DENVER–IPTV, multi-screen video, and converged services have emerged as the biggest themes here at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2009 as the three subjects have dominated the discussions in the Colorado Convention Center, along with the driving snowstorm outside.
In the opening general sessions, as Cartt.ca reported, cable executives spent much time focusing on the prospects for, and problems of, delivering video signals over an IP infrastructure. They debated the best ways to migrate the industry’s current RF-based, MPEG-2 delivery system to an all-IP architecture. But, in a sea change for a major cable industry event, they all agreed that all-IP is clearly the way to go ultimately.
In a keynote speech on Wednesday, for instance, conference program chair John Schanz emphasized that the industry’s next step is to develop its IP core further and move all of its services, including video, onto an IP platform. Schanz, who is executive vice-president of national engineering and technical operations for Comcast Corp., said the industry must move in this direction to take advantage of the growing swarm of IP-connected consumer devices in the market.
“Imagine someone building a consumer gadget without IP,” Schanz said. “It would be like building a home without plumbing. IP has made its way into every industry, and ours is no different.”
Of course, that’s far easier said than done, isn’t it? Other cable operators on the morning panels said they’re still trying to figure out how to make the IP move while continuing to run their huge, existing RF-based video network.
Some MSO officials expressed interest in installing new video transport gateways in subscribers’ homes. These do-it-all devices would turn RF signals into IP packets and then transcode and shuttle the signals to cheap IP set-top boxes and other display devices in the home. The big problem is that these gateways would be pricey, likely selling for about $600 or so per unit until manufacturers start churning them out in volume.
Marwan Fawaz, chief technology officer of Charter Communications, said his company is also looking at pumping video signals over broadband lines through the cable modem termination system (CMTS). In addition, Charter is exploring whether to move most of the video processing back into the cable headend and network, leaving just thin-client set-tops in the subscriber’s home.
“All those options are still viable,” Fawaz said. “We are looking at all the alternatives.”
Pragash Pillai, vice president of engineering and technology for Bresnan Communications, pointed out another benefit of IP video. He contended that cable operators could increase their bandwidth by as much as 50 percent by switching from RF and MPEG-2 to IP and MPEG-4 delivery.
In related discussions, cable executives have also dwelled on the prospects and challenges of the industry’s planned “TV Everywhere” ventures and the broader concept of multi-screen video. With such major video equipment vendors as Advanced Digital Broadcast, Arris Group, Cisco Systems, EchoStar Technologies, Motorola, Harmonic, Tandberg Television, BigBand Networks, RGB Networks, and others all promoting some version of multi-platform video on the vast exhibit floor, speakers talked about the idea of extending their networks beyond the TV screen.
In one session, for instance, Michael Adams, vice president of application software strategy for Tandberg Television, urged cable operators to adapt their existing back office systems for three-screen use, instead of developing a new, separate silo for mobile services and applications. He said operators could use such an integrated system to create a better experience for customers, reduce churn, and avoid “abuse” of TV Everywhere by subscribers who might try to share their passwords with others.
At the same time, Adams took a swipe at budding telco IPTV players. He said multi-screen video offers cable operators the opportunity to take advantage of their decades of TV smarts and experience.
“We know TV better than anybody else,” Adams said. “Other people may be doing multimedia. We’re doing TV.”
Converged services have been a third major focus at the Cable-Tec Expo. Cable executives have stressed the benefits and challenges of mixing and matching video, voice, and data services, such as caller ID on TV and remote DVR scheduling.
In a Wednesday session, for example, Mark Tubinis, chief technology officer of Cedar Point Communications, promoted the idea of such “fused services” as blended HD video, HD voice, and high-speed data for real-time entertainment services. He also pushed such proposed new devices as “media phones” and “total home gateways” that would deliver all broadband-enabled services to subscribers.
“Home networking is the final challenge,” Tubinis said. “We can help demystify the in-home network.”
Other topics have also popped up frequently at Cable-Tec Expo so far, including such cable versions of fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology as Radio Frequency over Glass (RFOG), interactive TV, advanced advertising, whole-home and network DVRs, advanced voice service, green technology, and DOCSIS 3.0.
On the DOCSIS 3.0 front, for instance, Comcast, Charter, Rogers, and Bresnan officials all reported progress with recent deployments.
Comcast’s Schanz said the giant MSO, which just launched DOCSIS 3.0 to 83 cities and communities in central California, has now rolled out the wideband standard to 34 million homes passed, or more than 60% of its footprint. The company’s plans call for extending availability to 40 million homes passed, or nearly 80% of its footprint, by the end of the year.
O’Carroll said Rogers is now rolling out DOCSIS 3.0 throughout the Toronto metro area. The MSO’s plans call for extending wideband service throughout most, if not all, of its Ontario markets by the end of the year. O’Carroll said Rogers also intends to start using a fourth bonded channel to boost downstream speeds beyond its current maximum rate of 50 Mbps.
Alan Breznick is a Toronto-based senior analyst at Heavy Reading, part of the Light Reading Communications Network and produced this story exclusively for Cartt.ca readers from Denver.
