Propositions TNO ICT for MSOs

Transcription

1 Propositions TNO ICT for MSOs A selection of cable assignments February 2009 Michiel Peters xx31(0) michiel.peters@tno.nl Jan de Nijs xx31(0) jan.denijs@tno.nl

2 Our mission: Innovation in and with ICT About us Established: 1 January 2003 Bundling of former KPN Research with TNO s ICT related departments One of the largest ICT knowledge centres in Europe Features and unique selling points Independent and not-for-profit Frontrunner Multidisciplinary: Conceptual and hands-on Technical, economical and sociological In-depth Telecom and IT expertise Key figures Annual turnover: EUR 40 Mio 375 professionals 10 high-quality patents per year Locations in Delft, Enschede and Groningen 2

3 TNO: Converts knowledge into added customer value TNO Information- and Communication Technology Consultancy Scientific knowledge Applied knowledge Products & tools Prototyping Added Customer Value Testing 3

4 A selection of cable projects The following slides provide a selection of assignments and projects completed for cable operators: Fixed networks for MSOs Mobile Networks Operator Processes Services HFC Channel Planning DOCSIS 3.0 IPv6 Wimax, 3G and LTE MVNO Network and Process Audits Capacity Management Order Management Perceived QoS Next Generation TV portfolio 4

5 HFC Channel Planning Fixed networks for MSOs Operators have an interest in the maximization of network load without quality degradation of the analogue TV and digital services against as little investments as possible. The UTOPIC tool is the first step in optimizing the network load: The most advanced tool available for RF channel planning (including CSO/CTB distortion products) Extremely fast and accurate For both operational and strategic network planning Providing clear insight in performance and bottlenecks in the network Developed in cooperation with and heavily used by various cable operators Finalist SCTE 2009 Technological Innovation of the Year Award 5

6 (Euro)DOCSIS 3.0 Fixed networks for MSOs DOCSIS 3.0 becomes available on the market and first operators have started implementation. Implementation of EuroDOCSIS3.0 can have impact on a number of different aspects within the HFC network, for example, on the physical layer (the RF values), on the MAC layer (the topology) and on the IP layer (when migrating to IPv6). TNO has supported several operators with the introduction of DOCSIS 3.0: CMTS Operator specific impact analysis Operator specific implementation of DOCSIS 3.0 Designing the internal DOCSIS roadmap based on service market forecasts and hard-/software availability Assisting in issuing an EuroDOCSIS RFQ Network planning strategies F1 F2 F3 F5 F6 1.x / 2.0 Modem 3.0 Modem Frequency 6

7 IPv6 Fixed networks for MSOs The IPv4 address space is gradually getting exhausted and becoming a constraint for further business development. First operators are starting with substantial IP migration plans. Already for a number of years TNO ICT has put clear focus on IPv6 issues. Currently, TNO supports operators with IP migration plans: Impact analysis on network infrastructure, routing etc., Impact analysis on operators IT environment Development of new address plan and defining related processes Development of a step-by-step plan warranting a seamless migration from IPv4 towards IPv6, 7

8 Wimax, 3G and LTE Mobile Networks New spectrum auctions in various European countries create new opportunities, especially for new entrants like MSOs. WiMAX and LTE provide new technologies but operators need stable solutions for successful role-outs. TNO has a long standing track record with a wide range of mobile/wireless technologies: WiMAX (d & e), GSM, 3G, LTE, WiFi, Experience with various operators & multiple vendor solutions Evaluation RFI/RFQ Vendor selection Proof of concept campaigns Radio propagation and radio planning knowledge Experience: Validation of RF system specifications via workbench and field testing (2.6 and 3.5 GHz) Validation of E2E link performance at data link level Mobility and Wireless Local Loop Dedicated measurement tool KaPItal : Assessment E2E performance data link between BS and UT Integration of radio- and GPS data for testing 8

