2022.02.11 – Open Broadband News

Broadband Forum and Wi-Fi Alliance® ensure smoother path to connected device management

Broadband Forum has successfully integrated advanced capabilities from Wi-Fi Data Elements™ from Wi-Fi Alliance® and published the next versions of the Broadband Forum suite of standards for managed services. The publication of the 1.2 version of User Services Platform (USP/TR-369), and 2.15 version of the widely adopted TR-181 Device Data Model will ensure that operators can deploy interoperable customer Wi-Fi optimization and management services, and help reduce customer churn and increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU).

The new standards were developed with close collaboration amongst a cross-spectrum of operators, chipset manufacturers, vendors, and management application companies.

“The Broadband User Services Work Area has completed the final steps towards publishing the next versions of its suite of standards for managed services, including the ever-present need for Wi-Fi optimization and management,” said Jason Walls of QA Cafe and Chair of the Broadband Forum Connected Home Council. “By bringing together broadband players from across the industry to work together, operators worldwide will benefit from these new standards, helping unlock the full potential of the Connected Home market.”

Why residential gateways are essential for Wireless Wireline Convergence

Wireless Wireline Convergence (WWC) has become a staple Work Area for the Broadband Forum since first being introduced in 2017 as part of a joint workshop and following years of extensive specification work carried out in partnership with 3GPP.

Momentum has continued with the Forum recently launching its new Open Broadband – WWC Reference Implementation for 5G-RG (OB-5WWC) project to bring the full benefits of the 5G ecosystem to fixed-line services and offer a full end-to-end solution to operators.

The demand for 5G network migration is being driven by the ongoing transformation of both wireless and wireline. At the same time the increased cloudification of data, as well as the need for control user separation (CUPS), is driving up demand for single-core network optimization. Successfully deploying 5G WWC will enable more integrated functions in applications and services, leading to improved offerings and increased monetization for operators.

Without a 5G Residential Gateway (5G-RG), the full benefits of 5G for wireline will not be realized. By leveraging the potential of Residential Gateway mobility and autonomy, the door to a full 5G ecosystem is unlocked. Fundamentally, a 5G-RG is multi-access capable of multiple sessions and PDU session types. Read the full blog from David Woolley and Manuel Paul here.

Well, would you look at that? US broadband speeds among global best

In analysis released entitled ‘A Comparative Analysis of Fixed Broadband Speeds in Cities Across the World’, Phoenix Center Chief Economist Dr. George S. Ford compared fixed broadband speeds in US cities to speeds in cities in other advanced economies.

Data from Ookla’s Open Data Initiative was used to compare fixed broadband speeds across 4,480 cities around the globe (910 in the US) from 98 nations. Across multiple comparisons, Ford finds that the US has equal or higher download speeds – often much higher – than other comparative countries.

Of the 98 countries in the sample, average speeds in the US are in the top five percent of all countries’ average download speeds, and in the top third of upload speeds. But even this lower ranking in upload speeds is unconcerning because upload speed differences are typically small. In any event, the data did not support any claims that the speeds in the US are slower than most other advanced nations.

“Across many cities located in nearly one hundred nations, US broadband speeds are found to be well above average,” said Ford. “The evidence belies the claim of lagging broadband speeds in the United States.”

UK Government rethinks its 5 billion Project Gigabit plan

The UK Government has just published a response to its consultation on the question of how significantly faster broadband ISP networks can be extended to reach the final 0.3 percent of the country (i.e., under 100,000 premises), which is too expensive for its new £5 billion Project Gigabit programme to reach in its current form.

At the end of 2021, fixed line “superfast broadband” (30Mbps plus) coverage had reached around 97 percent of UK premises and gigabit-capable (1000Mbps plus) networks hit 65 percent. The latter is thanks largely to the combination of Virgin Media’s DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade to its existing hybrid fiber coax network and the wider commercial rollout of Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) by multiple operators.

Julia Lopez, Minister for Digital Infrastructure, said: “I am proud of the work done so far by the telecoms industry, supported by the government and Ofcom, which has already delivered gigabit-capable broadband to over 62.5 percent of premises in the UK, including more than half a million homes and businesses in hard to reach areas. However, there is a lot more still to be done.”

Peru and Dominican Republic join forces to provide connectivity to underserved communities

From Peru and the Dominican Republic come reminders that much of Latin America still lacks digital connectivity. However, in both countries, efforts are under way to provide it.

The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), and a number of other bodies have launched a project to bring digital connectivity to 26 municipalities in the country that do not have fixed networks for internet access. The project planned consists of the deployment of internet access networks nationwide – specifically fiber to homes. Training programmes in digital skills will also be offered to inhabitants of some of the targeted municipalities.

In Peru meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) has transferred more than 23 million soles (just under US $6 million) to 25 regional governments. These resources are to be used for the service, operation and maintenance of telecommunications systems during 2022 for the benefit of the country’s most vulnerable population.