TV services anywhere, to any device, at any time

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Converged TV
Ericsson has developed a prototype that showcases TV services delivered over fixed and mobile access. The company has also demonstrated advanced use-cases, such as transferring video sessions and blending TV with communication services.
Da l i b or T u r i na , Ol a A n de r s s on, Be r n d t Wa l l i n, M igu e l Bl o c k s t r a n d a n d T or bjr n C age n i u s

Telecom operators commonly provide TV as a part of their multiservice offerings. The market is segmented into fixed IPTV and mobile TV offerings, which are based on technically different solutions. Todays operators, especially on the fixed side, have started to show strong interest in extending their TV service over multiple kinds of access and devices in order to retain and expand their market position, grow new sources of income, and lower operating costs. Ericssons converged TV vision supports those goals by providing TV services anywhere, to any device, and at any time.
Telecom operators commonly provide TV as a part of their multiservice offerings. The market is currently segmented into fixed IPTV and mobile TV offerings that are deployed as separate solutions in the network and service layer (Figure1). This means there is duplication of user and content

management functions, and vertical integration of the TV service with specific accesses and devices. The systems are based on different sets of standards and are mainly proprietary implementations not intended for interoperability. This situation creates lock-in effects between devices and networks, vendors, and operators, and limits service evolution and mass-market adoption. Todays operators, especially on the fixed side, want to extend their TV service over multiple kinds of access and devices, and are thus looking for threescreen or converged TV solutions in order to retain and expand their market position, grow new sources of income, and lower operating costs. Trends and drivers The ambition to leave proprietary solutions behind is shown by the industry-wide engagement in standardization initiatives for nextgeneration networks. These include the ETSI TISPAN and IPTV solutions in the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF), wherein network operators, the consumer electronics (CE) industry, and network equipment vendors are jointly defining tech-

BOX A 

Terms and abbreviations

application server consumer electronics content management system converged TV evolved packet core electronic program guide European Telecommunications Standards Institute Full Service Access Network gateway GPRS support node gigabit passive optical network general packet radio service HSPA IMS IPTV LTE MAE OIPF OTT PGM PON SGSN VoD WCDMA high-speed packet access IP Multimedia Subsystem Internet Protocol TV 3GPP Long Term Evolution multi-access edge Open IPTV Forum over the top presence and group data management passive optical network serving GPRS support node video on demand wideband code-division multiple access

AS CE CMS CTV EPC EPG ETSI FSAN GGSN GPON GPRS

nical specifications for multi-access, multidevice IPTV solutions. There has been a sharp rise in recent years in the consumption of video content on numerous kinds of devices. In mature markets, the average household now owns about six video-enabled devices, and user demand for fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions continues to grow. A recent consumer survey indicated that 6 out of 10 participants want to bring their TV subscriptions to their vacation place, and many of them appreciate the ability to control their TV service remotely, such as by programming a personal video recorder. These trends point to growing user demand to access services from any location, by any device, and on the users terms. By 2014, it is anticipated that more than 100 million households will have television services based on IPTV technology. DSL technology will be widespread in fixed access for the foreseeable future, but fiber is increasingly being deployed in key IPTV markets. Within five years, it is anticipated that a large majority of TV sessions will be delivered via dedicated user streams rather than via broadcast. This is important to consider for future fixed network dimensioning. During the same period, mobile broadband subscriptions are expected to outnumber fixed subscriptions, and nearly 60 percent of the mobile traffic will carry video content. The mobile broadband networks in use today are widely based on WCDMA and will be complemented by 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE). Operators are increasingly bundling voice, broadband data, and TV services into triple- and quadruple-play packages to create attractive offerings. TV drives service in this competition, and by adding mobility, operators can differentiate themselves from compet-

TV services anywhere, to any device, at any time

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Figure 1 

Current fixed IPTV and mobile TV architecture.

Mobile access network BS

Mobile core network Mobile TV service layer

Home network AN

Fixed access network

Fixed core network IPTV service layer

Figure 2 

Converged TV target architecture.

