New Report into Home Networks Too Revealing?

More often than not the old adage "you get what you pay for" rings true.  While pricey (at least for this cost-conscious startup) the new Heavy Reading Report: Multimedia Whole-Home Networking: Solving the IPTV Distribution Dilemma is money well spent.

The new report, written by a guy named Rick Thompson, is perhaps the most comprehensive look into the home networking scene yet. Even though these Heavy Reading guys often get bashed for not being "real analysts" due to being the offspring of Light Reading, nothing could be further from the truth.

Unlike a LOT of expensive and high powered analyst "groups" these guys actually do more than just spew back what numbers and "insight" vendors provide. Mr. Thompson, for example, actually interviewed a ton of providers (and even some end users in the home) to get actually field experience related to what's going on in the home.  Without getting in a lot of trouble, here's SOME of what he found:

• IPTV is shifting the home networking market from consumer-driven to service provider driven
• Reducing provider OPEX is a major driver for next-gen multimedia whole-home networking technology
• Next-gen Wi-Fi solutions supporting multiple HD channels top service provider wish lists
• There will be no single winning technology in the foreseeable future
• Remote management and control of multimedia home networks is as critical as the underlying network medium
• Policy control and management products will start to have more integration with multimedia home CPE
• Multimedia home networking technologies are evolving from external adapters to integrated technology within set top boxes, home gateways, DVR, etc.

According to the Heavy Reading report, the five primary drivers for the next gen home network are:

• The availability of IPTV as a service to consumers
• New technologies that minimize installation time, operational cost and maximize subscriber turn-up rates
• Consumers are demanding a "converged home" that lets them access video and other content over a single, robust network
• New revenue streams for service providers enabled by a robust home network
• The ability to run multimedia over whole-home networking technologies without installing new in-home wiring

According to the report, next generation whole-home networks must deliver:

• High throughput (tens to hundreds of megabits per second)
• Quality of service (to support voice/VoIP, and IPTV)
• No new wires (use of exiting wires or new wireless solutions)
• Reliable performance (minimal latency and packet loss for real-time services)
• Remote management (using TR-069 or equivalent remote management capabilities)

Overall great insights into what should be a wild ride in the home this year (and next).  Strap yourself in.