Israel: Carriers Must Disclose Broadband CIR

A new level of transparency is now required from the network providers in Israel. This relates to the two providers of broadband service - Bezeq (DSL) and HOT (Cable).

In Israel the internet service is separated into access and ISP functions, so the customer has to negotiate twice and get two bills. The new rules regulate the access providers only and as such do not mean much to the subscribers.

The Ministry of Communications published corrections to Bezeq and HOT's operator licenses (here and here, Hebrew) with a new section - "service advertising". The new section says that the service  advertisement has to be "real, accurate, fair and conforms to the license" and should include all the following items - maximum download rate, minimum download rate (available at all time to the subscriber) and the same for upload rates.

Both carriers should disclose the above, in writing, to all subscribers in 30 days.

PCC Deployments [263]: Bezeq Deployed Aradial for its NGN Network

Aradial announced that ".. BEZEQ Communications , a leading Israeli service provider, successfully deployed Aradial's RADIUS AAA and policy control to create a scalable and redundant IP-services platform that replaces the existing system and serving millions of users. Aradial implemented its RADIUS AAA and policy control in two sites for disaster recovery, each running two redundant Aradial servers for business continuity. The servers in each site run in active/active configuration serving all network elements in the BEZEQ network".

I hear that Aradial RADIUS AAA system replaced an Alcatel-Lucent system.

On March 31st, 2013 Bezeq had 1.185M broadband internet lines (DSL), representing a 5.7% yearly growth. Average speed was 10.4 Mbps, and monthly ARPU - NIS83 (~$23). 65% of the broadband lines were covered by Bezeq's NGN.

Yishai Levanoni [pictured], CTO, Aradial said: "In BEZEQ, Aradial interfaces with over 50 network access servers (NAS), including multiple Redback SmartEdge devices and Alcatel Lucent. The Aradial RADIUS AAA and policy control is serving more than one million NGN (ADSL) subscribers, Wifi and other IP services, enforcing an average of million concurrent sessions in real time. Aradial AAA server also provides a virtual RADIUS infrastructure to Bezeq corporate customers".

Aradial also supports Bezeq's "Public Wi-Fi" service (see "Bezeq [Israel] Launches a Public-Social Wi-Fi Sharing Service" - here).

See "Aradial Technologies Deploy RADIUS AAA and Policy Control at Bezeq PTT for NGN Network" - here.

Bezeq [Israel] Launches a Public-Social Wi-Fi Sharing Service

Bezeq, Israel's incumbent carrier announced a new "Public Wi-Fi" service, in which every subscriber that is ready to allocate 10% of his home bandwidth to the public will be able to use other subscribers' Wi-Fi hotspots. Bezeq says it has 850,000 DSL subscribers with Wi-Fi routers.

The shared network (with a special SSID) will be separated from the subscriber's home network, for security purposes. 

Bezeq CEO: "We are committed to Network Neutrality"

Bezeq [Israel] CEO, Avi Gabbay (picture), spoke yesterday at Globes' Communication Convention on the incumbent carrier's plans.

Mr. Gabbay said that Bezeq invests over $1B in network infrastructure annually and plans to deploy FTTH/FTTB to homes and buildings.

In addition he said that "it is important that new internet applications will be developed; for that we need an open and free neutral infrastructure. Bezeq is committed to keep its internet infrastructure neutral".

An unusual statement for a carrier..

See coverage by Roy Goldberg for Globes - here  and a press release (here) - both in Hebrew.

YES [Satellite TV, Israel] Secret Plan - Be an OTT Provider

    

The Israeli site, The Marker, exposed the strategic plans of Yes, a TV Satellite provider: the "Virtual Setup box" - moving to be an OTT content provider only.

According to site (here, Hebrew), Yes will use the internet infrastructure, with CPEs such as streamers, Boxee, Blu-ray players, PC, tablets and internet connected TV sets. The service will be based on monthly subscription as well as per-per-view. This is a significant change to the company’s business model, operation and technical staff.

Yes is a member of the Bezeq group, the incumbent teleco in Israel, the only provider of DSL services who recently deployed a "NGN" service (here), and announced that it will provide a 200 Mbps service using NSN equipment (see "Bezeq now ultra-fast with its broadband in Israel" - here)

"Our next generation network is now capable of delivering an experience people never thought possible. It gives Bezeq a major competitive edge, as our subscribers now have access to the fastest broadband speeds in the country to meet all their online requirements," said Yuval Keinan, vice president engineering, Bezeq

Israel: Establishing the Wholesale Market

   
The business site, The Marker, reports today that the Ministry of Communication (the Israeli regulator) will require the fixed network operators - Bezeq (DSL) and Hot (Cable) to unbundle the local loop and sell access lines to ISPs.

See - here (Hebrew).

This will allow ISPs to sell, for the first time, both the network access and the ISP services. The debate is on the access link price to the retailers and the ministry hopes to see this self-regulated.

The chart shows the percent of wholesale links in several countries, which you may identify by their flags, in case you do not read Hebrew.

See also "Israel: ISP (Partner) Vs. Carrier (Hot) on QoS" - here.