Certifying internet-connected devices for the home as compliant with the industry’s most widely deployed management protocol will become quicker and easier thanks to today’s approval of the first TR-069 self-testing tool.
The enablement of self-testing for TR-069 provides operators and vendors with the ability to perform test procedures themselves that would normally be carried out by a qualifying test lab. It also ensures that vendors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can prove their devices work, which offers providers a benchmark they can use with vendors and their customer integrations. TR-069 enables the remote and safe configuration of network devices, or customer premises equipment (CPE).
“This is a landmark moment for global broadband players across the industry as our first self-certification tool as part of the BBF.069 CPE Certification Program will allow devices to pass certification quicker than ever before,” said Broadband Forum Managing Director Ken Ko. “As vendors and providers seek to introduce products to market cost-effectively, they now have the opportunity to get involved in the program and have the confidence to certify their products seamlessly”.
Take a look at the latest release here.
Growing international demand for the broadband industry’s first performance testing specification for indoor Wi-Fi, Broadband Forum’s BBF.398, has led to Allion Labs (Taiwan) being approved as a new testing lab.
Allion Labs joins Broadband Forum’s existing test lab, University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), to help service providers around the world to select optimal Wi-Fi solutions and deliver guidance to vendors bringing products to market. Network operators and equipment vendors use BBF.398 to evaluate home Wi-Fi device performance across receiver sensitivity, throughput, coverage, multiuser support, anti-interference, and stability Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
“BBF.398 is a critical tool for creating a performance network ecosystem to benefit every player – from the equipment manufacturer to the network operators and service providers, right down to the end user – in an increasingly connected environment. We look forward to continuing our close relationship with Broadband Forum and taking an active role in ensuring the requirements of service providers and equipment vendors are met,” said Allion Labs’ Business Development Manager and Wireless Expert Thomas Chang.
Read the full press release here.
The Board of Directors election concluded during the Opening Plenary of the Q1 meeting and three new directors were announced:
Two directors were re-elected:
Congratulations to all of you!
Friendly Technologies delivered an engaging presentation on Friendly Device Management: The path to new services during the Q1 Opening Plenary. Highlighting its success stories, integrated solutions and worldwide reach, the IoT and device management company recognizes the era of change within the industry and actively participates in the Broadband Forum to help address this.
Members of Broadband Forum since 2006, Friendly Technologies first introduced TR-069 management to its platform and has in recent times, joined the working group of the USP standard. In the presentation, USP was highlighted as the most suitable solution to fully manage services and devices. The ability to support them remotely for existing and new customers will help reduce the amount of customer churn for service providers.
Our Omdia Survey success
Following the success of our ‘Future Telco-Connected Home 2021 Survey Report, a global survey of over 100 service providers vision and plans for connected home services, The Broadband Forum hosted a series of webinars that tackled key Connected Home trends and subjects such as:
A special thanks to our Omdia Sponsors for their expert opinions!
Building on the 2020 vBASe session success which attracted nearly 400 registrations on average per event and more than 4,000 downloads, the 2021 series of webinars will be aligned within three different topics that address the challenges facing the telco and cable broadband ecosystem.
These are encompassed under the following series:
Each one of these series will include a minimum of three vBASe webinars and will be featured as a dedicated ½ day within the vBASe State of Broadband Summit. As part of BASe Sponsorship, Broadband Forum’s sponsors are invited to participate in its thought leadership webinar series of events that include perspectives from both service providers and technology leading vendors, solution providers and analysts.
Our BASe 2021 sponsors so far include:
Broadband Forum is calling for proposals from service providers and vendors for presentations, roundtable panels and video use case studies for all of our vBASe and BASe 2021 events. All proposals should be titled “vBASe 2021 Call for Speakers” and submissions should include:
Submissions should be made to: basechair@broadband-forum.org. Please also ‘CC’ Broadband Forum’s Marketing Coordinator, Tiffany Cracknell, on all proposal submissions at tcracknell@broadband-forum.org.
For a full list of all Technical Reports approved 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 the members-only Broadband Forum tools and access your member-only account using your company email address.
Target: The Access & Transport Architecture Work Area maintains primary architectural work of the Broadband Forum. This work reflects the control, management and data plane aspects of the Broadband Forum’s defined and new architectures. These architectures are augmented to leverage new industry practices, while protecting the investment in broadband networks already deployed.
Outcomes: MD-452.4 released for publication pending Board approval; WT-459.3 IPTV Multicast for DBNG started; Fixed Only Access DBNG Alternative started.
