A Comprehensive Study of Price and Performance of Video over Next-Generation Optical Access Networks

摘要

We describe the results of a rigorous economic analysis of the cost of providing video services over fiber-to-the-prem-ises (FTTP) networks, using the two principle video delivery options: radio frequency (RF) overlay or Internet protocol (IP)-based packet video. By detailed modeling of the attendant costs under a wide variety of different deployment scenarios, we demonstrate that IP video is favored in the majority of deployment scenarios and has the added services advantage of being compatible with the (lower cost, more efficient) fully converged all-IP networks that are envisaged to become predominant in the near future. However, we also identify deployment scenarios for which the RF overlay approach is favored, notably where there is a preponderance of analog TV subscribers, or there is a large fraction (> 10%) of high-definition content, or where the video take rate is low (< 30%). In contrast, we find that video on demand (VoD) services are always best provided using IP-based delivery, independent of deployment scenario, making the argument for all-IP based delivery particularly compelling as one looks to the future.