| Analyst Show Flashes from The Cable Show 2008 | |
The Cable Show hosted by, NCTA (National Cable & Telecommunications Association), is the annual get together for cable service providers showcasing new products and technological advances in infrastructure and content delivery. Current Analysis was at the show and our coverage includes reports written from analysts in our Telecom Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, and Telecom Services modules. In these Show Update reports, the analysts give their view of announcements made at the show providing perspective on the relative merits of the announcements as well as their importance to the vendor and the market as a whole. Analyst Show Flashes are excerpts from these reports, and are available to all visitors at no charge. Clients with subscriptions to the respective modules can read the full Show Update reports on our CurrentCOMPETE™ Intelligence Portal by following the Client Access links. |
Contents
| ► | Jungo Unveils DOCSIS 3.0 Gateway Solution Leveraging Texas Instruments Chipsets - Digital Media Infrastructure |
| ► | Alloptic Enhances RFoG Proposition with New Return Path Capabilities - Broadband Infrastructure |
| ► | Nortel Introduces Next-gen SIP Application Server and Consumer VoIP Packages - IP Services Infrastructure |
| ► | Thomson Shows It Really Wants More U.S. Cable Operator Business - Digital Media Infrastructure |
| ► | TANDBERG TV Finally Brings Encryption Support to the Edge - Digital Media Infrastructure |
| ► | Nortel’s Cable Company Partnerships Will Provide New, but Limited SMB Sales Opportunities - Enterprise Communications |
| ► | Cox Business Teams with Nortel to Bundle CPE with Voice Services - Business Network Services - U.S. |
Jungo Unveils DOCSIS 3.0 Gateway Solution Leveraging Texas Instruments Chipsets
| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure
Announcement Summary
|
May 20, 2008 -- Jungo, an NDS group company that provides broadband residential gateway solutions, announced that it has integrated its OpenRG residential gateway and OpenSMB small and medium business gateway middleware platforms with DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem chipsets from Texas Instruments. The joint solution will enable cable equipment vendors to introduce residential and business gateways more rapidly, while providing cable operators with enhanced performance and management capabilities in their subscribers’ homes.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Positive on Alcatel-Lucent’s expansion of its ecosystem for the OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian (NLG), because the vendor will be offering a veritable one-stop shop for mobile laptop security, in conjunction with its carrier partners and a growing set of security software vendors including Phoenix Technologies, Utimaco, SafeNet, and wireless PC card/module specialist Sierra Wireless.
• Vendor Importance: Moderate to Alcatel-Lucent, as the product has already been gaining traction and industry accolades since its trials last November, its announcement with Sprint last spring, and its commercial availability in February. It received the 2007 Product of the Year from “Internet Telephony” magazine. Alcatel-Lucent also hopes to gain sales through European carriers offering managed security services (leveraging HSPA) to business customers.
• Market Impact: Moderate on the enterprise mobility market, as momentum has suffered due to the fragmented ecosystem for mobile security, which requires businesses to source different solutions from a variety of different vendors, piece them together, and manage them themselves. By integrating software, firmware, and hardware from partners for encryption, data protection, asset location, and other pieces of the security puzzle, the OmniAccess 3500 can alleviate the pressure on IT and help “de-fragment” the ecosystem at the same time, which will pose a competitive threat to smaller, independent security vendors.
| Client access - Full report in Digital Media Infrastructure
Alloptic Enhances RFoG Proposition with New Return Path Capabilities
| Analyst: Erik Keith | Broadband Infrastructure
Announcement Summary
|
May 19, 2008 – Alloptic, a provider of fiber to the premise (FTTP) systems, announced the expansion of its radio frequency over glass (RFoG) portfolio with the introduction of new Return Path Receivers and Return Path Transmitters. These new components provide cable operators with service-enabling enhancements such as: more subscribers per fiber, longer reach for customers farther away, and an optical network ready for Data Over Cable Standard Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 3.0 with channel bonding.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Neutral on Alloptic’s enhanced RFoG proposition, because despite the expanded service delivery capabilities enabled by the new return path components (i.e., receivers and transmitters) – which will make it easier for cable operators to deliver ultra-broadband or “wideband,” DOCSIS 3.0-spec data services – this is effectively a table stakes move for Alloptic to ensure that it remains competitive with rivals in this still-evolving fiber-access sub-sector.
• Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to Alloptic, which needed to continue pushing forward with RFoG enhancements, especially as Alloptic strives for competitive separation from rival FTTP systems vendors that have also incorporated RFoG support into their respective FTTP/PON propositions. This announcement also paves the way for Alloptic’s pending debut of the new flagship FTTP platform, the edge10, which will support 10 Gigabit PON, and which Alloptic has scheduled for general availability in mid-2008.
