Broadband Access CPE Onboarding via Wholesale API Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In conventional telecommunications networks, customers with unknown customer premises equipment (CPE) or those not previously connected face challenges in establishing connectivity due to the need for a business relationship with the access provider, violating network neutrality principles, especially in shared medium access technologies like PON, where direct identification is not possible without prior registration.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a whole sale entity that uses two application programming interfaces to authenticate and configure unknown CPE, allowing network neutrality by enabling automated connection setup through a customer determination entity and a whole sale interface, separating service and access providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If identifier information is transmitted to the broadband access network to activate communication service, then connectivity can be established, but network neutrality is violated due to requirement of business relationship with access provider
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a customer determination entity as an intermediary component that mediates between the service provider and the broadband access network. This entity determines whether a customer premises equipment is known to the network and handles the activation process, allowing service providers to activate connectivity without requiring direct business relationships with the access provider, thus maintaining network neutrality while enabling reliable connectivity establishment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If customer premises equipment is unknown to the telecommunications network, then network neutrality is maintained, but automated connection setup becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service functionality where the customer premises equipment automatically provides its identifier information to the broadband access network upon connection attempt. The customer determination entity automatically processes this information and determines whether the equipment is known to the network, enabling automated connection setup for unknown devices while maintaining network neutrality principles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary determination of whether customer premises equipment is known to the network before completing the connection activation process. The customer determination entity proactively checks the status of the equipment and initiates appropriate activation procedures, enabling automated setup for unknown devices while preserving network neutrality.
3Productivity
If shared medium access technology is used, then network resources are optimized, but direct identification of customer premises equipment becomes impossible without prior registration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the customer determination entity receives identifier information from the broadband access network and uses this feedback to determine whether the customer premises equipment is known to the network. This feedback loop enables the system to track equipment status in shared medium environments, allowing for proper identification and activation without requiring prior registration, while maintaining network resource optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a broadband access network of a telecommunications network with a customer premises equipment includes: a whole sale entity transmitting an authentication request to a service provider using a first application programming interface exposed by the service provider; and the whole sale entity transmitting a configuration command to the broadband access network using a second application programming interface exposed by the broadband access network. Using the first and second application programming interfaces, a customer is able to be redirected to a respective service provider based on the authentication request.