Progress:
The Performance, Experience, Application Testing (PEAT) Project Stream
Work continues on QED, specifically:
MD452.4 QED Uses in Lab Evaluation & Network Design – was wrapped up during this meeting (CONTRIB-22449) and will be published pending Board approval to waive final ballot.
Mobile Transport and Routing
Progressed both:
WT-522 will align with IETF work on network slicing.
DBNG
The ATA Disaggregated BNG work continued on the existing projects and the group started two new projects. Work has started on WT-459.3 IPTV Multicast for DBNG. A new project was also started on a Fixed Only Access DBNG Alternative started. The Closing Plenary announced that the ATA Disaggregated BNG work was consolidated under a new Access Architecture (AA) PS. The new PS will be reflected in Jira and the wiki pages early in 2021.
For more information on ATA Work Area’s ongoing work, visit: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/BBF/Access+and+Transport+Architecture.
Target: Complete WT-398 Issue 2 in preparation for certification program.
Progress: Coalescing around final performance numbers for 802.11ax benchmarks.
Outcome: On track to release TR-398 Issue 2 in Q1 2021.
The Broadband User Services (BUS) Work Area is finalizing its work on the next issue of its Wi-Fi In-Premises Performance test suite defined in TR-398. Issue 2 will include performance metrics for Wi-Fi 6, and will be the basis for an upcoming certification program for service provider grade in-home Wi-Fi. It's moving quickly and is on target for release in Q1.
Meanwhile, the successful release of the Device:2.14 data model and TR-124 Issue 6 provides a standardized management interface as well as design requirements for 5G based fixed access home gateways. This provides developers with a clear path for building 5G fixed gateways for service providers that will work with TR-069/USP management systems while integrating with the 5G core. With such a monumental achievement behind them, the group is moving on to the next versions of Device:2 (TR-181) and USP to add new functionality and further solidify the User Services Platform as THE interoperable ecosystem for the Connected Home.
The Q4 virtual Common YANG meeting was again well-attended and brought together the cream of the crop of YANG experts, all working very hard to define new YANG models that are to be used for efficiently managing ultrafast broadband over VDSL, FAST and Passive Optical Networks (PON).
Work is continuing for Amendment 4 and beyond of Common YANG Modules for Access Networks (WT-383). Progress was made on a broad range of topics including Software Management, interface and Quality of Service (QoS) counters, enhancements to the management of transceivers and the integration of the IEEE CFM OAM YANG model with the Broadband Forum YANG model. Moreover, the group will lead the effort to define a YANG model for VoIP, in close concert with the FAN Work Area. All these further enhance the capabilities to manage and troubleshoot broadband networks using fiber OLTs or copper DPUs.
Common YANG has established a team of “YANG Advisors”, a group of volunteers responsible for reviewing YANG data models created within the Broadband Forum, ensuring consistency and adherence to Broadband Forum best practices defined in OD-360. This group is overseen by the Common YANG Work Area Directors.
Moving forward, Common YANG also expects to receive further contributions on Amendment 4 of the YANG Modules for Fiber-To-The-distribution-point (FTTdp) Management (WT-355).
For an overview of the Common YANG Work Area’s current activities, please visit: Common YANG Work Area.
For more on the FAN Work Area’s ongoing work, please see: Fiber Access Networks.
The Open Broadband – Broadband Access Abstraction (OB-BAA) project team recently published the fourth major public release of its Open Source reference implementation of the CloudCO's BAA layer. This included a reference implementation of Broadband Forum’s vOMCI specification (WT-451) as well as the ability for access nodes to intercept and the BAA layer to redirect the control and user plane packets that can be used in traffic steering and other SDN applications.
Actively engaged with the standardization activities within Broadband Forum, the OB-BAA project team is helping accelerate the publication and adoption of the Forum’s SDN/NFV specifications for Access Networks. The Work Area is contributing major parts of its OB-BAA system description for consideration in Broadband Forum’s work on Access Network Abstraction, Softwarisation and Disaggregation in draft specification WT-484. Similarly, the reference implementation work that the OB-BAA team implemented as part of its latest release, is being fed back into Broadband Forum’s vOMCI specification.
The team is also aligning its efforts with the SDN/NFV Work Area and contributing its work on Control Relay functionality for the Access Network. In addition, the team is upstreaming results into SDN/NFV project team’s work in disaggregation of the OLT (WT-477) and CloudCO interfaces (WT-413). This work is just a continuum of the efforts that the OB-BAA Work Area has contributed towards standardization to help accelerate the adoption of interoperable, standardized solutions in the Access Network.
