Supercharging the drive to services-led broadband 

The newly created Marketing Committee Chair role will help drive the Broadband Forum’s transition from connectivity driven to services-led broadband and the importance of educating the industry on how our standards will play a pivotal role.

Bernd Hesse, Board Member and BASe Chair at Broadband Forum, has been elected to the Marketing Committee Chair position and is helping build and establish wider recognition of the Broadband Forum’s strategy, mission, and standards with the industry. This involves driving the participation of fellow marketing experts in this space and ensuring coherent direction in the recognition of the Forum’s new standards.

Congratulations to Lincoln Lavoie who has been re-elected to the Technical Committee Chair position and Martin Casey, Calix; Bernd Hesse, DZS; Chen Li, AT&T; Frank Van der Putten, Nokia; Evan Sun, Huawei Technologies; and Mauro Tilocca, TIM, who have all been elected to the Board of Directors.

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Work Area Updates

For a full list of all Technical Reports published by Broadband Forum, click here. Please feel free to share this information with your colleagues, so they are engaged and aware of the developments of this work.

For additional insight and to get involved, sign up for access to Broadband Forum tools and access your account using your company email address.

ATA publishes TR-497 and launches new L4S project to enhance broadband services with low latency

The Access & Transport Architecture (ATA) Work Area delivers scalable, dynamic, and flexible architectures to support highly resilient connectivity for the next-generation of responsive services and applications. ATA’s focus includes specifying frameworks and real-time tools to deliver predictive connectivity and service performance.

ATA published the ‘Public Wi-Fi User Authentication and Data Local Forwarding Technical Requirements’ TR-497, gained approval on a new project on ‘Application of L4S to Broadband Networks’ and began work on Security Considerations for IPv6 Broadband Networks’ WT-515. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ata-publishes-tr-497-and-launches-new-l4s-project-to-enhance-broadband-services-with-low-latency

BUS advances USP and enhances Wi-Fi management

The Broadband User Services (BUS) Work Area aims to explore the necessary work for delivering an operator-grade smart home and improving the subscriber experience.

BUS Work Area has made significant progress in various key projects including USP 1.4, TR-181 Device:2.18 and the USP Agent Test Plan during the meeting. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/bus-advances-usp-and-enhances-wi-fi-management

Common YANG on track for TR-383 Amendment 8 publication later this year 

The work area targets to specify YANG modules that are applicable to multiple work areas, provide support to those same work areas for their specific YANG projects, and maintain YANG Best Current Practices, processes, procedures, and tools.

The work area progressed Straw Ballot comment resolution on Amendment 8 of TR-383; agreed on the overall structure and functions of the YANG model for Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) Access Nodes; agreed on the first YANG model for WT-513 addressing the scale of managing large access network elements. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/common-yang-on-track-for-tr-383-amendment-8-publication-later-this-year

FAN plans future PON Interoperability Plugfests

The Fiber Access Networks (FAN) Work Area specifies and maintains PON architecture and nodal requirements, PON abstraction and mobile backhaul requirements. It is also responsible for PON test suites related to PON conformance and interoperability, and compliance test plans related to XGS-PON, NG-PON2, 25GS, 50G-PON, and Physical Medium Dependent (PMD)/Transmission Convergence (TC) Layer. Lastly, it is responsible for PON YANG data model specifications.

FAN prepared PON testing with DTP-247 Issue 4 Corrigendum 1 ONU Conformance Test Plan’ and DTP-255 Issue 2 ‘OLT-ONU Interoperability Test Plan’ for Final Ballot. The work area started reviewing energy saving contributions for the proposed project on Energy Power Saving Requirements, Test Plan, and Data Model, concluding that further collaboration was required. PON Interoperability Plugfests for 2024 and 2025 were also discussed. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/fan-plans-future-pon-interoperability-plugfests

PHYtx Work Area continues efforts with the third issue of TR-301 and the MoCA Access^TM Performance Test Plan

The Physical Layer Transmission Work Area aims to enable multi-vendor interoperability in deployments for both access and in-premises networks.

The work area continued its work with TR-301 Issue 3: “Architecture and Requirements for Fiber to the Distribution Point” with architecture and requirements for coaxial based technology and P2MP scenarios. A corrigendum on TR-285 Issue 2 was prepared for technical review and a third amendment to TR-301 Issue 2 is ready for Final Ballot. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/phytx-work-area-continues-efforts-with-the-third-issue-of-tr-301-and-the-moca-accesstm-performance-test-plan

SDN/NFV publishes FANS document; makes significant progress to further AIM and disaggregation specifications

The SDN/NFV Work Area focuses on the introduction of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) in conjunction with general purpose hardware to create the basis for cloud-based, edge, and access networks.

