Brix Networks and Hwacom Systems deliver set-top-box with integrated IPTV quality agent

April, 2007 - Brix Networks and HwaCom Systems have integrated Brix Networks' IP television (IPTV) Quality Agent into HwaCom's HC-100 set-top box (STB) that gives service providers the ability to collect video performance information and metrics, and provides at-home visibility into providers' IPTV services.

HwaCom's STB with the Brix IPTV Quality Agent lets service providers monitor IP video and network quality, including highlighting the performance of the IPTV and multicast infrastructure, performing continual or on-demand diagnostics of the STB, and quantifying the user channel change experience, for operational, troubleshooting, and customer care applications.

"Visibility into service performance and quality beyond the service delivery infrastructure is essential to the success of IPTV," said Gary Chen, president and CEO, HwaCom Systems. "By integrating Brix Networks' converged service assurance technology into our STBs, we can now provide carriers the operational capabilities that are necessary to gain visibility into IPTV service performance and quality -- in the last mile, residential network, and even within the home -- to improve service quality, expedite troubleshooting, and ensure customer satisfaction."

According to Steve DesRochers, vice president, solutions, at Brix Networks, "Providers have undertaken very costly infrastructure additions and upgrades to support new IPTV services, and are now under enormous pressure to ensure successful IPTV rollouts. As a result, having visibility into endpoint devices like HwaCom's STBs allows service providers to verify installations, continually improve operational efficiencies, reduce troubleshooting resolution times, validate performance and quality levels, and ensure the overall success of their IPTV services."