The important strategic objective work areas for the Broadband Forum as it moves into 2010 include improving multi-play content delivery by the optimization of IPTV networks, provisioning and remote management, according to the marketing director of the Broadband Forum, Laurie Gonzalez. At the TelcoTV conference in Orlando, Fla., Gonzalez will outline how IPTV (News - Alert) is growing even during the economic downturn.

 

The Forum has a membership of more than 200 service providers, equipment manufacturers, chip vendors and other key organizations. The Broadband Forum’s (News - Alert) specifications work has centered on improving speed options and quality of service for IPTV delivery over the past few years. Earlier this year, the Broadband Forum announced the approval of its latest IPTV-related Technical Report, TR-127. This new specification created the opportunity for network operators and independent test labs to carry out a system level test across four key IPTV network elements; the DSLAM, the CPE modem, the central office splitter and the CPE splitter.

 

During the conference, Gonzalez will demonstrate how IPTV has been growing steadily despite the economic downturn. In fact, North America is now home to almost 20% of all IPTV subscribers. During the past 12 months, the region, including Central and South America, witnessed an IPTV growth of 86 percent. Gonzalez will also talk about the BroadbandSuite, the Forum's Release Plan at the TelcoTV presentation. The Forum's Release Plan is divided into three major domains of broadband, namely management, the network and the user.

 

Gonzalez will also outline the strategic objectives of the Broadband Forum beyond IPTV such as facilitating broadband network coverage through shared architecture, responsive management and common interconnection standards; and defining common CPE specifications for all online device types for better provisioning, maintenance and end user experience. Empowering global energy reduction measures by developing standard broadband energy efficiency tests and establishing CO and CPE systems requirements specs, ensuring IPv4 to IPv6 migration success; stimulating MPLS use in Mobile Backhaul, Carrier Ethernet and other solutions; and developing certification to advance interoperability in several areas are the other major strategic objectives of the Broadband Forum.

 

The Broadband Forum is the central organization that drives broadband wireline solutions and empowers converged packet networks worldwide to better meet the needs of vendors, service providers and their customers. The Broadband Forum develops multi-service broadband packet networking specifications addressing interoperability, architecture and management.