SDN/NFV published TR-386 Issue 2 ‘Fixed Access Network Sharing’ and completed work on WT-403 Amendment 1 ‘PON Abstraction Interface for Time-Critical Applications’ and WT-451a1, with both documents entering Straw Ballot. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/sdn-nfv-publishes-fans-document-makes-significant-progress-to-further-aim-and-disaggregation-specifications

WWC continues its work on Phase 18.1, IMS for 5G-RG, and launches a Service Provider Survey on Multi-tenant FWA

The work area aims to deliver more value with deployment options for integrated, wireline, and mobile operators and suppliers. It focuses on optimizing the Total Cost of Ownership by consolidating network, common control plane, and streamlined backend by a comprehensive, well-specified, deployed Wireless-Wireline-Convergence architecture and functions to deliver broadband services with the 5G Core.

The work area continues to progress in three active Project Streams: 5G, Multi-tenant FWA, and IMS for 5G-RG. The work area encourages service providers members to use the Operator Survey, which will be launched after the meeting, to help assess and prioritize use cases, deployment scenarios and requirements for extending 5G FWA to serve multi-tenant units. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/wwc-continues-its-work-on-phase-18-1-ims-for-5g-rg-and-launches-a-service-provider-survey-on-multi-tenant-fwa

OB-CAS project officially launches and develops alarm correlation as first sample application

The Open Broadband-CloudCO Application Software Development Kit (OB-CAS) project has been recently

kicked off at the end of March 2024. The project will create a reference network management application ecosystem for the broadband industry. The

work group has agreed on an alarm correlation application as the first sample application. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ob-cas-project-officially-launches-and-develops-alarm-correlation-as-first-sample-application

OB-MAP continues collaboration with BUS and prpl to advance Wi-Fi data modeling

The Open Broadband – Multi Access Point (OB-MAP) project and the prpl Foundation’s prplMesh project are establishing a baseline vision of how data and control commands will be represented in TR-181. This will influence the design of the APIs presented by prplMesh. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ob-map-continues-collaboration-with-bus-and-prpl-to-advance-wi-fi-data-modeling

OB-USP-Agent version 8 has been released; progressing with integrations into prplOS and RDK-B

The OB-USP-Agent (OBUSPA) project is focused on creating a reference implementation of the User Services Platform (USP) specification from an "Agent" perspective. It aims to help ISPs offer differentiated value-added services at a faster pace, allowing individual components of the network to be upgraded without the need to upgrade the whole firmware. The project team released released version 8 (Heron Release), which is focused on implementing the USP Services Architecture functionality introduced in the USP version 1.3 and TR-181 Device: 2.16 specifications. Integration of the Heron release was completed as part of the prplOS 3.0.3 release and integration into RDK-B us progressing. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ob-usp-agent-version-8-has-been-released-progressing-with-integrations-into-prplos-and-rdk-b 

OB-UDPST project team closes in on version 8.2.0 and completes TR-471 Issue 4

The Open Broadband-User Datagram Protocol Speed Test (OB-UDPST) project produces an open source implementation of a tool to perform IP layer capacity metrics and measurement. The project has almost completed work on version 8.2.0 to make minor fixes and enhancements, and include multi-key authentication. The project team has agreed to send TR-471 Issue 4 to Final Ballot. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ob-udpst-project-team-closes-in-on-version-8-2-0-and-completes-tr-471-issue-4

OB-5WWC calls for participation on 5G-RG software architecture to support live demo progress

Open Broadband-5WWC (OB-5WWC) is an open source project focused on bringing the full benefits of the 5G ecosystem to fixed-line services and offering a full end-to-end solution to operators. The aim is to create a reference implementation of the Broadband Forum specified Wireless-Wireline Convergence solution for 5G capable Residential Gateways (5G-RGs), providing shorter time-to-market for products and reduced development times and cycles. The project team continues to encourage interested parties, to participate and review the RDK-aligned 5G-RG software architecture proposal.

The OB-CAS team has agreed to develop the first Software Development Kit (SDK) deliverable and an associated sandbox to test applications. This includes an initial selection of APIs that enable an application to interface with an access domain controller, the usage of the OB-BAA core microservices, a PON network simulation for testing purposes, and the development of a sample application that can run in this sandbox environment, leveraging the APIs mentioned above.

