Cable

Direct-2-Edge is Harmonic's solution for Cable IPTV. Recognizing the challenges faced by cable operators in deploying IPTV, D2E enables operators to leverage their existing HFC infrastructure to cost-effectively deliver IPTV services.

D2E is comprised of two domains: the data plane and the control plane. The data plane aspect encapsulates video into DOCSIS-compliant streams via Harmonic's NSG 9000™ Universal EdgeQAM and upconverts it to RF. The control plane aspect, D2E Manager, manages such functions as the allocation of flows to EdgeQam devices and the channel changes required for cable modems to receive services. For more information on the technical details of D2E, please see the D2E Data Sheet.

D2E represents a dramatic cost savings per downstream QAM. Using an innovative CMTS bypass approach to deliver content directly to the subscriber, D2E can result in an estimated 70% savings versus routing video streams through the CMTS. The approach is especially beneficial to Hybrid MSOs, who own xDSL/FTTx networks as well as HFC and can use D2E to deliver uniform service to all subscribers via the same delivery platform. These advantages were recently demonstrated in the field by SKBB, as they deployed D2E to power the world's largest IPTV launch. Please see Case Study: SKBB for further detail.

Harmonic's innovative approach to Cable IPTV was voted “best new idea that is most likely to succeed” at the 2007 CableLabs Summer Conference, and has been steadily garnering accolades since, including an Internet Telephony IPTV Excellence Award 2009, an IPTV World Series Award 2008, and a prestigious 4-diamond rating from Broadband Gear Review. Harmonic's EdgeQAM solutions have been deployed by hundreds of operators worldwide, and continue to set the standard in power and reliability.