IPTV @ TULANEFINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERJim Bradley Assistant Vice President for Information Technology and Academic Computing

Derek Toten Director of Campus Technologies

Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana – founded 1834

Total students: 13,486

Students living on campus: 3,844

Number of residence halls: 12

Tulane Legacy CATV Plant1992 – Tulane installs a CATV system

• Dish farm with local head-end• 75 channel, 550 Mhz RF system• Co-ax to the outlet

Tulane Legacy CATV Plant1996 – contracted with Cox Communications for content delivery

• Fiber feed replaces unreliable dish farm• Cox fiber to Tulane head-end• Tulane RF plant remains the same• Cox channels re-modulated and re-distributed as

custom lineup

2009 – aging RF plant requires replacement

• Started process to replace or renovate• Serious consideration of IPTV

2010 - Cox proposes to rehab campus CATV plant

• Lay new fiber across campus• Re-wire all residence halls• Build new head-end

• HD channels• VoD capability

• Four-fold cost increase• Ten-year commitment

• $10,000,000 deal

Cox CATV Improvement Proposal

Issues with Cox CATV proposal:

• $10,000,000• Very disruptive to campus

• Voice & data not an opportunity for Cox at Tulane

• Will this CATV technology and model still be viable in five years? Ten years?

• Not the right choice for Tulane

• Probably not the right choice for Cox, either

Cox CATV Improvement Proposal

Time to seriously consider IPTV

Conditions were right• Aging CATV plant• Major network overhaul underway

• 10Gb distribution, 1Gb access ports• New wireless access points

• dual-band 802.11n

Reviewed the IPTV service environment• Identified key providers in higher ed• Conducted a limited pilot of IPTV technology• An adequate solution was identified

Tulane ready for IPTV, but still looking for the right partner

IPTV as a solution

Challenged Cox executives to provide an IPTV service that met our needs and expectations

Coincidentally, Cox redeveloping their home wireless product into an IPTV service

Again, conditions were right:• Cox a valuable and long-term partner to Tulane• Experienced CATV service provider• Deep relationships with content providers • IPTV already in beta• Existing CATV contracts with Cox

Cox as an IPTV partner

Contract flexibility

• IPTV beta testing alongside legacy CATV system• Continue to provide access to both systems while

critical IPTV features are stood-up• Set-top-boxes • Mobile apps• Local broadcasters and local origination channels• Popular channels (ESPN, Comedy Central, etc.)

• Although dual systems are running, Cox only billing for one (same audience)

• Turn off legacy CATV once IPTV can provide equivalent service

Cox as an IPTV partner

• IPTV content originates from Cox HQ in Atlanta

• A Content Delivery Node (CDN) in Tulane’s New Orleans data center receives and caches content over a dedicated 1Gb circuit

• SSO authentication via Tulane’s RADIUS server and subsequent handoff to Cox

• Multicasting not available over host network at this time

• Playback clients for Mac OS and Windows

Cox IPTV Pilot

Spring semester, 2013 – validation of service• 34 channels of HD video• Wireless enabled• No local broadcasters• No local origination• Lineup still missing some notables (ESPN, Viacom)• Rolled out to all students, one residence hall at a

time, throughout the course of the semester

• As of Monday, April 21:• 3716 users registered to the service• 545 active users

• Available throughout the Tulane network

Cox IPTV Pilot

Quality and reliability of IPTV service over the Tulane network is sufficient for most users• Wireless performance issues (correctible)• Computer performance issues (multi-tasking)

Students enjoy the simplicity and convenience of IPTV• Consider it a value added to dorm living• Fits into their digital life styles

Network operations are not adversely affected by this service

IPTV Pilot Results

What do students want from IPTV?

• Convenience – always available

• Their favorite channels – Some would pay extra for premium programming

• The ability to watch TV via any device• Stand-alone television

(with set-top-box orother appliance

• From their computer• On any mobile device

IPTV Pilot Results

Future of IPTV at Tulane “Must-Have” for service to be successful• Expanded channel lineup

• ESPN, Comedy Central, Fox News, etc.• Mobile apps (iOS, Android)• Set-top-box device or other appliance

“Would-Like-to-Have” to improve service• VoD• Improved user interface• Subset of channels accessible to all

Tulane affiliates (news, weather, localorigination)

Future of IPTVIPTV everywhere on any device

IPTV providers develop relationships with contentproviders to allow IPTV portability• Students connect to IPTV through their institution• Students maintain that relationship

even after graduating• IPTV provider has lifelong

customer• University has lifelong

interaction and can providecustomized alumniprogramming