The “Internet of Things (IoT)” is a phrase to describe any network of devices that utilize connectivity to an internet or other devices to exchange data. These devices appear in an incredibly wide range of environments in our world today, such as in your home, in a hospital, within factories, or on a farm. Due to the fact that IoT devices exist in so many different aspects of our lives, each device has to fulfill different requirements to achieve its...
IOL Blog: Broadband
The ‘Roaming’ World We Live In
By Nathan Miner - November 6, 2024
Most end users don't need to think about Wi-Fi roaming. They use their devices, and they ‘just work’ even as they move around the home, workplace, campus, or industrial environment. A seamless internet connection is no longer a luxury in today’s on-the-move society; it is necessary. Wi-Fi roaming is the unsung hero of this seamless connection between access points. I will give a brief overview of what roaming is and how it affects the user’s experience with a device. I...
Enhancing User Experience: The Vital Role of Wireless Device Testing
By Nathan Miner - October 7, 2024
To ensure that a device facilitates as intended for use, two main performance tests are conducted: RvR covers the performance in terms of distance, while Spatial Consistency covers the performance in terms of rotation. While these tests are not exhaustive, they play a significant role in guaranteeing a good user experience.
Wi-Fi is ubiquitous, and its application space is expanding rapidly, with an estimated 29.3 billion networked devices in 2023 1 . As the usage of Wi-Fi products increases,...
How PON and Fiberoptics are the Future of Broadband
By Jake Tobin - April 11, 2024
Imagine your internet connection being like a well-orchestrated, optical symphony of speed and reliability. Meet PON, a high-tech communication marvel that uses cutting edge fiberoptics to bring you lightning-fast broadband access. It's not just any network – it's designed to cater to your needs, servicing anywhere from hospitals to high-density residential complexes. PON has revolutionized how we transmit data, enabling high-speed connectivity and efficient delivery of services like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video streaming, ultra-bandwidth for HDTV experiences, and...
Broadband Forum TR-115 Testing at the UNH-IOL
By Connor Wynn - July 18, 2016
The UNH-IOL DSL consortium offers testing based on the Broadband Forum TR-115 test plan. This test is an excellent starting point in understanding the overall quality and functionality of the modem or DSLAM’s (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) VDSL2 transceiver. The test cases within this test plan cover a variety of different functions and capabilities that the transceivers should be able to perform. There are counters that track a wide variety of information such as code...
G.fast: Time Domain Duplex (TDD) vs Frequency Domain Duplex (FDD)
By Ainsley-Aude Croteau - July 18, 2016
In September 2015, the UNH-IOL opened a new consortium in the Broadband testing services called G.fast. G.fast is an emerging technology which leverages existing telephone copper networks, similar to DSL, to deliver incredibly high bandwidth. Optical networks are gaining popularity due to their high throughput capacity. Despite this, fibre is still not being integrated into residential homes due to the high costs involved as well as keeping the more fragile glass fibers protected. G.fast is the solution; offering...
Plugfests Go Virtual
By Ainsley-Aude Croteau - December 10, 2015
The UNH IOL G.fast Consortium will host the first ever official Broadband Forum Virtual Plugfest, beginning December 7th. Registered companies will remotely access their devices to perform tests with other companies, who are also remotely controlling their equipment. The G.fast Consortium and its sister consortium, DSL, have held several Plugfests for emerging technologies in the past, the motivation to establish a virtual Plugfest came after the beginning of the G.fast interoperability beta program. The beta program itself is a study...
G.fast Certification is Getting Closer
By Mara Johnson - November 10, 2015
The UNH-IOL is having another impressive year growing our new memberships. With the DSL industry making big strides, the lab is continuing to be a leader in testing services and will soon offer a testing for the Broadband Forum certification program for G.fast. As a newly emerging standard, the lab planned to stay ahead of the game by jumping right into exploring what G.fast had to offer. Fast forward a year or so later, and we are eager to see...
A New Appreciation for InterOperability in Broadband
By Tim Sheehan - February 13, 2014
In October, while attending Broadband World Forum 2013 at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands, I gained appreciation of the broadband industries desire for product interoperability. The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) was one of sixteen members that participated in the Broadband Forum’s , 'Interoperability: Opening the Door to Innovation'. As the Pavilion theme specifies, Interoperability was the big buzz for the show.