Developments in home networks
IP-based service developments
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IP-based service developmentsIP-based service developments are leading to new opportunities in home network infrastructure, services and devices. While the characteristics of interoperability, scalability and openness are desirable in home networks, the proprietary nature of some services and devices could lock consumers into a particular technology. The use of proprietary codecs and set-top boxes for IPTV delivery is an example where service providers may use proprietary standards. Bundling of services may provide the consumer with a convenient solution for a number of services. This may be timely and cost-effective; however, the bundled offerings are seldom individualised and may not completely match the consumer’s requirements or preferences. IP-based services can offer added features due to the interactive nature of the technology. IPTV services offer greater control over the time of viewing and type of content than broadcast television. Similarly, VoIP telephony is able to integrate with email and instant messaging applications, and use home IP-based infrastructure for connectivity. Consumer educationFor consumers to successfully adopt and use next generation services such as IPTV and VoIP over home networks, a certain level of awareness of the technical aspects is needed to install and maintain home network services. Consequently, consumer support is often a necessity; it is currently provided by online question-and-answer documents, real-time online or telephone assistance and onsite technician solutions. Accessing information and skills acquisition to deal with technical issues often comes at a cost to the end-user, as well as to service providers offering this support. As home networks play an increasing role in service delivery, the level of in-home support and education is likely to be an area of increasing interest to improve user experience and attitudes to using and maintaining their home networks. According to CISCO (based on ABI research), homeowners are grappling with networking basics. ABI research conducted an online survey on consumer attitudes to and behaviours with home networking and found 30 per cent of respondents had trouble in setting up their home network.8 They also identified five key problem areas—wireless network connection, printer sharing, troubleshooting, connecting new devices and wireless network security. These are the kinds of issues that consumers are faced with to maintain their networks. While technology developments require consumer education on maintaining the home network environment, technology has provided part of the solution in the form of intelligent infrastructure. Intelligent gateways and devices are increasingly able to automatically discover, configure and install into a variety of environments. Prior to these developments providers were reluctant to be involved in the home’s internal network, especially with consumer device issues. However, this attitude is changing due to increasing competition in a market where consumers require multiple service and device connections to the home network. According to an ABI research analyst, ‘Intelligent broadband gateways will gain popularity and account for more than 40 per cent of home networking CPE shipments by 2012’.9 Intelligent gateways can be created as an all-in-one device—an integrated solution that provides multiple connectivity interfaces and can simplify the management of complex services and consumer devices. IndustryTechnologiesThe developing home network environment can be further illustrated by looking at the various components required for service delivery to the consumer. These are the physical network components, terminal devices, and services that originate outside the home network environment to provide content for end users. It is an area of considerable innovation and effort by industry to promote interoperability across networks and devices through standardisation activities. NetworkTechnology has evolved to allow home networks to exploit existing cabling to provide IP-based networking. The HomePNA, an association of companies that develops interoperability standards for the home network, and the HomeGrid Forum, a similar industry body, have agreed to promote the new ITU-T G.hn standard for wired home networking.10,11 ITU-T G.hn specifies up to one gigabit per second data rates and operation over infrastructure such as mains power wiring, telephone lines and coaxial cables.12 ITU-T G.hn is becoming widely accepted as it allows for the provision of home networks where new cabling may be difficult to install. The ITU-T G.hn working group has released specifications for smart grid products, which ‘will allow multiple manufacturers to develop products that deliver the low power consumption, low cost, performance, reliability, and security that is required for Smart Grid and other lower bit rate applications.’13 Smart grid products include smart meters’ in-home displays and smart thermostats; plug-in electrical vehicles and electrical vehicle charging equipment; and smart appliances such as washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems. Smart grid technology provides a flow of information that enables the control and monitoring of smart appliances. It is intended to allow end-users to better manage their energy consumption, and utility providers to better manage their energy resources. Wireless technologies offer a final conduit for multimedia devices within the home, with WiFi increasingly used by devices in home networks. According to In-Stat, WiFi-enabled entertainment device shipments will increase from 108.8 million in 2009 to 177.3 million in 2013.14 Traditionally, WiFi in-home networks have supported data and limited capacity for the sharing and streaming of video and voice. Recent WiFi standard revisions now allow