"The collaborative relationship we have within Broadband Forum works well. The Forum can use the Open Source projects to provide reference implementations of their specifications and the Open Source project members can use the projects as an innovation center that can feed into Broadband Forum’s standardization activities. It really is a win-win situation," said Tim Carey, OB-BAA Chair.
The Open Broadband – Multi Access Point (OB-MAP) project – together with prpl Foundation’s prplMesh project – has been tackling how prplMesh data will be represented in TR-181. There is now a consensus on how to architect the TR-181 objects and parameters. Next steps include formalizing this architecture, the modeling of commands, and ensuring the architecture meets the needs of a variety of use cases (including wireline technology). The data model (and prplMesh APIs) continues to be critical for all physical layer networking technologies.
In the future, OB-MAP still expects to produce vendor extensions to the IEEE 1905.1, a specification that will provide carrier-grade capabilities enhancing EasyMesh operation in operator deployments. Once these are complete, the team will also deliver certification requirements for these Broadband Forum extensions that will ultimately lead to a certification program.
Recent Accomplishments: OB-USP-Agent project team has recently published the Canary Release (Release 3), which focused on providing support for MQTT and Architecture improvements to better support OpenWRT/prplWRT and RDK-based deployments.
Current Efforts: We have started the DUNLIN Release (Release 4) and identified the scope for the project. Release 4 will focus on the completion of ‘Controller Trust’ support which includes the OnBoardRequest and also the ScheduleTimer mechanism. Incognito and embeDD have helped get Release 4 off to a quick start by contributing code.
Future Plans: Publish Release 4 in the Q1/Q2 2021 timeframe.
The Technical Review (Straw Ballot) of the Marketing Draft 'Utilizing existing copper infrastructure for deployment of fiber-grade services' (MD-419) was finalized and the document is prepared for Final Ballot.
MD-419 provides a top-level view on what 'Fiber To The Extension Point' (FTTep) can deliver and provides an answer to five key questions that telecom operators and service providers may have regarding the FTTep architecture. FTTep can be used to offer fiber-like speeds and experience on any existing copper infrastructure where the installation of fiber to the end-users' premises is not yet viable or economical.
The associated TR-419 goes deeper into the various FTTep architectures and technical implementation with various technologies.
The test plans 'G.fast Performance Test Plan Issue 2' (WT-380) and 'G.hn Access Performance Test Plan' (WT-476) were further developed. Special attention was placed on making sure the test setups were re-useable between the two test plans.
Initial G.fast Coax performance measurements are being collected, with the goal of publishing Issue 2 of WT-380 in the near future. This issue focuses specifically on G.fast Coax performance requirements.
Additional cable models for the Australian region have been adopted for an appendix to TR-285i2 'Broadband Copper Cable Models'.
To gain further insight into what the Physical Layer Transmission Work Area is doing, visit: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/BBF/Physical+Layer+Transmission.
The SDN/NFV Work Area continued to progress work on a number of specifications:
“CloudCO Enhancement - Access Node Hardware Disaggregation” (WT-477) and “Access Network Abstraction, Softwarisation and Disaggregation” (WT-484) are working from the definition of the flow control interface. This work also has an impact on the revision of “SDN Management and Control Interfaces for CloudCO Network Functions” (WT-413i2).
“Metro Computing Network” (WT-466) highlights the new capabilities of edge computing and how it impacts multi-service broadband networks. The Metro Edge Computing project is rethinking the network architectural edge and routing to extend an NFVI interconnect which may reduce Operator OAM and enable a network of edge computing islands. The major discussions were on revising the purpose and scope and how to integrate MCN architecture into the CloudCO architecture.
More information about the SDN/NFV Work Area can be found at: SDN and NFV.
Work in the WWC Work Area has transitioned from completing the basic set of specifications to focusing on topics that bring more value to 5G for wireline and provide operators with increased flexibility, revenue potential and deployment options. The goal is to increase the service capabilities of the network to allow operators to fully leverage convergence of their networks while at the same time giving them more paths to transition their networks from legacy to 5G. This work will allow converged operators to provide a uniform experience to their customers irrespective of the access or appliance they are using. This will be supported by a common and streamlined back office and control plane.
