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BigBand Networks offers a robust telephony solution that gives subscribers the confidence to embrace VoIP as a primary voice service, while providing a cable operator with an expansive feature set to compete effectively. BigBand VoIP leverages the strengths of the BigBand Cuda®, a carrier-class CMTS (cable modem termination system), to provide telephony service that meets the highest expectations for quality reliability, while delivering a wide variety of video and data services.

Several attributes of the BigBand Cuda ensure a high level of service reliability. These include N+1 redundancy of DOCSIS® modules, 1+1 redundancy of management modules, and a passive switch fabric that distributes routing and forwarding capabilities across multiple application modules, instead of locating it in a central, vulnerable switching core. Additional robustness is achieved by a complete separation of data paths and management communications, ensuring survivability of traffic flows in the event of a management failure, and vice versa.

Superior RF performance makes the BigBand Cuda ideal for voice service, which is extremely sensitive to errors, including a single dropped packet. The platform maintains excellent voice quality, even when signals are transmitted over areas of impaired fiber plant. Examples of the Cuda’s enhanced RF performance include intelligent upstream RF analysis and channel-hopping based on modulation channel-width, frequency and FEC (forward error correction) considerations, enabling effortless adjustments to rapidly changing network conditions; the ability for an operator to configure spectrum management profiles that allow the Cuda to be adapted to specific HFC network conditions; and pre-equalization, post-equalization and ingress noise cancellation techniques that remove the need for RF adjustments to the HFC plant.

The BigBand Cuda holds up to 12 application modules, including DOCSIS 2.0 HFC interface modules that offer eight or twelve upstream ports, and two downstream ports. With a switching capacity in excess of 200 Gb/s, the Cuda can scale to support very large deployments.

The BigBand Cuda complies with Emergency 911 and CALEA (Communications Assistance Law of Enforcement Act) requirements, supporting surveillance of 10% of call volume on a DOCSIS module, and 5% of total call volume on a chassis.

Service Reliability

Several features explain why the BigBand Cuda has been widely chosen for VoIP deployments. Chief amongst these are the platform’s best-of-breed RF performance and carrier-class robustness, which enable an operator to offer telephony service that meets the highest standards for reliability. For example, in an intensive series of trials with a major North American MSO, the Cuda12000 performed flawlessly, handling over 200,000 voice calls, at an average rate of twenty calls set-up and taken-down per second, without a single call being dropped. Performance this good is due to a broad range of innovative designs that ensures outstanding immunity to ingress noise and other attributes. High availability is achieved using N+1 redundant DOCSIS cards, 1+1 redundant management cards, and redundant power and cooling. All application modules and power supplies are hot-swappable.

Broad Functionality for Service Expansion

Industry-standard interfaces on the Cuda ensure interoperability with a diverse range of infrastructure including softswitches, media terminal adapters, record keeping servers and CPE devices. VoIP features that include unified messaging and number portability are supported, along with traditional telephony offerings such as caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding and three-way calling.

Broad accounting capabilities that utilize PacketCable Event Messages for collecting usage data enable accurate billing. In addition, BigBand Networks’ active involvement with initiatives such as IPDR (Internet Protocol Detail Records) ensures full interoperability with a cable operator’s OSS/BSS.

Expansive VoIP Security

Several features have been implemented on the Cuda to prevent attacks on SIP-based services, including support for the full PacketCable security specification. A wide variety of security-enabling mechanisms such as IPsec (IP Security), BPI+, RADIUS, IKE (Internet Key Exchange) and COPS (Common Open Policy Service) are supported, along with the Kerberos interface with PKINT (Public-Key Cryptography for Initial Authentication) extension.

BigBand VoIP enables an operator to provide subscribers with reliable, secure telephony service that features similar functionality to legacy voice offerings, but at improved bandwidth efficiency and lower cost, and with further expansion of service features available.