Enabling IPTV: What's Needed in the Access Network

Service providers around the globe have begun commercializing triple play services to better compete with cable and satellite operators. While this is helping boost Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), it is placing unprecedented stress on the traditional high-speed Internet infrastructure. This paper examines the issues of deploying triple play services - and, more specifically, the unique demands of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service delivery. It illuminates the need for a transformation of the access network architecture toward Ethernet and IP technology for a solution that can bring together access, aggregation, edge and subscriber service delivery while addressing cost, reliability, scalability and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.