Net neutrality debate heats up

Tough questions facing cable operators

Robert Jaques

The debate over net neutrality will become increasingly heated as cable operators realise that advanced video and voice services from online providers are beyond the control of cable operators and their closed networks, analysts predict.

ABI Research believes that the introduction of network-based control, such as personal video recorders, start-over, time-shifting and video on demand, will see a significant increase in the amount of spectrum set aside for on-demand services.

Advertisement

"As customers interact using remote controls to send signals via set-top boxes, bandwidth requirements will continue to increase for cable operators," said Stan Schatt, vice president and research director at ABI.

"There is also potential that the spectrum requirements for DOCSIS [Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications] data will explode, removing yet another chunk from the amount available."

Schatt believes that the burden of supplying a broadband pipe to support these services falls on the cable TV operator.

Although this is fuelling the net neutrality debate, broadband bandwidth on cable TV networks will have to expand in the near future to accommodate customer demand.

Any expansion of the bandwidth dedicated to broadband will be that much less bandwidth used for revenue-generating video services.

"One new service that could impact bandwidth combines voice and video for two-way video calling," said Schatt.

"Operators are concerned that services such as this, along with online gaming, will place enormous strains on upstream bandwidth capacity.

"The argument from cable and telecoms operators against net neutrality focuses on network strain caused by bandwidth-demand increases, which operators cannot control.

"If the customer uses data services for basic surfing and email, demand for bandwidth is not a hindrance to the broader network spectrum capacity.

"But when customers use voice and advanced video services from online providers, the amount of data downloaded will cripple the bandwidth capacity of a network."

  • Have your say
  • Send to a friend
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • Share

Tags:

Do you agree?

Related whitepapers

Related jobs

Most watched

iPhone

Video Review: iPhone 3GS

We put Apple's latest iPhone through its paces

Xperia X1

Video Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

First Looks Editor Ian Williams gets hands on with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

IT white papers

Search white papers

Top categories

Poll

Poll: Summer smartphones

Poll: Summer smartphones

Which smartphone will you be taking to the beach this summer?

View poll results

Advertisement

Advertisement

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Job of the week

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Hiring now on ComputingCareers:

Related IT jobs

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Spotlight

iPhone

Video Review: iPhone 3GS

We put Apple's latest iPhone through its paces

old computer

Government honours veterans of Bletchley Park at last

Surviving veterans of the code-breaking facility to receive badge of...

Motorola MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant

Review: Motorola MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant

A rugged Windows Mobile device for mobile workers

BT

BT promises 1.5m fibre connections by summer 2010

Telco begins major rollout in 69 locations across the UK

Primary Navigation