For this latest instalment in our series of previews of the upcoming Broadband InfoVision Awards, to be held in Paris next month, we examine the shortlist for Category 4 – Broadband Network and Services Management and Operations.

Swedish firm COS Systems has been nominated for its COS solution, which takes an innovative approach to lowering the operational costs of managing broadband networks by delivering automated management and subscriber provisioning capabilities. In short, COS provides an electronic marketplace for end-users to buy, activate and manage network services such as broadband VoIP and IPTV, using a secure Web portal which is available 24/7.

Using the COS solution, end-users can shop for services, compare offerings from multiple providers and start using their services within minutes of making their selection. A service provider can use the system to securely manage and support their own services, pricing, billing terms and subscribers on the COS Service Provider Portal, without having to develop a dedicated website or engage in customisation and integration activities. Network owners and operators can quickly and easily add new service providers to their networks and track all billing data for the services and subscribers on the network.

Next up on the shortlist is Ericsson, which has been nominated for its Broadband Access Network Optimization service, which gives broadband networks a “health check”, identifies hidden bottlenecks, and enables an operator to verify whether their network can cope with the traffic a new service would generate.

The Ericsson Broadband Access Network Optimization service addresses the broadband network all the way from the end-user to the IP DSLAM or Optical Line Terminal, including the aggregation network, and makes use of Ericsson’s unique capabilities and global experience in managing fixed and wireless networks. Once areas for improvement are identified, Ericsson develops an effective implementation plan to optimise the network, which could include a network redesign, automated parameter reconfigurations, or remote fault troubleshooting.

Huawei has reached the shortlist for its intelligent Optical Distribution Network (iODN) solution, which enables a carrier to automatically document and monitor their Optical Distribution Network and gain deep insights into the ODN’s topology, facilitating a shorter time-to-market and reduced operating expenditure.

As fibre deployments accelerate around the world, Huawei’s iODN solution seeks to ensure that an operator’s Optical Distribution Network is reliable and easy to gain insights into, through a range of methods, including: recording connection information automatically to a database, which is then refreshed after maintenance; providing LED navigation in the ODN equipment, helping to prevent mistakes on-site; and add an ID into each fibre connection then manage them automatically.

French firm Qosmos has been nominated for its Qosmos ixEngine, which leverages communications metadata with Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to provide high visibility into data crossing communications networks. The company describes this information as being critical for network-related, next-generation, operational, business and security applications, especially for 4G LTE networks providing all IP-based mobile broadband.

The Qosmos ixEngine enables telecoms providers to identify, package and bill new types of services at the per subscriber level, rather than the per application level, with potential applications including traffic management and optimisation, content billing, service assurance, cyber security and lawful interception.

Finally, Canadian firm Sandvine has been nominated for its Network Policy Control range, which has gained two new products this year – its Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) 22000, launched in February of this year, and its Traffic Management Dashboard, launched in June of this year.

Sandvine’s PTS 22000 is described as being suitable for edge deployments and phased network build-outs, and seeks to provide seamless transition for an operator from 3G to 4G mobile networks. The company’s new Traffic Management Dashboard augments its Network Analytics product, and enables a service provider to make informed decisions for optimal network utilisation by consolidating and presenting the vital network data in a graphical user-friendly format.

The Broadband InfoVision Awards will be held in Paris on September 27th during a Gala Dinner Presentation aboard a river cruise on the Seine, travelling through the heart of the French capital. For more information and to register, please click here