : Despite the huge hype generated in the telecom industry , the essence for ‘ TV people ’ is ‘ TV over data over a mobile network ’. For ‘ TV over a mobile network , the operators are more like the passengers on the network rather than those steering the boat ; much in the same way OTT runs over the Internet . The originating end of the network will be the same IP connection as it is now . Since the middle of the network is a black box to TV operators ( as it is currently ), provisioning and management of television services over 5G will have exactly the same challenges as now . VeEX : We see it more as an opportunity than a challenge . People tend to see or present 5G as a more complex technology ( e . g ., RF ), but in the end it relies on bringing fibre all the way to the edge . 5G requires better time synchronisation and we have found that it can be challenging in some markets , due to the lack of expertise . VIAVI : More than 30 % of the world ’ s countries now have 5G availability , according to The State of 5G a VIAVI report . However , the success or failure of these networks ultimately will be determined by the ability to deliver the best possible network performance and service quality . Next-generation 5G networks are becoming infinitely more complex . Performance requirements are more exacting , new technology standards come into play , and network topology is evolving to a more dynamic environment that can adapt to rapidly changing demand . A myriad of test and validation challenges come into play when ensuring that rollouts meet both the profitability use case for the service provider , and the sky-high service expectations of subscribers . |