for higher data rates. This is achieved using cognitive methods that optimise and coordinate capacity through steerable radio signals, and by increasing the available radio spectrum bands and bandwidth in tandem with multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) antennas.15 IPTV and VoIP services, which are particularly sensitive to latency and jitter, can operate concurrently. WiFi installations are proving useful in older homes where cabling might be expensive or difficult. The WiGig™ Alliance is an association of manufacturers of semiconductors, consumer electronics, personal computers and handheld entertainment devices.16 The Alliance aims to unify the next generation of wireless products by encouraging the global adoption and use of 60 GHz wireless technology and claims ‘data transfer rates of 7 Gbps, more than 10 times faster than the highest IEEE 802.11n while maintaining compatibility with existing WiFi devices’.17 WiGig is intended to support bandwidth-intensive and latency-sensitive applications such as streaming high-definition video to interconnected consumer devices in the home at speeds up to 7 Gbps, as well as maintaining compatibility with existing WiFi devices operating at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.18 WiGig technology is designed to address the specific requirements of various platforms, using the 60 GHz radiofrequency spectrum authorised by the Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence.19 The WirelessHD consortium is another industry-led effort by electronics and communications equipment manufacturers that is aiming to define a worldwide standard for the next generation wireless digital network interface for consumer electronics and personal computing products.20 For consumers, eliminating cables for audio and video dramatically simplifies home theatre establishment and eliminates the need to locate source devices near the display. The WirelessHD specification 1.0 is optimised for wireless display connectivity, achieving high-speed data rates of up to 4 Gbits/s at 10 metres, where its core technology is designed to operate in the 60 GHz class-licensed band.21 Not all services delivered over the home network will require high speed and capacity. Smart energy, home automation and some health care monitoring services require only narrowband transmissions to transfer small amounts of control and measurement data. Low-power wireless home-networking technologies are the focus of standardisation efforts by the ZigBee Alliance, which ‘is an association of companies working together to enable reliable, cost-effective, low-power, wirelessly networked, monitoring and control products based on an open global standard’—IEEE 802.15.4 physical radio standard.22, 23 In May 2009, the Smart Energy public application profile was endorsed by the European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG).24,25 Smart Energy enables wireless communication between utility companies and common household devices also known as smart appliances, to deliver efficiencies such as lower costs and environmental benefits. For example, by managing the operation of devices, such as air conditioners, washing machines and dishwashers, power companies can more actively manage demand and the purchase of additional energy from other suppliers during peak times. Generally, ZigBee is applicable to devices such as light switches, thermostats, electricity meters, remote controls and sensor devices used in healthcare or for commercial building and industrial automation.26 ZigBee RF specification RF4CE, released in July 2009, promotes interoperability of consumer electronics, home energy management and efficiency, and resilience to interference from other devices using 2.4 GHz spectrum.27 By addressing these issues, the RF4CE is likely to see the presence of ZigBee in homes increase. DevicesUntil recently, devices in the home have been analog, with each dedicated to the reception of television, radio or basic telecommunications services. Digital devices are now replacing analog and offering additional features. In turn, a new generation of IP-based digital devices are emerging to offer enhanced communications and content access, and provide for the integration of multiple devices in a multiservice environment. IP-based video devices are capable of receiving digital and analog broadcast television as well as receiving IPTV, internet TV and accessing VoD services from an increased number of local and global sources. Similarly, highly integrated audio receivers are capable of providing a range of audio services such as digital audio broadcasting (DAB+) radio, analog FM and streamed internet radio.28 IP telephones and smartphone devices can establish service connections via home WiFi networks providing users with portable access and expanded service features. ‘Dumb’ devices are now also increasingly being replaced with smart devices, where new features or some of the features previously provided via the network are now embedded in the device itself. Software used to provide these functions from the device can also be upgraded as required without consumer interaction. While this remote interaction can improve the end-to-end service management, it also raises interest in the privacy and security impacts. ServicesBundling services enables providers to reduce costs and extend more service offerings over unified infrastructure. The term ‘triple play’ describes the bundling of voice, video and data communications services over a single broadband connection.29 iiNet, Internode, Optus, Telstra and TPG offer forms of triple play.30 TPG is continuing its free trial IPTV service, which started in mid 2007, offering programs of English and non-English content to its ADSL2+ customers.31,32 In addition, ‘quadruple play’ is being established in some overseas markets.33 Quadruple play introduces a femtocell, which integrates a carrier’s cellular