2024.04.25 – New open software code for the home gateway redefines broadband experience

The time it takes to deploy new value-added services for broadband customers has been
drastically reduced from months to weeks opening the door to delivering an app-store-like
experience via broadband routers.

Value-added services like cybersecurity, remote working, and gaming experience controls
are key for broadband providers to transition to providing services-led broadband with
greater user experience and satisfaction. For Internet Service Providers (ISPs), they enable
service differentiation and increased average revenue per user (ARPU), while consumers
will be able to easily add new services into their home networks.

The latest release of the open-source reference software for the User Services Platform (TR-
369) agent – dubbed “Heron” – from Broadband Forum marks significant progress towards
achieving this vision, simplifying the integration between application vendors and Customer
Premises Equipment (CPE) firmware vendors.

“The Heron release reduces the time that it takes for ISPs to deploy new services down to as
little as 2-4 weeks, rather than 9-18 months,” said Broadband Forum Chairman and OB-
USP-Agent project lead John Blackford. “Previously, if an ISP wanted to deploy a new
service, the app and CPE firmware vendors had to integrate software into the firmware, build
a new version of the firmware, and push this out to all end-user devices.

“Each integration had to be unique and couldn’t work seamlessly with the TR-181 Device:2
data model. But now individual applications can be deployed on a standardized platform that
allows interoperability and innovation for a host of new services.”

Heron (Release 8) from the Broadband Forum’s Open Broadband User Services Platform
Agent (OB-USP-Agent) project team implements new features from key connected home
management specifications (USP 1.3 and TR-181 Device:2.16).

They allow each application to interact with and access a device’s data model to retrieve
information and convey its capabilities to device management systems. The software
lifecycle of these applications can also be managed by the ISP, streamlining the process of
introducing new services.

Broadband Forum CEO Craig Thomas said: “This really is a holy grail of sorts for an app-
enabled services gateway and for other CPE. We’ve worked closely with prpl Foundation to
bring this innovation to reality, and the Open Broadband USP Agent is a key part of that.
This latest release means ISPs can work with different firmware and application vendors to
rapidly deploy new services, and broadband customers can now access these value-added
services in the home faster than ever before.”

Read the latest blog article on the Heron release, what this means for the broadband
industry, and more about what USP Agents and Controllers are here.

-ENDS-

About the Broadband Forum

The Broadband Forum is an industry-driven global standards development organization
helping operators, application providers, and vendors deliver better, services-led broadband.
As the industry-recognized center of competence, the Broadband Forum provides an
accessible, efficient, and effective community where all broadband stakeholders can
collaborate on, develop, and promote open standards and open software. This provides the
basis for deployable solutions for the global broadband industry.

The Broadband Forum publishes interoperable standards and open software, has launched certification
programs, and promotes industry education. These best practices and models can be
adopted to help realize an effective broadband ecosystem that drives a thriving, services-led
broadband industry based on global collaboration, open standards, and open source,
maximizing value for all stakeholders.

For more information, visit https://www.broadband-forum.org/. For the latest updates, follow the Broadband Forum on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.