Issues in Residential Broadband Internet Service Provision

The CATV industry sees itself as extending to become a FSN (full service network) provider, and so would like to offer data services, notably IP (Internet Protocol) connectivity. Cable companies have the raw network capacity to the home that gives them the potential to offer broadband services that can not be matched by traditional PSTN/modem connectivity. In the home, SoHo (small-office/home-office) and SME (small-tomedium enterprise) environments, use of applications such as electronic mail and the World Wide Web (WWW, the Web) are proving to be very popular and effective. Also applications allowing such functions as conferencing are becoming available. Broadband residential services will enable cheap accessibility of such functions from the CPN (customer premises network). Internet users have the following requirements: • a familiar integration interface for the CPN • a flexible service offering • secure communication • addressing and routing should follow current and evolving Internet models • full Internet services This paper highlights some of the major issues involved in considering the provision of such residential broadband Internet services, notably: • a suitable network infrastructure • provisioning of connectivity • availability of technology These issues are being investigated by the authors as part of the European Framework IV ACTS project IBCoBN (AC101).