The Broadband World Forum conference in Paris will see the launch of BroadbandSuite 3.2 - the Broadband Forum’s latest release of technical work. Building on the well established TR-069, the de facto remote management standard for world-wide broadband, this release provides a new level in remote management flexibility and dynamic application allocation-ensuring the industry can address the exponentially growing device and smart gateway requirements of next generation broadband.

Customer Premises Equipment and especially residential gateways are becoming more sophisticated and complex. As the number and types of devices grow, service providers are looking for ways to roll out new applications, achieve better revenue per user and reduce churn by offering new compelling services. They need to be able to manage gateways in new ways; downloading, installing and activating new software/applications. That is where BroadbandSuite 3.2 tools empower provider solutions.

BroadbandSuite 3.2 provides enhanced CPE WAN Management Protocol and establishes a converged Device and Gateway Root Data Model. This release extends Connected Home remote management abilities to enable operators to offer new applications via the gateway, to effectively address the plethora of new devices being introduced to the home, as well as improve back office billing and operations integration. Written in XML, these specifications remove the potential for user interpretation error and provide new implementation ease of data models.

Highlights of the release include:

Remote Management Enhancements

• New TR-181 issue Two “Device.2” Next Generation Root Data Model re-designs the interface-related parts of the data model, converging Device and Internet Gateway Device data models into a single root data model for all devices. This new model interfaces in a more flexible, robust fashion which provides a new platform to support options such as enhanced Wi-Fi or DSL bonding. Enhanced management options/reporting offers service providers an important set of data objects covering things like basic device information, time-of-day configuration, network interface and protocol stack configuration, routing and bridging management, throughput statistics, and diagnostic tests.

Application Management

• WT-157 Amendment 3 (in approval process now) "Component Objects for CWMP" implemented alongside the pending TR-069 Amendment 3 release defines specific services/options you can manage within the device for use in CWMP managed devices. One example is the ability to recognize storage, video and possibly gateway capabilities that might all reside within a set top box or residential gateway, and be able to manage them specifically based on each service's quality requirements.
  
  In the past, the assumption was that there was one monolithic firmware download per device, but the new reality is that there are devices with more robust platforms, often capable of downloading new applications dynamically, perhaps even from third-party software providers. With WT-157 and the new version of TR-069, service providers can make use of CWMP to remotely manage the life cycle of these applications, including install, activation, configuration, upgrade, and removal. Doing so ensures a positive user experience, improves service time-to-market, and reduces operational costs related with provisioning, support and maintenance.

End-to-end Management Integration

• TR-131 – "ACS Northbound Interface Requirements" covers TR-069 Auto-Configuration Server Northbound interfaces, allowing better integration of service provider back office BSS/OSS systems with ACS and enhanced automation in provisioning. Considering the dynamic 'App Store' type capabilities and service offerings coming available, it is important that appropriate billing and allowances/controls are triggered with each application or service download.

Best Practice Guide

• White Paper MR-230: "TR-069 Deployment Scenarios" provides a new resource explaining the benefits of TR-069 and highlights best practices in using TR-069 for managing the residential gateway, zero-touch home network and device installations, enhanced IPTV service installation and support as well as enhanced quality measurements and customer support.

The Broadband Forum will be exhibiting in Booth A7 at the Broadband World Forum Europe in Paris from 26-28 October 2010. Representatives are available for interview.