=There is considerable confusion in the consumer network access industry regarding the objective of congestion relief (traffic management) and that of market-segmentation and value-definition (usage management). In particular, many players often try to message that they are addressing congestion using volume limits, when in fact this is less effective.

I’ll refer to congestion occurring closest to the subscriber as the “weak link”.  Not surprisingly, the most effective (in terms of relieving the congestion) and most fair (to subscribers) way to manage this congestion is by implementing corrective policies that are localized at the site of the congestion itself. In fact, this precise approach is what the FCC defines as “narrowly tailored”.  Referring to Figure 1 below, if congestion occurs at the weak link (see A*) location and affects only users 1-5, then correcting that instance of congestion is ideal because Internet user traffic in other network locations such as locations B and C need not be touched.

Sandvine manages link congestion by examining, identifying, and prioritizing time-sensitive gaming, VoIP and streaming applications, over non time-sensitive applications such as emailing and browsing, or, alternatively, prioritising the users who are causing the least congestion vs. those who are causing the most in a short time interval.  You and I don’t notice if we get an email 2 or 3 seconds later, but we will be upset if our voice calls are garbled and we can’t understand each other.  Read the rest of this entry »

As we reported in our Fall 2011 Internet Phenomena Report, 55% of all Real-Time Entertainment traffic in the United States now goes to devices other than PCs. By far the biggest driver of that traffic is Netflix, which users can access on tablets, smart TVs, set-top boxes, and game consoles.

Examining data from Sandvine’s Netflix Rising report released in the Spring, the Xbox 360 accounts for almost 25% of Netflix’s total traffic on fixed access networks.  This figure demonstrates that subscribers are more than willing to use their Xbox 360 as an entertainment hub and the list of video providers made available to them on that device is set to grow substantially.

Beginning today, Microsoft will be rolling out a software update that will offer Xbox 360 owners (at least, those who pay $60 a year to be Xbox Live Gold members) access to a wide range of both on-demand and live video content on their TV .

IPTV is not a new feature on the Xbox, as Microsoft had some limited partnerships with select communications service providers and channels such as ESPN. With this software update however,  Microsoft is making an even bigger push by forming partnerships with some  Internet and media heavy-hitters such as Verizon, HBO, BBC, Rogers, and YouTube, just to name a few. 

Access to certain content will differ based on country and Internet provider due to licensing restrictions, but Microsoft is certainly trying to have the Xbox 360 be the one-stop shop for all of your home entertainment needs, and the only device you need connected to your TV.

With over 57 million Xbox 360s sold worldwide to date, how many of them are on your network? The number of owners and the number of soon-to-be-available live streaming options will present unique challenges to network operators.  Live video demands a high Quality of Experience (QoE), and traffic optimization options such as caching are limited for live video.  Operators will need to ensure their networks are engineered for quality because, while the Xbox may be among the first devices to offer a wide range of live streaming video, it is unlikely to be the last.

We will be keeping a close eye on how users adopt this new service, and will aim to bring some insightful data on subscriber usage the near future.

We’ve seen some recent press stating that WikiLeaks plans to release documents from three Canadian companies named on the SpyFiles website, of which, Sandvine is one (there are many companies on the list, some involved in and some unrelated to the topic).  We’re puzzled why we’re named on this list, and moreover, puzzled as to which documentation could be considered secret files.  What Sandvine does is out in the open and is clearly explained on our website:

Sandvine’s network policy control solutions focus on protecting and improving the quality of experience on the Internet. Our award-winning network equipment and software helps DSL, FTTx, cable, fixed wireless and mobile operators better understand network traffic, manage network congestion, create new services and revenues, mitigate traffic that is malicious or undesirable to subscribers, deliver QoS-prioritized multimedia services and increase subscriber satisfaction.

Our Global Internet Phenomena Report is an example of the type of data that our network equipment enables ISPs to collect.  Many of our customers and many in the industry, find these insights valuable, as they allow for proactive capacity planning of Internet networks, enabling fair use connectivity and a high quality experience for the end subscriber. Download it and read for yourself. Feel free to contact us directly with any comments or concerns, we would be more than happy to discuss.

We’ve long been fans of transparency and are public industry advocates for government proposals that seek open and equitable Internet access.  It’s all there for you to read.  No need to bring a bucket.

Last week cable showed its breadth and strength at SCTE’s Cable-Tec Expo ’11, in a fitting venue at the Georgia World Congress Center, across the street from CNN headquarters, a pioneer of stimulating informational content over cable. The Cable-Tec show floor was full of vendors promoting their products ranging from cable tools, connectors, radio frequency measuring equipment, TV remote controls, video compression technology, to IP infrastructure solutions. 

Kicking off the week was the Capacity Management Symposium, during which speakers from Sandvine, Cisco, ARRIS, SeaChange, and Motorola presented their perspectives on how data’s Compound Annual Growth Rate growth rate of 50% is impacting the capacity planning of cable networks.  During my session, I introduced findings from our recently released Global Internet Phenomena Report which contrasted the usage patterns and regulations in North American and Asian augmentation markets with those of emerging markets, such as Africa.  Tools for measurement of Quality of Experience (QoE) are all the more vital in these times of explosive broadband video growth.

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