Next-Gen Broadcast Network: Building a High-Quality, Low-Cost Converged Bearer Network

The development of broadcast network is closely tied to business growth. Only forward-looking network planning and progressive network construction can ensure broadcast operators maintain low TCO and high ROI in the transition to full-service operation, enabling them to stand out in the Triple Play competitive landscape, seize opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth.
The "Carrier-Class Network Empowering Broadcast Operators to Pioneer a New Operation Era" converged bearer network comprehensive solution is centered on building a "high"-quality, "low"-cost, and "converged" broadcast bearer network.

"High"-Quality Network, Delivering "High"-Quality Services

Reliable network design ensures reliable service assurance: The broadcast network adopts Plane A and Plane B, with Plane A carrying broadcast television services and Plane B carrying IP broadband services, with the two planes serving as mutual backups; the IP MAN core layer and aggregation layer both adopt dual-device, dual-star topology; the transport network adopts OTN ring and MESH topologies, providing 50ms carrier-class optical and electrical layer protection, as well as intelligent protection and restoration functions.

Advanced technology applications support sustainable business development: The IP backbone layer introduces cluster technology to support the diverse existing services and emerging new services of broadcast operators; the IP MAN layer introduces service control convergence devices to achieve unified access control for different service types; the transport layer introduces OTN technology to meet the transport requirements of different network levels and different business development phases; IPv6 technology is deployed across the entire network.

Multi-tier service bearer approaches deliver the optimal "high"-quality services: Video-on-demand services are carried on Plane B, while broadcast services are carried on Plane A, achieving HD TV quality unmatched by other operators; general public subscribers use IP bearer, while major customers and premium services use VPN bearer—different services and different customers receive differentiated service assurance, enabling refined operations.

"Low"-Cost Network Design, "High"-Return Service Deployment

Low CAPEX design: A single network carries all services, reducing the total number of network devices; backbone routers with massive cluster capacity enable a flatter network, saving equipment investment; the introduction of Broadband Multi-Service Gateway (BMSG) enables unified access for different service types, saving equipment investment; ultra-large capacity, ultra-long reach, and highly integrated transport equipment save equipment investment and equipment room space; OTN with built-in Layer 2 aggregation functions aggregates and uplinks OLTs, conserving valuable fiber resources; rational equipment room planning reduces infrastructure investment.

Low OPEX deployment: A single network carries all services, requiring fewer O&M personnel and reducing operational investment; unified network management makes service provisioning and maintenance more efficient; refined operations enhance the value per bit; rational equipment room planning further reduces O&M costs.

"Converged" Network, Enabling Unlimited Service Expansion

Full-service converged network: Refined comprehensive service bearer capability truly realizes a single intelligent IP network; the bearer network and HFC network seamlessly converge at the access side, delivering perfect user access; a converged network makes unlimited service expansion possible, and the sustainably evolving converged bearer network meets the demands of emerging new services.

Network Construction in Sync with Business Development

The next-generation broadcast infrastructure is not built overnight but is progressively completed in line with broadcast business development goals. In 2010, broadcast operators primarily focused on television services with a small number of public internet subscribers, with network construction mainly centered on new MAN pilot projects and optimizing existing MANs; in 2011, broadcast operators planned to vigorously develop public internet subscribers, CMMB subscribers, and pilot IPTV services, correspondingly requiring the construction of new backbone transport networks, new backbone IP networks, large-scale MAN construction, and IDC facilities; in 2012, as the TV subscriber base grew, the original IPQAM-based on-demand approach gradually transitioned to IPTV, while vigorously developing government and enterprise customers and expanding the high-value customer market, with network construction mainly focused on MAN expansion and government/enterprise customer access coverage; in 2013, during the network maturity phase, the introduction of IMS and mobile bearer services was considered to achieve full-service operation, with the basic bearer network requiring pilot deployment of IMSCE and pilot deployment of mobile base stations.