9 Mobile Virtual Network Operator Mobile Networks Many operators are working towards a quadrupole play proposition, adding mobile services to their fixed services. However, new entrants face many barriers when planning to build a new network (licenses, investments, sites, etc). Therefore, many companies choose for a MVNO to enter the market. TNO has supported various operators in different stages of the MVNO process: Providing support around business decisions on MVNO and positioning in the market Support for setting up required processes and IT systems (e.g. billing) Realizing the link with the existing fixed network and service portfolio of the operators (e.g. by using IMS) 9

10 Network and Process Audits Operator Processes 10 Customer satisfaction is crucial to the business and should be fostered. Unfortunately, customer satisfaction is easily damaged by incidents like temporary service outages or quality degradations, often associated with new or adapted services, systems and processes. Considering the complexity of the cable infrastructure (networks, service platforms, IT systems and processes) identification and solving failures is no easy task. TNO offers its help to identify the weak spots and improve the robustness of the cable infrastructures: Management Team Knowledge on networks, service Regulatory Policy Requirements platforms, IT systems & processes Assessment of the technical facilities and the processes Strategy Define key performance identifiers BIA / RA Implementation to monitor and rate the availability and quality of the services Using the Business Continuity Organization Model, potential business risks Req. are identified and rated in terms of impact and solutions are proposed Suppliers Infra structure IT Systems Processes People Req. Customers

11 Order Management Operator Processes MSOs continue to deliver a broader and more complex service portfolio to customers (e.g. triple play, VoD, etc). However, in this on-demand world customers are no longer willing to accept delays or problems in the service delivery. Thus, today s operators are challenged to realize delivery processes that are flexible enough to grow with changes in portfolio but robust enough to ensure customer satisfaction. Important element for effective and robust order management are: Clean order checks to only accept orders that can be processed Clear product structure and simple data model Tracking of the order flow for E2E order monitoring Roll-back functionality to reverse orders stuck in the process Zero-touch provisioning so that human errors are minimized Availability and performance of IT systems 11

12 Capacity Management a matter of the appropriate spare capacity Operator Processes A shortage of network capacity may have a negative impact on the customer satisfaction whereas an excess capacity adds costs. As an operator, one should find and maintain the appropriate level of spare capacity. Capacity management should warrant sufficient capacity for all platform and networks at the lowest costs. Such a capacity management approach requires: definition of capacity thresholds taking into account evolutionary growth and the launch of new services, marketing campaigns monitoring capacity usage practical tools to predict future demand known supply and installation times implemented in the operational process process is monitored and responsibility assigned capacity management process Existing Forecast Existing capacity capacity Forecast + + trend trend Foreseen Foreseen capacity capacity expansion expansion Implementation Implementation capacity capacity expansion expansion Update Update administration administration 12

13 Perceived Quality of Service (QoS) Voice, video and interactivity Services Perceived QoS (voice, video or interactivity) is a critical factor. It is a subjective figure and complex to assess. Next, when measured and rated unsatisfactory, an operator faces the challenge to optimize the quality in an economic manner. TNO has a long-standing track record on Perceived QoS. TNO is one of the first developers of various standards on perceived quality using (objective) tools instead of (subjective) panels 1. TNO has a deep understanding of all possible networks and service platforms necessary to analyze and improve the end-user experience. 13 End-to-end assessment voice services: VoIP, GSM/UMTS, VoWLAN, P2T, etc. video services: SD&HD TV, IP- TV, videoconferencing, mobile TV, etc. speech and video codecs interactivity: gaming, zapping, web browsing, etc. network QoS and architecture Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) KPI definition and analysis Measurement of KPIs Assessment Perceived QoS using a panel or tool 1 Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ, ITU Rec. P.862), Perceptual Evaluation of Video Quality (PEVQ, ITU Rec. J.247)

14 Next Generation TV portfolio Services New TV developments are rapidly appearing in the market. Some are a major threat for MSOs, other innovative TV services provide clear opportunities (HDTV, VoD, interactivity). Furthermore, the TV developments will be accompanied by new models for advertising and a reconstruction of the content value chain. In this area TNO has key-knowledge of technologies and business developments in both the operator, media and the consumer electronics sector: Development of service roadmaps for TV portfolios Customer experience of new TV products Support on performance and QoExperience issues on various TV platforms and services 14

15 15 TNO delivers value throughout Europe