Broadband Forum is now studying how to extract more value from the available feature set from 3GPP in the context of expanding legacy device support, being able to monetize the additional network functionality 5G brings to the table and expanding the overall addressable market for convergence.
Broadband Forum is taking an important role in developing 5G, making recommendations for the connection points between the fixed and 5G mobile core networks in order to drive core convergence.
For more on the WWC Work Area, please see: Wireline-Wireless Convergence.
The virtual Q4 meeting had 274 registered attendees and the Forum welcomed 19 guests and 51first-time attendees. Interlink, Net+, Pacific Broadband Networks and Snom were unveiled as new members. There was also nine new guest companies from potential, new and upgrading members including ACMA, Chorus, Genew, Gemtek, Humax, OI, Telkom, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria and Wistron NeWeb Corp.
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.
5G continues to gain momentum in the Broadband Forum with the publication of three standards to accelerate global 5G adoption with the landmark specifications covering the entire ecosystem including Fixed Mobile Convergence, the Access Gateway Function and Customer Premises Equipment to help operators unlock the full potential of 5G. Building on the Forum’s mission to drive a future consolidated approach to 5G, the standards will reduce development time, as well as capex and opex, from the traditional disparate fixed broadband and 5G networks. Ultimately, they will deliver a common and managed broadband experience to the end-user whatever the final connectivity technology. The news was also covered by 3G4G blog which is well-respected for leading edge mobile topics.
At the beginning of the final quarter of 2020, a feature article from Broadband Forum CEO Robin Mersh was published in SCTE Broadband Journal discussing the Forum’s role in standardizing the transport architecture and how operators can harness converged networks in the new era of 5G. Mersh highlighted the importance of seamlessly integrating wireline and wireless convergence at all levels of the broadband ecosystem and supporting this with an enhanced transport network to handle the increased growth of network traffic.
In addition, a feature published in 5G Technology World from David Allan, Work Area Director for Wireless-Wireline Convergence and Greg Dalle, 5G Project Stream Lead discussed the importance of using the 5G Core as the common core where the control plane and user plane can span across mobile and fixed networks. The article also highlights the Forum’s Network Transformation Toolkit that was developed in close collaboration with 3GPP and 5G Core support for the Connected Home. Allan also discussed the advancement in Fixed-Mobile Convergence and the publication of the first set of 5G specifications in an interview with TeleSemana as part of 5G&TD 2020 Latam Summit.
Broadband Forum’s latest 5G video with Allan and Christele Bouchat, Innovation Group Director discuss what is coming up in the next phase of 5G work and what opportunities this has opened up for the industry - https://www.broadband-forum.org/christele-bouchat-innovation-group-director-david-allan-wwc-work-area-director-offer-a-5g-update.
A feature article on the importance of network automation in helping achieve higher bandwidth included a comment from Craig Thomas, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Business Development in the Autumn edition of Fibre Systems. Thomas highlighted the increasing demand for high bandwidth-consuming applications and that operators and vendors across the world need to become integrated and involved in the development of standards to ensure the huge potential of automation is delivered upon.
As part of the annual survey examining the world of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), Euromedia Magazine spoke to Broadband Forum and a range of industry practitioners to define the role of CPE in an increasingly cloud-based environment, in light of the pandemic. Thomas provided answers addressing the rise in home working and the need for CPE to evolve, interesting usage patterns during the pandemic, the role service provider CPE plays in monetizing the home and whether there is still a need for a service provider to have a physical presence in the home.
In the Fibre Yearbook 2021, Bernd Hesse, President and Marketing and BASe Chair of Broadband Forum discussed how Broadband Forum is improving user experience with its new specifications and how the BBF.247 GPON certification program is supporting the success of GPON technologies and deployments while helping the industry expedite fiber network rollouts.
Broadband Forum Meetings and BASe Events
Sponsorship opportunities are available for Broadband Forum’s 2021 quarterly meetings.
Sponsoring a meeting is a great way to highlight your company and exhibit your company’s innovation in the broadband industry – including demonstrations or prototypes – while showing your support of Broadband Forum. Opportunities vary and can be customized to accommodate a variety of budgets.
Please view the list of our standard sponsorship packages and benefits at: https://wiki.broadband-forum.org/display/BBF/Sponsorship+Opportunities.
If you are interested in sponsoring a meeting, please contact Rhonda Heier at rheier@broadband-forum.org.
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Contact information
Questions or ideas? Contact the Broadband Forum at +1 510.492.4020 or email info@broadband-forum.org.