The OB-CAS work group has agreed on an alarm correction application as the first sample application, which represents an important building block for root cause analysis automation. This application will detect if there is a common root cause when multiple alarms or event notifications are received by the network, with the logging of this information in an OpenSearch database.

The work group is aiming to demonstrate the alarm correlation application running in the OB-CAS sandbox environment at the Broadband Forum Innovation Demonstration at Network X in October 2024.

Management and data analysis software application providers are invited to join the project to help shape the API requirements and test and grow the SDK to see how their applications can operate in a CloudCO environment.

To learn more about the OB-CAS project’s ongoing work, please see: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/OBCAS/OB-CAS+Home

OB-MAP continues collaboration with BUS and prpl to advance Wi-Fi data modeling

The Open Broadband – Multi Access Point (OB-MAP) project and the prpl Foundation’s prplMesh project are establishing a baseline vision of how data and control commands will be represented in TR-181. This will influence the design of the APIs presented by prplMesh.

The data model and prplMesh APIs are meeting the diagnostics and management needs of service providers that use multiple physical layer networking technologies to deliver ever-increasing broadband bandwidth and innovative services through complex home networks to end-user devices. This has impacted progress on prplMesh’s Northbound API (NAPI).

The OB-MAP project team continues its work on developing a high-level data model for network operators that would ease the ability to configure Wi-Fi across the home. Importantly, the data model enables configuration of different types of services, for example, public or private Wi-Fi. All devices traversing the home Wi-Fi network can be easily configured, allowing for different or identical configurations, for different frequency bands. The project team is also working on topology, to allow a full view of a Wi-Fi mesh network including wireless and wired links.

The OB-MAP project team will continue to collaborate with the BUS Work Area and the prpl Foundation on requirements and feature prioritization, and data modelling of multiple devices and services in a mesh network.

To learn more about the OB-MAP project’s ongoing work, please see: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/OBMAP/OBMAP+Home.

OB-USP-Agent version 8 has been released; progressing with integrations into prplOS and RDK-B

The OB-USP-Agent (OBUSPA) team has released version 8 (Heron Release), which is focused on implementing the USP Services Architecture functionality introduced in the USP version 1.3 and TR-181 Device: 2.16 specifications. Discussions on the scope of the next release, version 9 (Ibis Release) are underway.

The Heron release helps ISPs offer differentiated value-added services at a faster pace, allowing individual components of the network to be upgraded without the need to upgrade the whole firmware. These new features within the Heron release will ensure OBUSPA is a key component in open-source middleware solutions (e.g., prplOS and RDK-B) as it enables the decentralization of a device's data model into USP-enabled containerized applications.

Integration of the Heron release was completed as part of the prplOS 3.0.3 release, enabling multiple demos during the prpl Summit in May 2024. The Heron Release became the first release to be integrated directly into prplOS. This includes integration into the CI/CD pipeline where the software undergoes both compliance and data model testing. These implementation and integration experiences provided the USP Project Stream with proposed enhancements to the USP Services Architecture to consider in the upcoming USP 1.4 release.

OBUSPA team members have submitted a pull request to the RDK community to update the existing integration to the Heron Release. The OBUSPA team is also working alongside the RDK community on further enhancements related to the manner in which OBUSBA is integrated into RDK-B.

The OBUSPA team is continuing to work with QA Cafe to develop and implement a plan for executing USP compliance testing against new major releases of OBUSPA and the best options for making these reports available for downstream consumption.

For more information about the team’s latest work, visit: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/OBUSPA/OB-USP-Agent+Home.

OB-UDPST project team closes in on version 8.2.0 and completes TR-471 Issue 4

Current Progress: Building on the success of the publication of version 8.1.0, the OB-UDPST project team is working with a network operator as they evaluate a large-scale rollout driven by their multi-stream & multi-gigabit testing needs.

The project has almost completed work on version 8.2.0, making minor fixes and enhancements, and delivering multi-key authentication. The addition of multi-key authentication allows each individual server instance to better support a variety of client instances across different service offerings and device types. For large deployments, this capability is expected to significantly improve key management and maintenance.

The OB-UDPST project team has completed work on Issue 4 of TR-471. This includes new multi-flow capabilities in the information model and the addition of new parameters to the TR-181 Data Model to support Issue 4 of TR-471. The project team has agreed to send TR-471 Issue 4 to Final Ballot.