• Market Impact: Low on the FTTP and broadband cable markets, because RFoG is still a new concept for cable operators, with an extremely small service footprint (essentially, limited trial deployments). Alloptic’s FTTP market presence is tangible, but comparatively small, and with no customer endorsement for its expanded RFoG solution set, this announcement generates only a limited market impact.
| Client access - Full report in Broadband Infrastructure
Nortel Introduces Next-gen SIP Application Server and Consumer VoIP Packages
| Analyst: Joe McGarvey | IP Services Infrastructure
Announcement Summary
|
May 19, 2008 -- Nortel unveiled the Adaptive Application Engine (A2E) software at The Cable Show. The A2E is the latest product to emerge from Nortel’s SIP application portfolio. It is designed to bring together services across multiple types of access networks, reducing the complexity of operator networks and creating new service experiences for subscribers. The A2E is the successor to Nortel’s AS5200 hosted multimedia application platform. In a separate announcement, Nortel unveiled a suite of consumer-oriented VoIP services that can be delivered using the A2E platform.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Positive on Nortel’s introduction of the Adaptive Application Engine (A2E) software and a package of SIP-based services focused on consumers, as the next-generation of Nortel’s SIP application server significantly expands the programmability and deployment flexibility of the Application Server 5200 (A5200), Nortel’s existing hosted multimedia application server. Compatible with hardware servers capable of running Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the A2E platform can be configured to address subscriber universes that range from the hundreds to potentially millions. The new platform is also equipped with a service creation environment, as well as a set of Web Services APIs that enable service providers and Web developers to tap into the A2E’s telephony functionality.
• Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to Nortel, which is making a run at the hosted VoIP application server market with a product that is better able to compete with products from BroadSoft, Comverse, GENBAND, and Sylantro, as well as internally developed products from chief rivals Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), than the AS5200. Nortel has historically trailed its rivals in the VoIP application server market, largely due to the fact that the AS5200 is primarily a multimedia-heavy product that requires deployment alongside another Class 5 feature mechanism, such as the CS 2000 softswitch. The A2E empowers Nortel to be more aggressive in pursuing opportunities in the hosted application server sector of the market.
• Market Impact: Moderate on the hosted multimedia application server market, as Nortel is not a new entrant in the category but one that is offering an upgrade to an existing product. While the A2E will be a more formidable rival to BroadSoft, GENBAND, and Sylantro than the AS5200, Nortel was not a serious partner/distributor for these standalone equipment makers and the introduction of the A2E will not negatively impact these competitors’ existing targeted customer bases. Had Ericsson introduced an application server, for example, the impact to standalone vendors, especially BroadSoft, would have been significant.
| Client access - Full report in IP Services Infrastructure
Thomson Shows It Really Wants More U.S. Cable Operator Business
| Analyst: Ron Westfall | Digital Media Infrastructure
Announcement Summary
|
May 18, 2008 -- Thomson announced a series of new conversion, adapter, and access products and it is exhibiting a number of its network headend and access solutions this week at the National Cable and Telecommunications (NCTA) show in New Orleans. The announcements underscore Thomson’s continued focus on innovating and delivering solutions that enable cable operators and MSOs to take the bandwidth benefits of all digital networks, build compelling triple and quad-play services, and leverage the speed and capacity of data over cable to offer services that are future-proof, drive up ARPU, and reduce churn.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Positive on Thomson using the NCTA Cable Show to promote aggressively its new digital media and cable infrastructure products designed specifically for U.S. cable operators. The new product offerings, ranging from digital headend (HE) enhancements to new customer premise equipment (CPE)-based offerings in the analog to digital (ATD) conversion, set-top box (STB), cable modems, and home entertainment platform areas, prove Thomson can potentially play a more strategic role in U.S. cable operator decision making during 2008-09 and beyond.
• Vendor Importance: High to Thomson, as it needed to introduce new video networking products and solutions purpose-built for U.S. cable operators in order to capitalize on their ongoing transition toward all-digital networking over more open standards. The ViBE/NetProcessor encoding and content distribution and SmartVision video server enhancements complement its already existing strong suit on the HE side with the new DC19220 STB, ATD converter, DCM475 cable modem, DHG575/DHG537 embedded multimedia terminal adaptors (eMTAs), and the Thomson Advanced Cable Gateway home entertainment platform performing the same function on the CPE side.
