Cable operators today have a tremendous opportunity to transform their businesses while at the same time outdoing their competitors by expanding the breadth of their services. With competition coming from wireline and wireless networks and from Internet-based providers such as Skype and Vonage, building up the cable provider infrastructure is not an option; it’s a requirement.
Subscribers are in the driver’s seat, and they’re developing a taste for high-speed, high-quality data, voice, video and mobile services. They want service on an array of network-addressable devices and more service options, faster service activation, faster access speeds, and competitive pricing. How should cable providers respond?
Experience provider:
The cable industry is well aware of these competitive challenges and new customer requirements. Savvy operators know that they must provide more than connectivity, that to survive and thrive they must transform themselves into “experience providers.” Experience providers differentiate themselves competitively by how well they deliver and brand a consistently high-quality experience. This experience must be delivered across applications and devices to satisfy the needs of customers who expect a connected lifestyle at home, at work and on the go.
To deliver high-speed, triple-play and mobility services with such coverage and flexibility requires a different network architecture. The CableLabs DOCSIS version 3.0 defines specifications for a state-of-the-art Internet protocol (IP) transport over the HFC cable plant that will support high-speed data, voice and video services and many other features that empower the experience provider infrastructure.
Cable operators have existing infrastructures. Retooling them can be prohibitively expensive if not done prudently. Operators can make use of existing infrastructure investments while adding new ones incrementally and converging their networks over IP. Such a migration is a cost-effective strategy that supports DOCSIS 1.x, 2.0 and 3.0 features simultaneously. The benefits of this approach include higher customer satisfaction, new service revenue, premium margins, and reduced long-term capital and operational expenditures.
source: cable360.net