The efforts towards introducing a new era of broadband focused on the actual experience of customers has made incredible progress, from detailed research into the best ways to assess Quality of Experience (QoE) to uncovering new opportunities that deliver enhanced customer satisfaction.
Mauro Tilocca (FiberCop), BBF Town Hall Innovation Series Co-Chair, moderated our last Town Hall Innovation Series, part of Broadband Forum’s Member Meetings, where experts from across the broadband industry gathered to share insights on delivering End-to-End QoE. From greater understanding of application QoE, to more sophisticated methodologies linking Quality of Service (QoS) with QoE, and increased collaboration between global telco providers and application providers – below are the key areas that will drive that success.
Bridging gaps and improving measurement
The question of why we – both as an industry and at Broadband Forum – are dedicated to addressing QoE was summarized by China Unicom’s Fixed Access Network and Home Networking Expert Ding Hai. To meet the demands of next-generation broadband networks, we need to better understand the broadband network as experienced by the customer. Future broadband access and home networks promise higher bandwidth, lower latency, and greater stability. But to deliver them, Hai explained, a new broadband quality evaluation system is required.
The methodology behind measuring and evaluating QoE was a key topic during the sessions. ‘Experience’ is inherently difficult to measure, as subjective factors are often at play. Futurewei Principal Standards Representative Ken Kerpez also highlighted the many broadband metrics per service that the Broadband Service Provider (BSP) must consider.
NBN General Manager Network Traffic Modelling & Insights Max Downey shared an in-depth empirical study on how network and service congestion impact perceived application QoE. His presentation explored attempts to quantify customer experience, focusing on whether faster speed plans translate to meaningful benefits.
Kerpez called for the Broadband Forum membership to get involved in the new Services Requirements Work Area as the organization begins to provide guidance on the requirements relevant for the industry to seamlessly transition to intelligent, services-led broadband.
Better customer experiences, new business opportunities
The ability to understand customers’ experiences of broadband services, and how to improve those experiences, offers new business opportunities. Yet when trialling a new technology, Vodafone Broadband Architect Mayur Channegowda explained that lab and field trials don’t tell the whole story. It is difficult to gauge if the user will actually receive better QoE – but it’s important that we can understand how improved infrastructure performance results in better customer satisfaction.
Bridging the gap between QoS and QoE can ensure better service quality for applications such as video streaming, gaming, and real time communications. “Users care if their video conference, gaming session, or video stream works. They usually don’t care about ping times or detailed networking matters”, said Bjorn Ivar Teigen Monclair, Head of Research Domos (now part of CUJO AI). During the presentation, Monclair pointed out that quality is emerging as a selling point, with BSPs beginning to communicate the benefits of lower latency to customers.
What new technologies can improve QoE
Our speakers also looked at the new and emerging technologies helping improve our understanding, delivery, and monetization of QoE. “Automation is inevitable”, Nokia Head of End-to-End AutoX Solutions & Innovations Kurt Pynaert said. “And it can be used to monetize and optimize networks.” The combination of end-users becoming more demanding alongside BSPs wanting to differentiate their service offerings means that intelligent automation must be embraced.
“Insights from network devices are crucial for understanding QoE and the ability to predict future network behaviour is even more vital,” advised Motive Product Director Colin Grealish. He explored how advancements in 5G can be applied to technologies enabling wireless-wireline convergence to allow BSPs to assess QoE exploiting data collected from user on both types of access sessions.
Huawei Chief Architect for Optical Access Networks Fan Xu looked at two key trends impacting QoE as he considered how we can use intelligence to deliver premium broadband: FTTx and AI. On FTTx, Fan Xu identified three ‘waves’ redefining the broadband business and outlined the opportunities available for BSPs.
You can watch the full insights from Fan Xu and the rest of the Town Hall Innovation Series speakers, including in-depth looks at the technologies and network measurement concepts that are helping BSPs deliver the appropriate QoE for the end-user, here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLp8LhUlrW4H6vVL_QV7cjkkVHYGoQuyS
To make sure you don’t miss your chance to contribute to the discussions, share your insights and findings, and gather with your peers at our next Member Meeting in Munich, Germany, from June 23 to 26, visit: https://www.broadband-forum.org/event/summer-member-meeting-2025.