BS

Mobile access network

Converged TV service layer

MAE Home network AN Fixed access network

Converged core and IMS network

itors. Therefore, as the transformation from single-service to multiservice broadband networks gains momentum, operators are emphasizing the need for new, suitable network architectures. The value chain for TV content delivery is also changing as the content and CE industries extend their businesses by establishing a direct relationship with end users. They often bypass network owners by delivering internet servic-

es over the top of access networks. To gain a share of this value chain, some network operators have begun offering proper added value, such as quality-ofservice (QoS) mechanisms for content distribution, to providers of over-thetop (OTT) content. Converged TV vision service definition and value proposition Ericsson is well positioned in the TV

BOX B 

Standardization
 pen IPTV Forum 1.0, Functional architecture O Open IPTV Forum 2.0, Service requirements  3GPP SA4, IMS-based PSS and MBMS User  Service 3GPP R8 SAE/LTE, Evolved Packet System  including fixed mobile convergence

Ericssons choice to base the CTV prototype on relevant existing and emerging standards underscores the importance of open-standards-based solutions for interoperability and future-proofing operator investments. The following standards were referenced for the CTV prototype:
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markets, and at an early stage it recognized the drivers, trends, and emerging need for a combined fixed IPTV and mobile TV solution.1 Figure 2 shows Ericssons converged TV strategy and target architecture. In this solution, the service layer parts, such as the application servers and management systems, support content delivery to all devices and accesses. This approach enables unified subscriber handling and advanced offerings while lowering operating costs. The converged core network is based on IP transport controlled by the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), which provides several features required by the converged TV solution; for instance, common user identity handling across accesses and the ability to blend the TV service with communication services. The common core network components further reduce both OPEX and CAPEX. The solution reuses the media-delivery protocols for IPTV and mobile TV in order to accommodate the different characteristics of their access networks. Therefore, any portable device that uses both types of accesses will need to support both transport methods. Operators who deploy a converged TV solution can provide TV services across multiple accesses and devices, introduce innovative blended services, and bundle them into attractive offerings. The common content management system and multiple delivery channels also enable operators to extend their distribution capabilities while protecting content and offering QoS to broadcasters and providers of over-the-top content. This satisfies the need to defend and expand their market position while reducing operating costs. Compliance to a standard solution also allows operators to select and combine products from multiple vendors as well as to drive massmarket availability. From the end-user perspective, converged TV provides one TV service for all devices regardless of location. Further, the subscription and the service can be managed from any device. End users can thus program video recording equipment from one device and watch the content on another. Realization of converged TV a prototype Market players have discussed the vision

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of converged TV services and supporting architectures for some time. To move the discussion forward, Ericsson has developed a converged TV (CTV) prototype to showcase how the services can be realized and to establish a platform for evaluating use cases, network implications, and solutions to technical challenges. The CTV prototype is based, as much as possible, on existing and emerging standards and commercial products. The architecture for the prototype (Figure 3) is based on the OIPF R1 architecture and extended to cover the prototypes mobile accesses.2 The devices used are a mobile phone connected via WCDMA, a laptop computer connected via WCDMA or LTE, and a TV set connected via 10Gbps GPON access.3 The key enablers for converging service between different access and device types are the common IMS core and the converged application server. The bit rates of the media streams are 200Kbps to the mobile phone, 800Kbps to the laptop, and 2.5Mbps to the TV. Moderate bit rates were used because the main idea is to prove the feasibility of the architecture and use cases rather than to demonstrate high media quality. The CTV prototype realizes a select set of use cases from the OIPF R2 requirements. These are demonstrated on all three devices. The use cases fall into three different categories: singledevice features, multidevice-dependent features, and blended services. Single-device features In a converged solution, the singledevice features use case implies new technical challenges for content management and may create new usage patterns.
 ive TV users access traditional broadL casted content via an electronic program guide (EPG). The same channels are available and have the same look and feel on all devices. Video on demand (VoD) users can  order and view movies on demand. All titles are available on all devices. Bookmarks users can bookmark a  position while watching TV; for example, setting a bookmark while watching a VoD title on a mobile device and later viewing the rest of the video on a TV set. Network personal video recorder users  may choose to record a program in the

Figure 3 

Overview of the converged TV prototype.

Content streams live TV and VoD

CTV application server

Common IMS core

Multi-access edge

WCDMA

LTE

10 Gbps GPON

Mobile phone

PC laptop

TV with set-top box

Media + signaling

Signaling

network; for example, while watching a TV channel on the PC, a user might decide to record a program and watch it later on a TV set.

available to communicate with. TV and messaging a user chats with  friends while watching a TV program or movie.

