The Broadband Forum has launched an app-enabled services gateway project to help service providers deploy, activate and manage third party applications such as parental controls, Wi-Fi analytics, streaming services and security solutions to consumers on a centralized Internet gateway device or other Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).
Broadband Forum’s WT-492 ‘Software-Based Architecture for the App-Enabled Services Gateway - Design Principles’ aims to enable an ecosystem for the end-user network. This also presents an opportunity for “app-store-like” or “install on-demand” functionality for end-user services, deployment of secure and trustworthy applications, and the formation of adaptable and powerful platforms to support new and innovative cloud services.
The Broadband Forum envisions that app-enabled services gateways could, for example, monitor and troubleshoot regimens that support unloading bad applications and isolating bad network devices to protect the end-user when needed.
“Service providers’ customers have confronted them with unprecedented demand on their networks and app-enabled services gateways will help unlock a plethora of third-party applications and services,” said Jason Walls, of QA Cafe, Chair of the Broadband Forum Connected Home Council and BUS Work Area Director. “Our work pulls together industry leaders from multiple Standards Development Organizations and the open-source community to create quality, interoperable, open standards. The adoption of faster access technologies and resulting exponential growth in bandwidth opens up new ARPU opportunities for service providers to capitalize on.”
