Deploy multimedia-on-demand services over ADSL networks

Abstract

As the broadband information highway being constructed, many multimedia applications will be realized. Nowadays, customers desired not only purely high-speed Internet access, but also versatile interactive multimedia applications. This article illustrates a multimedia-on-demand (MOD) system that can be provided by incumbent telcos. It provides both multicast and unicast streaming services, including True VOD, Near VOD, Live TV, KaraOK-ondemand (KOD), High-speed Internet access applications, and POTS services. In this paper, we give an overview of broadband access technologies, including HFC, ADSL, FTTx, MMDS/LMDS, and Satellite access networks, to support a MOD system. We also depict the components of deploying a large-scale MOD system from end to end, from customer premises equipment, video servers, storage system, network system, service management system, DBMS system, to content sources. Finally, we give a complete example to describe the signal flows among the components of the system. As we shall see, deregulation will accelerate the convergence of the telecommunications, cable TV, entertainment, and e-commerce while ADSL is the mainstream technology of access network today and provides a viable solution to the Multimedia-on-Demand services.