network into the home network, providing an extended delivery of services and features offered by cellular network operators via the home access gateway.34 Femtocells are small home-located base stations that dedicate their capacity to the home while providing improved network coverage, access and speed. Femtocells can also be offered separately. VHA is expected to begin femtocell trials in Australia and anticipate commercial availability for homes and offices in 2011.35 Femtocells enable mobile operators to provide more services in the home market at lower cost as the consumer provides the base station location, power and data backhaul. Service providers are adding other innovations to the mix such as managed hardware as part of the service, unmetered free content and access that permits users to be content providers.36 Home networks are also being integrated with cloud-based hosted services, allowing email, software, storage and telephony to be accessed from the IP cloud.37, 38 For example, an enterprise can provide hosted services such as telephone, email, virtualised computing hardware, operating systems and application software for home-based employees. Emerging technology issuesThe home network environment is following an evolutionary path as network technologies and services migrate to a NGN model. The online IP-based environment in the home has already influenced the way people are interacting and adopting new services. It is facilitating the delivery of services based on autonomous M2M interactions without direct human involvement. Environment and security management systems for the home can employ M2M automation to remotely control home climate and security aspects. These autonomous machines and sensors are multiplying and consequently so are the network communications requirements both in and out of the home. The ACMA is monitoring the developments in M2M technologies and their impact on current addressing schemes, remotely managed service issues and privacy. More devices in the home are using IP technology, which drives the capability for automated service functionality. The home network is now an environment where home automation and service integration in areas such as smart metering, eHealth monitoring, automation of home HVAC and the trend to virtual services that are remotely hosted—such as communication and entertainment services—is flourishing. Bio-sensors can be used for transparent point-of-care monitoring for a broad range of patient conditions. Smartgrid devices and meters will help energy utilities manage base-load power consumption requirements and also provide consumers with better usage data. Energy consumption can be managed at the end device in the home through grid control of individual appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and HVAC systems. Control of the timing of consumption can be passed to energy grid providers to manage and distribute load. This transition from traditional to NGN technology in home networks raises new issues for users in managing the reliability and security of communications. The network boundary will typically place the responsibility of home network infrastructure and reliability with the consumer. NGN home network configuration and capabilities will vary considerably due to variations in building construction, ownership, age of premises and stages of legacy infrastructure integration. The resistibility to electrical disturbances and, consequently, reliability of a broad cross-section of installations will also vary.39 Routers, set-top units, ONTs, DSL modems and WLLs are all examples of equipment that may be vulnerable in terms of resistibility. Home network devices electrically share underlying infrastructure that may be susceptible to lightning strikes, power surges and voltage spikes. These electrical disturbances can detrimentally affect devices, connectivity infrastructure and powered network boundary interfaces, as well as posing risk of injury to persons using equipment in certain circumstances. Another reliability issue relates to power continuity. NGN home networks are not powered from the access network but locally from the consumer’s premises. In the event of power loss at the premises, all services, including emergency 000 services would not be accessible from the home network. A backup battery becomes important in the event of power failures. The use of shared communications platforms between multiple services and users in the home network means the user will need to manage more information on the home network. Home network security is increasingly a concern and the responsibility of the end-user. Unsecured networks can allow unintended access to a range of computers, internet services and other devices in the home network and to the personal information stored on those devices. Without adequate safeguards, shared IP networks may expose users to a range of risks including identity theft, access to personal data, viruses, denial of service attacks and unauthorised third-party access to services and devices. There is also a cost to industry in dealing with these issues. Directory: media media -> Applications to Drill media -> Unicef voices of Youth Chat Theme: Children and aids nigeria and Zimbabwe 13 October 2006 Background media -> Tsunami Terror Alert: Voices of Youth media -> Biblical Eschatology Presentation by: D. Paul Beck May 4, 2016 Ground Rules media -> Guide to completing the collection using the Omnibus system media -> The milk carton kids media -> Events Date and Location media -> The Gilded Age: The First Generation of Historians by H. Wayne Morgan University of Oklahoma, April 18, 1997 media -> Analysis of Law in the United Kingdom pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief Prepared by: For the 30 June 2010 Foreword media -> Cuba fieldcourse 2010 Download 171.08 Kb. Share with your friends:
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