broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

overall broadband experience (see the discussion of network neutrality inchapter 3). Regulators have also instituted other measures, such as monitoringquality of service and alerting users to sites where they can testtheir broadband connection for speed or throttling (see chapter 5 formore discussion of quality of service issues).VoiceVoice telephony continues to be a popular service, although it representsa declining share of revenue for public telecommunication operators. Agrowing number of broadband operators offer voice over broadband(VoB) service, which is a managed service (unlike voice over InternetProtocol, VoIP, which is generally considered as an application running“over the top” of the public Internet and not directly managed by the networkoperator). VoB provides the same quality as a traditional fixed telephoneand often provides other value added features such as call waiting,voice mail, and speed dialing as well as the ability for users to monitorthese features online via the provider’s website. The price structure forVoB is often made attractive by including unlimited national calls for aflat rate or even including free national calls with the broadband servicesubscription. Since the service works through the broadband modem,users do not need to be connected to the Internet and do not even need aseparate Internet subscription.Several regulatory issues are related to VoB. The most basic is whether ornot a country’s laws and regulations allow it. Where VoB is legal, other regulatoryconsiderations are often driven by the requirements placed on legacywireline telephone networks. One is the requirement for users to be able tomake emergency calls. Other regulatory requirements relating to consumerscan include access for persons with disabilities and number portability. 27The latter can be influential in encouraging users to switch from traditionaltelephone services to VoB.VideoIP networks allow video services to be provided over a variety of networks.This has allowed broadband operators to provide Internet Protocol television(IPTV) or video on demand (VoD) services. The ability to provideIPTV, VoD, or both can make operators’ broadband services more attractive,especially when other features are included, such as access to specialprogramming not available elsewhere.Television as a managed offering with a broadband subscription takesmany forms. Some operators require IPTV to be bundled along with thebroadband subscription, while others offer IPTV on a stand-alone basis.Driving Demand for Broadband Networks and Services 271