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Joining Broadband Telecommunications and Cable TV Networks
June 07, 1996
Broadband telecommunications and cable television networks are now being integrated in a new way. As a result of the digital television project of Radio and Television Technology Research RTT Ltd, experimental equipment has been designed in Finland to experiment interactive services that are transmitted via a digital cable TV network. For example, digital TV programs stored on a server in Tampere can be viewed in television in Helsinki.
Digitalization transforms the conventional cable TV network into an “Information Super Highway accessible by every household connected to the cable TV network. Since the digital cable network can transmit almost ten times the volume of video and audio services compared to the conventional cable TV or telephone network, it makes services like video-on-demand possible. The network can also be used to transmit data, enabling access also to various multimedia services and high-speed Internet connections.
The system now being introduced is one of the world’s first systems integrating a broadband telecommunications (ATM) and cable television network. The user of a digital receiver can use a remote control not only to access regular TV programs, but also to access the server offering interactive services. In Finland, such broadband connection from Helsinki to Tampere uses Telecom Finland’s ATM trunk network, and the bits sent from the server using equipment developed by the project are transmitted to the receiver via the digital cable network.
The system has sparked international interest. On Friday, June 7th, the equipment will be presented to Teleste and Telecom Finland’s guests, representing cable TV operators from many European countries,” says Janne Juhola, Project Manager, Nokia Multimedia Network Terminals.
The RTT consortium consists of Nokia Group, Telecom Finland Ltd, Teleste Ltd and Finnish Broadcasting Company. A significant portion of the project work has been subcontracted to the Tampere University of Technology’s Digital Media Institute. Finland’s Technology Development Centre, TEKES has contributed financially throughout the entire project.
"The knowledge and experimental equipment now created open excellent opportunities for new media products, the development of which the Technology Development Centre fosters in many of its technology programs", says Pauli Heikkilä, Director, Dr.tech., Technology Development Centre. Cooperation started back in 1991 and the project has been involved in the global standardization work for the development of DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) standards, among others.
"Telecom Finland has been a pioneer in digital picture transmission and ATM technology, which has helped in joining these technologies. The most important part in this RTT project has been solving problems concerning picture compression, ATM´s digital cable-TV network and the return channel. The solution enables digital interactive multimedia and broadband transmission of TV-signals", says Olli Martikainen, Head of Research from Telecom Finland Ltd.
"The cable-TV network offers a natural access to broad band services, and thus serves as a significant part of the ´Information Super Highway´. Many computer based access services can be implemented using ATM technology," states Reijo Mäihäniemi, Director, Teleste Access Division.
"Finnish Broadcasting Company sees digital transmission to offer new channels for both traditional and new kinds of programs. The end-user is interested in the contents of the programs, not in the technology as such, and we have the know-how to produce these programs, says Erkki Larkka, Technical Director, Finnish Broadcasting Company.
"Nokia is active in developing various multimedia transmission systems and produces equipment both for networks and end-users. The experimental equipment now developed, represents total know-how of the system", says Veikko Hämeenaho, Head of R&D, Nokia Multimedia Network Terminals.
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