ZTE’s Next-Generation Home Network Creating a Smarter Lifestyle

A home network is a hub that connects home devices and a channel that carries services.  The advancement of information network technology is drastically changing home networks. Video will gradually develop into a basic service, and high-definition TVs are entering more homes. The development of the Internet of things has also given rise to a large number of new services, such as home security, home control, and home monitoring. All these signify that the digital home industry is maturing.

A report by research firm Infonetics states that 160 million user-side fixed broadband devices were shipped worldwide in 2011, which converts to US$6.4 billion in revenue. The market value of the entire home network industry is even bigger if other home network equipment and services are included. According to estimates by Global Industry Analysts Inc., revenue for the home automation segment alone will reach US$2.8 billion by 2015.

The huge potential of the home network market has lured major industry players: 

• Microsoft entered the home network market with home games and now offers both terminals and applications. Its Kinect for Xbox 360 is the fastest-selling electronic device in history. With media sharing and interactive functions, Kinect is expected to become a new home entertainment center.
• Control4 is an enterprise that specializes in home automation. It has deployed more than 1.2 million Zigbee devices and 120,000 controllers worldwide. Control4 offers combined equipment, software and installation packages and has extended business in home security, automation, and media.
• Apple provides products such as hand-held devices, TVs, home gateways, and home storage devices to cover almost all home entertainment scenarios. Apart from terminals, Apple offers abundant services through applications delivered on its platforms. 

●          China Mobile is expanding its home network service. In 2011, it launched a pilot of its “Yijutong” home security service in Chongqing. This attracted more than 30,000 subscribers. On the back of this success, China Mobile now plans to promote the Chongqing model across the country.

Efforts of these and other companies have allowed home users to enjoy ever richer services and have boosted home networks. Developing technology and increasing technical requirements, in turn, are posing big challenges for telecoms operators.

Currently, most home network devices integrate both access and services. Evolved access technology requires constant device upgrades, and this increases the cost of replacing devices. Another pressing problem faced by operators is high labor costs.

Home terminals are becoming more diverse. From traditional TVs and computers to tablets and smartphones, terminals need better networking, interconnection methods, and service operation platforms so that resources can be shared and customer experience improved.

Home networking technology is also advancing fast. Home interconnection techniques, including HomePlug AV, G.hn, and P1910, make in-house wiring much easier and facilitate the development of new services. Digital living network alliance (DLNA) is being promoted to cover more home network products and consumer electronics. It is designed to simplify the sharing of home media content and improve customer experience. Open service gateway initiative (OSGi) is being adopted by more operators as an architecture for building an open ecosystem and promoting home automation services.

ZTE has a deep understanding of operator requirements and issues in home networking. Its next-generation home network solution has an innovative access point, service gateway, unified UI, and application (ASIA) architecture. This architecture better meets the requirements of home users and operators (Fig. 1).

Access Point

The home network is connected to the operator network via access terminals over traditional DSL and LAN or GPON and EPON. ZTE’s architecture separates access from services. When access technology is upgraded, only access terminals need to be replaced, and service provision equipment does not need to be changed. This reduces the cost of upgrading. 

Service Gateway

Applications are provided to home users through a separate service gateway consisting of a networking center, control center, and cloud media center. The home networking center uses techniques such as G.hn, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee to interconnect multiple home terminals and solve difficulties of home wiring. The control center controls home automation and home security equipment. Home users can log onto the service gateway to control all the electrical appliances in their home. The cloud media center is exclusive to ZTE. It is used to apply cloud computing technology to home networking. Internally, the service gateway is a media center that enables media sharing. Externally, it is a cloud terminal that obtains abundant media resources stored on the cloud storage platform. This lowers the storage costs of devices.

Unified UI

Through a unified UI on devices such as smartphones, tablets, and PCs, home users can control multiple home terminals and switch between multiple screens. This makes it easier to operate multiple home terminals.

Abundant Applications

The service gateway can have an open software platform through which operators can load services and the service experience is open. Through different types of application terminals, operators can also offer a variety of applications, including smart home, home security, telemedicine, and remote meter reading.

Better User Experience and Benefits for Operators

ZTE’s next-generation home network solution not only gives home users a better experience, it also benefits telecom operators. By introducing unified UI, cloud storage, and cloud play, operators can expand traditional businesses and develop new service applications. The service gateway supports OSGi universal architecture to help operators build an open ecosystem and implement operational services.

ZTE’s next-generation home network solution also allows operators to reduce TCO. A network architecture that separates access from services cuts the costs incurred by evolving technology. The cloud media center only requires very small storage capacity because media content is stored in the cloud, and this lowers the storage costs of devices. The service gateway uses innovative networking techniques, including G.hn, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Zigbee to address difficulties in home wiring. Users can install devices by themselves, which drastically cuts labor costs for the operator.

ZTE’s home networking solution is gaining widespread recognition and in line with the goals of many operators. After six years of development, AT&T launched uNID, the third generation of its U-verse service. It has a networking architecture that separates access from services. Smart reinjection technology is used to get around problems in home voice wiring. A number of wiring methods, including G.hn, Wi-Fi, and category-5 cables are used for customer self install (CSI) and this reduces AT&T’s opex.

Home networks now play an increasingly important role in operator services. As one of the earliest vendors that undertook R&D on fixed-line terminal products, ZTE has a deep understanding of the home networking technologies and markets. Its next-generation home network solution creates a smarter lifestyle for users and more value for operators.