Multidevice-dependent features The multidevice-dependent features use case relies on multiple devices to add user value.
 ession push a user transfers an ongoS ing broadcasted program or VoD title to another device. The user lists all available devices (on the original device) and pushes the ongoing session to one of them. When the target device receives the pushed information, it automatically plays the content without any user interaction. Depending on the users preference, the original session either continues or is terminated. Session pull when a user turns on the  TV application, the device in use displays a notification if a session is already ongoing on another device. The user may then choose to access that same session on the current device.

These services are integrated on the client side to give a good user experience but are otherwise separate. Detailed CTV prototype architecture Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the CTV prototype architecture, with components grouped into architecture areas. As can be seen, the CTV prototype realizes the envisioned architecture.1 Service layer nodes The CTV application server (AS) is based on the application server found in Ericssons commercial IPTV offering. The mobile TV and IPTV mediadelivery and ingestion components are also reused from commercial solutions. With respect to interfaces and the functionality of an IMS AS, the CTV AS complies with the general IMS architecture. One function of the CTV AS is to ensure that all content and service alternatives are presented with the same look and feel and can be selected on all client devices. The devices announce their capabilities during the servicediscovery procedure to enable necessary adaptations. Further, when a user
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Blended services The blended services use case runs TV service simultaneously with another communication service, possibly interconnected, on the same device.
 V and presence while watching TV, a T user displays a buddy list to see who is

TV services anywhere, to any device, at any time

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has selected a service, the CTV AS establishes the viewing session between the client and the media-delivery server. It also keeps track of all ongoing sessions and plays a key role when sessions are transferred between devices. The AS stores user bookmarks and recording requests and enables them to be applied on all devices. The CTV AS contains the metadata catalog of VoD titles, and the EPG server holds the metadata of broadcasted channels. Both types of metadata are adapted to formats suited to the different devices. Different transport protocols are used for mobile and fixed access. Therefore, there are two node pairs for the ingestion and media-delivery functions. For live TV content, the same original stream is provided to both the IPTV and mobile TV node pairs. However, the mobile TV ingestion component must transcode the stream in order to meet the lower bit rate requirements set by the mobile accesses. Also, depending on network characteristics, the mobile TV media-delivery function might perform adaptation, called adaptive streaming. Live IPTV multicast streams are directly fed into the network. Because the resolution of mobile TV and IPTV content is different, the content management system (CMS) must generate multiple versions of the VoD content files. These are stored on their respective media-delivery components and streamed to devices on dedicated unicast channels. Devices and clients All three clients conform to the general IMS requirements for registration and service discovery. The IPTV device is a commercially available set-top box (STB) and TV setup with a browser-based client executing in the STB environment. The client complies with the signaling sequences stipulated by OIPF R1 for IMS-based IPTV. The client for the STB/TV is also used on the laptop. In this case, it executes in the laptops browser environment. Support has been added for the mobile TV transport protocols. The mobile TV client is Java-based and deployed on a commercial mobile feature phone. Since mobile devices are not included in the OIPF R1, the client is aligned with the new 3GPP SA4 specifiE r i c s s o n r e v i e w 2 2009

Figure 4 

Illustration of the main components of the CTV prototype.

Management
Service layer

Mobile TV client

Standard Service and IMS

PGM IMS core

WCDMA access Multi access Edge

EPG server

Laptop client

RAN
LTE access

GGSN/ SGSN Policy control Converged EPC GW

Mobile TV media delivery

Mobile TV ingestion liveTV& VoD IPTV ingestion liveTV& VoD

GPON access

Access node
Devices and premises NW

Transport and aggregation

cation, IMS-based PSS and MBMS User Service.5 Standard services and IMS All three accesses in the CTV prototype use a common IMS core based on commercial products. Users of the CTV prototype must have a service profile configured in IMS, which handles user authentication, authorization, IMS registration, and session management. Consumers are registered in IMS with the same identity regardless of device and service. This is what makes the CTV use cases possible. The prototype uses two different edge nodes. Therefore, two different policy-control interfaces are used from the IMS core to the multi-access edge (MAE). However, policy control was only implemented in the converged evolved packet core (EPC) gateway for GPON and LTE. A presence and group data management (PGM) node supports presence and chat services. Again, the IMS user identity, which is employed both for presence and TV services, enables the service blending use case as described above. Multi-access edge The MAE functional area contains the

IP edge and associated network attachment functions, such as IP address control and distribution, as well as policy control and resource management. The MAE area also manages mobility within and among different accesses. In the CTV prototype, the MAE area is realized with the gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) products and related nodes for the WCDMA access. An evolved packet core (EPC) prototype was incorporated for the GPON and LTE accesses. It contains
 TE-specific core network elements (the L serving gateway and mobile mobility entity node); a gateway element for fixed access (the  IP edge node); a common anchor point for session con tinuity for mobility (the packet data network gateway); and a common policy control node. 