• Market Impact: Moderate to high on the overall digital media infrastructure side of the U.S. cable market, as Thomson has the proven portfolio assets and market share positions within both the digital media infrastructure and cable infrastructure markets to oblige rivals to take specific heed of Thomson’s new U.S. cable product offerings with both product development and sales and marketing responses.
| Client access - Full report in Digital Media Infrastructure
TANDBERG TV Finally Brings Encryption Support to the Edge
| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Digital Media Infrastructure
Announcement Summary
|
May 16, 2008 – Ericsson’s TANDBERG TV unit announced that is universal Edge QAM, the EQ8096, will support Privacy Mode Encryption to provide an added layer of protection for video on demand (VoD) content, ensuring that valuable programming can only be viewed by authorized subscribers. The content encryption technology benefits both content providers and cable operators by protecting premium video assets and associated revenues. The technology will be available as a software upgrade in Q3 2008.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Neutral on the announcement that Ericsson’s TANDBERG TV unit will be adding Privacy Mode Encryption support to its EQ8096 universal Edge QAM, because while the move enables cable operators to add encryption technology in order to secure their growing video on demand (VoD) offerings more efficiently, the Privacy Mode Encryption standard is essentially a table stakes addition that rivals (i.e., ARRIS and Harmonic) have already delivered. Furthermore, while the addition of Privacy Mode Encryption is an expected part of the EQ8096 product roadmap, the announcement lacked an operator endorsement that would have validated TANDBERG TV’s essentially late-to-market support of the standard.
• Vendor Importance: Moderate to Ericsson/TANDBERG TV, because the company needed to follow through on this addition to its EQ8096 product roadmap to meet cable operator expectations for implementing content security for their VoD offerings, as well as keep up with rivals.
• Market Impact: Low on the video headend and content security segments of the digital media infrastructure (DMI) market, since the announced support of Privacy Mode Encryption in the EQ8096 is essentially a necessary competitive response to previous moves by rivals. And while TANDBERG TV commands sufficient cable sector market presence and portfolio range, the announcement does not effectively require a competitive response from rivals.
| Client access - Full report in Digital Media Infrastructure
Nortel’s Cable Company Partnerships Will Provide New, but Limited SMB Sales Opportunities
| Analyst: Brian Riggs | Enterprise Communications
Announcement Summary
|
May 19, 2008 -- Cox Business has entered into a joint sales and reseller agreement with Nortel centered on the delivery of CPE-based voice systems to small businesses. Cox will make the systems available in select geographies. Pricing was not disclosed.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Neutral on Nortel teaming up with Cox Business, because the move adds an interesting new company to the long list of Nortel SMB channel partners, but slow roll out of Cox’s CPE-based telephony services could limit the number of sales opportunities that this business relationship brings to Nortel.
• Vendor Importance: Low to Nortel, because the company adds Cox to a very long list of channel partners for its Business Communications Manager and other communications product offerings. It is unclear if Cox will provide managed PBX and CPE services that are substantially differentiated from those offered by Nortel’s many service provider partners.
• Market Impact: Low on the SMB communications market, because Cox will initially make the CPE-based VoIP service available only to its small business customers in Kansas and northwestern Arkansas. Though services are expected to become available to one other market in North America by the end of the year, such a targeted approach to service availability could severely limit the number of Cox customers Nortel will be able to target.
| Client access - Full report in Enterprise Communications
Cox Business Teams with Nortel to Bundle CPE with Voice Services
| Analyst: Cindy Whelan | Business Network Services - U.S.
Announcement Summary
|
April 7, 2008 – Sendmail, a provider of message-processing security appliances, announced the release of two new messaging security appliances. The Sentrion MPV is a VMware-based virtual appliance designed for customers who wish to realize higher server utilization rates and support green data center initiatives. The Sentrion MPQ is a Quantum Message Processor, running on a blade server, featuring up to 16 times the I/O performance of existing Sentrion machines.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Sendmail’s release of two new secure messaging appliances, because the company has refocused its business model on delivering mail processors in order to integrate data leakage protection (DLP) with high performance secure messaging. Sendmail uses a unique approach to DLP by converting Web mail, IM and FTP into an SMTP mail session, essentially treating the protocols as an SMTP attachment. By taking this approach, the company leverages its infrastructure already in place, including its policy engine.
• Vendor Importance: High to Sendmail’s release of a virtual secure messaging appliance and a high speed appliance following its new business focus, which addresses customers’ need for multi-protocol support and outbound messaging protection.
• Market Impact: Low on the secure messaging market segment, because Sendmail is not viewed as a significant player in this space which is dominated by IronPort/Cisco, Secure Computing, Proofpoint and Symantec. However, Sendmail considers itself ahead of the pack in offering integrated DLP of non-structured data, integrated with its core messaging components, competing primarily with Proofpoint. The company will have to highlight its differentiated approach to DLP, accomplished through its ability to integrate its MTA technology, policy engine, flow control, quarantine, directory, and Mainstream Management.
| Client access - Full report in Business Network Services - U.S.
