Ericsson using Vantrix video optimization

While other mobile data core vendors are developing their own video optimization technologies to relieve congestion on the wireless network, Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has chosen to outsource the technology, partnering with one of the leading video traffic management vendors, Vantrix.

The year-old partnership, which Ericsson and Vantrix revealed today, has already resulted in a commercial solution integrating the latter’s Bandwidth Optimization platform with the Multiservice Proxy (MSP), an Internet traffic optimization gateway that Ericsson has deployed in 140 networks worldwide. Vantrix CEO Allan Benchetrit said that the partnership has already resulted in commercial implementation of the joint-platform, but due to non-disclosure agreements he could not reveal the names of the operators. “We’re now [Ericsson’s] go-to-market partner for video optimization,” Benchetrit said.

Bandwidth Optimizer is the latest generation in a long-line of carrier-grade platforms Vantrix has implemented since the dawn of mobile data. Starting with MMS image and video message optimization, Vantrix moved to operator video services and has since optimized its platform for the over-the-top video streaming services. The platform uses transrating, transcoding, caching and adaptive bit-rate modulation to optimize any video stream for the device it winds up on and the network it traverses. The amount of network capacity that the solution saves can vary depending on the network and the operator’s policies, but in certain high-congestion scenarios Vantrix had managed to slice bandwidth consumed by a video stream in half without noticeably sacrificing quality at the end device, Benchetrit said.

“At the end of the day if the operator doesn’t want to exceed 10% optimization, we don’t go over 10%,” Benchetrit said. “We’re marrying optimization with the quality of experience. Most of our [intellectual property is aimed at] integrating compression with the user experience at the other end.”

While the initial integration work between the MSP and Bandwidth Optimizer targeted 3G deployments, Ericsson is evolving the gateway alongside Vantrix’s technology for new long-term evolution (LTE) networks, over which video will be a key and resource-intensive application.
See also
CP: Cisco integrating new mobile core into content delivery framework
CP: Alcatel-Lucent making Network Guardian live up to its name
CP: F5 announces ‘unified service delivery’ suite
CP: Video: a 4G app in a 3G world?
CP: Juniper takes on the 4G core without Ericsson