The EPC prototype was designed in line with 3GPP R8, which includes support for fixed mobile convergence.6 Access technologies The WCDMA access is HSPA-capable and was realized using commercially available products. The LTE access uses a precommercial

QoS monitoring and control

eNodeB

IPTV media delivery

Content management

IPTV client

Subscriber management

Converged TV application server

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prototype of LTE that delivers a peak bit rate of 160Mbps. The fixed access is a prototype of a 10Gbps GPON system. It is designed as a proof-of-concept candidate that targets the next-generation access being defined in the Full Service Access Network (FSAN).3, 4 Conclusion The CTV prototype demonstrates live TV and VoD services provided to multiple devices connected to the same application platform. In addition, it demonstrates multidevice use cases, such as the bookmarking and transfer of video sessions as well as presence and chat capabilities integrated with TV service. The prototype proves the feasibility of building an open-standards-based converged TV solution on existing network and service layer products. The key enablers of a converged TV solution are the OIPF standards, the converged applications server, the common CMS, and IMS technology. The solution will allow operators to provide innovative services and to take advantage of mass-market availability. The implemented cases also prove that using multiple types of devices in a TV solution adds user value. This is true both in terms of
 exibility and freedom to consume serfl vices regardless of location; and having additional, personal devices to  complement the traditional living room TV set.

Dalibor Turina
joined Ericsson Radio Systems AB in 1993 to work with the design and standardization of the GPRS radio interface. In 1997, he became manager of the Air Interface Architecture unit at the Access Networks department of Ericsson Research. Between 2000 and 2006, he worked with strategic system management issues regarding the radio access network. Currently Dalibor is Director, Systems Management at Business Unit Multimedia and works with TV and media evolution strategies. He holds an M.Sc. in telecommunications from the University of Zagreb, Croatia.

Berndt Wallin,
who joined Ericsson 1986, holds an Expert position in media-handling architectures. Apart from a two-year period of mobile phone development at RTP in North Carolina, USA, he has worked with speech- and media-processing products, such as transcoders, echo cancellers, media gateways, messaging, and streaming systems. Berndt holds an M.Sc. in electrical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden.

Miguel Blockstrand
joined Ericsson in 1989 to work in integration and verification. He was involved in the first release and deployment of GSM, the first implementation of the PDC system, and the first introduction of WCDMA, where he was responsible for the implementation of a demonstration service layer for 3G applications. Since 2007, Miguel has worked with mobile TV and IPTV technologies. He is currently Senior Product Manger for IPTV and mobile TV network technologies within Business Unit Networks.

Ola Andersson,
joined Ericsson in 2008 and is a Senior System Manager for IPTV. He has extensive experience of web technologies, client-side graphics and application framework technologies, and authoring tool solutions. He also has several years experience of working with different standardization forums, including W3C, OMA, and 3GPP. Ola holds an M.Sc. in engineering physics from Uppsala University, Sweden.

Torbjrn Cagenius,
who joined Ericsson in 1990, is an Expert in applied broadband services. He holds an M.Sc. in electrical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. During the 1990s he worked with the development, product management, and marketing of fiber optic components and subsystems. From 1999 through 2006 he focused on research in fiber optics in RBS applications, multi-access architectures from a fixed-broadband network perspective, and IMS-based services relating to residential networks. Torbjrn currently serves as Technical Coordinator of IPTV at Business Unit Networks.

 References

1. Personalized and interactive TV enabled by IMS. Ericsson whitepaper 2008. http://www.ericsson. com/technology/whitepapers/IMS_TV_4.pdf 2. Open IPTV Forum 1.0, Functional Architecture v1.2 3. Trojer, E. Dahlfort, S., Hood, D. and Mickelsson, H.: Current and next-generation PONs: A technical overview of present and future PON technolo-

gy. Ericsson Review, Vol. 85(2008)2, pp. 64-69 4. Full Service Access Network (FSAN), www.fsanweb.org 5. 3GPP TS 26.237, IMS-based PSS and MBMS User Service 6. 3GPP R8 SAE/LTE 7. Open IPTV Forum 2.0, Service and Platform Requirements v2.0

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