Open audio visual pipeline software makes network perform
Vodafone Deutschland has appointed Cambridge-based video stream supplier Velocix to expand its GigaTV service. In a multi-year project Velocix will use its open audio-video (AV) pipeline expertise and software to create a carrier-grade content delivery network (CDN) over cable, running both the origin server and a video personalisation platform.
The German mobile operator provides pay TV services to 13 million subscribers and operates Germany’s largest cable TV network. The cloud-based TV platform runs across multiple video networks that Vodafone Deutschland has acquired.
Velocix is the ‘trusted partner’ that will help unify its services under a single brand, said Wolfgang Zeller, the head of the Video Centre of Excellence at Vodafone Group.
Software for best viewing experience
“Velocix has been a trusted technology partner for us on critical projects like the roll-out of GigaTV in Germany. The company’s open AV pipeline technology delivers the best viewing experience for our customers, while supporting our evolution towards cloud-based content delivery architectures,” said Heller.
Cable operators such as Vodafone Deutschland are considering their options for delivering data intensive video services as laying fibre becomes increasingly challenging. Network builders have to contend with potential fibre shortages, price variations and invent ways to bypass Covid-struck council planning departments.
Sweat your network assets
Companies like Velocix are helping network operators such to coax better performances out of their existing assets.
Meanwhile vendors are fine tuning and modifying existing technologies to improve their capacity for carrying data. The data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS), has continually been adapted to solve the problems of the day.
In 2018 Vodafone Spain completed the DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade of its nationwide network covering 7.9 million coaxial lines. Eltrona in Luxembourg, Altibox, Stofa and TDC in Denmark, Ono in Spain, Com Hem in Sweden, Vodafone-Ziggo in the Netherlands and Telia in Finland are all using DOCSIS 3.1.
DOCSIS who keeps regenerating
The DOCSIS 4.0 specification was finalised in March 2020 and will enable downlink speeds of up to 10Gbps and uplink speeds of up to 6Gbps once deployed.
“By making sure that the newer standards had built-in backwards compatibility with previous generation products, operators could gradually but surely introduce newer products and benefit from these,” said Wim De Ketelaere, CTO of Belgian DOCSIS specialist Excentis.
Anthony Berkeley, CEO at Vodafone Deutschland partner Velocix, said it would continue to, “expand the capabilities of cloud-native, carrier-grade video technologies.”