For more information about the OB-UDPST project team’s current progress, please visit: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/OBUDPST/OB+UDP+Speed+Test+Home.

OB-5WWC calls for participation on 5G-RG software architecture to support live demo progress

Open Broadband-5WWC (OB-5WWC) is an open source project focused on bringing the full benefits of the 5G ecosystem to fixed-line services and offering a full end-to-end solution to operators. The aim is to create a reference implementation of the Broadband Forum specified Wireless-Wireline Convergence solution for 5G capable Residential Gateways (5G-RGs), providing shorter time-to-market for products and reduced development times and cycles.

OB-5WWC also seeks to provide a solution stack suitable for integration with OpenWRT/RDK-B frameworks and to provide a reference for testing Access Gateway Function (AGF) and RG test tool development.

Current Progress: Members of the project team have supported mutual members’ activities by improving data models for cellular interface management to establish an RG architecture Technical Report for the BUS Work Area.

The group continues its progress with the architecture, design, and alignment with OpenWRT and RDK-B and gaining clarification of RG deployment scenarios. The team has documented RG deployment, architecture, and modeling aspects.

An RDK-aligned 5G-RG software architecture proposal was submitted in Q4 2023 and is still open for review and comments. The exploration of components and tools to establish the test environment, including for AGF and 5G Core, is in progress. A chipset vendor member has offered to contribute simulation and testing components. The project team continues to welcome and encourage interested parties, including candidates with software development experience, and radio module and mobile experience to participate and review the proposal. 

Discussions continue on the Broadband Forum Innovation live demonstrations in 2024, considering key use cases with

For any interested parties (including non-Broadband Forum members) that wish to be part of the project, please sign the project participation agreement online here.

5G-RG. Read the full Summer Meeting 2024 update here: https://www.broadband-forum.org/ob-5wwc-calls-for-participation-on-5g-rg-software-architecture-to-support-live-demo-progress

For more on the work of The Broadband Forum’s Work Areas, please visit the wiki here: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/BBF/BBF+Work+in+Progress+-+Projects%2C+Project+Streams%2C+and+Jira+Links

Upcoming BASe events

• BASe at Fiber Connect 2024 – July 29 -30
• Driving Broadband Value-Add Services, Service platforms and Commercial App Provider Relationships vBASe Webinar – September 5
• Sustainability in the Broadband Home and Network vBASe Webinar – September 19
• BASe at SCTE TechExpo24 – September 25
• BASe at Network X – October 8-10
• State of PON vBASe Webinar – October 24
• Fixed Mobile Convergence Opportunities vBASe Webinar – November 7

A limited number of pods remain at the BBF Pavilion at Network X

The Broadband Forum Pavilion will be returning to this year’s Network X on 8th - 10th October in Porte De Versailles, Paris. Only two Broadband Forum Member exclusive pods remain to showcase your innovative products and services, connect with new prospects, and amplify your company's presence in the market.

Save the dates! Broadband Forum face-to-face 2024 meetings

• To reserve a pod, please reach out to the Network X team at marc.wallentin@informa.com

•  or find out more here.

Keep up to date on our latest activities and whereabouts!

Follow us on LinkedIn (@Broadband Forum) and subscribe to us on YouTube (@BroadbandForumVideos) for more BBF content.

Save the dates! Broadband Forum face-to-face 2024 meetings

• November 18-21, Fall 2024 Meeting, San Diego, California

Image AddedWelcome to our new and returning members! 

We welcomed a mix of new members and guest companies during the Summer Member Meeting 2024. We had 133 registered attendees, with 15 first-time attendees and 10 guests from nine companies. Our new members included: Anlix, Comcast, Condor Technologies, FreeCast, FiberHome, Lifemote, Made4it, Motive, and prpl Foundation.

Are you interested in becoming the next member of the industry’s leading standards body in defining broadband networks? Broadband Forum membership will not only accelerate your company’s progress but enable you to become a key influencer in developing 5G, the Cloud, the connected home and access networks.

We have a range of membership options for companies of all sizes, from startup companies to large corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Our new regional Operator Membership category has further opened participation; take a look for further details of the access level privileges, benefits and requirements.

To learn more about the benefits of membership, watch the video interview with Rhonda Heier, Director of Membership Development, as Rhonda discusses the value of the Broadband Forum membership here

 or email rheier@broadband-forum.org for more information.

Contact information

Questions or ideas? Contact the Broadband Forum at +1 510.492.4020 or email info@broadband-forum.org.