Hosted Communications

Providing detailed diagnostic data sets and joining Motorola’s (News - Alert) robust portfolio of service assurance offerings, Motorola has announced the Motorola SmartStream Terminal Data Collector (STDC). STDC is a solution for remote collection and presentation of set-top diagnostic information. Motorola claims that STDC saves service providers on operating expenses and increases customer satisfaction.

 

Offering six key data sets for scheduled and on-demand reporting, the solution concentrates on enabling operators to quickly, even proactively, identify service degradation due to network or set-top performance. The company is already developing additional data sets.

 

The initial STDC data sets include Service Information Diagnostic, which provides MPEG (PAT/PMT/PID) information; Aloha Diagnostic, which provides network traffic information; Download Object Diagnostic, which provides set top software data, Decryptor Tier Report, which provides set-top authorization information, Core Diagnostic that provides general set-top state and status and In-band Diagnostic, which provides Tuner and signal quality information.

 

To offer comprehensive device management capabilities across the broadband-connected home through the entire device lifecycle, the STDC joins with the Motorola NBBS Device Management Platform and provides installation, configuration, bulk modifications and trouble resolution.

 

Having a server at the cable headend and client software on consumer set-tops, the STDC solution gathers critical information about the settop population as a whole, or the status of an individual settop. The CSRs and technical support personnel can quickly and easily debug a variety of device issues remotely as the diagnostic information is grouped into intuitive data sets. The current data sets available in the STDC enable quality of service for delivery of broadcast video and interactive applications such as video-on-demand (VOD) and switched digital video (SDV).

 

“We are bringing an unprecedented level of visibility into the working performance of cable set-tops,” said Mark DePietro, VP Video Access Solutions for Motorola Home and Networks Mobility. “The remote capabilities of the STDC solution mean operators can not only deliver better quality of support to their subscribers, they can also reduce costs by saving on truck rolls. This optimized approach provides service assurance and enables cable operators to increase subscriber satisfaction and retention in an increasingly competitive market.”

 

The STDC system is scalable to multiple set-tops in a home as well as multiple output locations for report viewing.

 

Motorola is showing the STDC technology alongside NBBS at The Cable Show, May 18-20, 2008 at the New Orleans Convention Center, South Hall, Booth #1405.