BT Group plc
BT Network Teach-in
Howard Watson, MD Architecture and Global IT Platforms
5 March 2013
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BT Chief Architect role
Part of BT Technology, Service & Operations (TSO)
Pan-BT accountability for technology and process
Focused on technology of all IT platforms, networks and
infrastructure
Regularly upgrade IT Platforms with major releases
several times each year
Own all technical delivery for BT’s TV business
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BT Technology, Service & Operations
TSO – a simpler, more end-to-end structure
CIO,
BT GS
CIO,
BT Retail
CIO,
BT Wholesale
CIO,
BT Group
IT end-to-end
Network end-to-end
Infrastructure end-to-end
End-to-end service
Research and Innovation
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CIO,
Openreach
BT Technology, Service & Operations
Simpler for our people so we can deliver better for our
customers
Simplifying our
organisation
 Removing
boundaries
 Allowing a
view of the
whole lifecycle
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Simplifying our
processes
Simplifying our
legacy
 Removing
complexity
 Networks
 Speeding up
delivery
 IT platforms
Simplicity to
deliver clarity
 Clarity of
accountability
 Clarity to
speed up
decision
making
BT’s UK Network structure
Broadband network structured around regulatory
interfaces
Highly resilient and scalable dual-vendor core
Legacy networks still in place (PSTN, 20C data, ATM)
Opportunity to change broadband architecture over next
few years
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BT’s UK Network structure
 Significant investment in fibre and
broadband in recent years
20C Broadband
Home
– fibre to more than 13m premises
Copper Access
21C Broadband
Home
S
A
N
– WBC (ADSL2+) to more than 90% of UK
30000+
Cab
Infinity / FTTC
Home
D
S
L
A
M
Fibre Access
Infinity / FTTP
Home
Openreach
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 Further significant investment in access
layer to reach 2/3 premises with fibre during
spring 2014
– potential to reach >90% in 2017
BT’s UK Network structure
D
S
L
A
M
20C Broadband
Home
Copper Access
21C Broadband
Home
B
R
A
S
20C Backhaul
 21C core scaled for
broadband and
Ethernet growth
10
6000+
S
MA
SN
A
N
20
X
WCC
B
R
A
S
30000+
Cab
20
Infinity / FTTC
Home
D
S
L
A
M
 Programme in place
to replace 20C
Backhaul (ATM)
1200
Fibre Access
21C Converged Core
Openreach
Backhaul/ Core
LTV
Head
End
Infinity / FTTP
Home
Content
Content
Content
Providers
Providers
Providers
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 Enhanced by the
addition of content
caches (WCC) and
IP Multicast
 Opportunity to rearchitect 21C core
BT’s UK Network structure
(as drawn on flip chart)
Retail Aggregation Nodes (RAN)
Wholesale operators
connect at this level
Over time
aggregation and
content caching
will move closer to
the customer
(from POSI node to
‘super’ exchanges)
FTTC operators
connect at this level
LLU operators
connect at this
level
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20 POSI nodes
 Point Of Service
Interconnect nodes at 20
locations around the UK
106 Metro nodes
 Main aggregation nodes
within 21C network
c.1,200 ‘super’ exchanges
c.5,500 total exchange buildings
 c.1,200 Ethernet enabled
exchanges and c.1,200
Openreach Head Ends for
delivering multicast TV
BT’s UK Network structure
D
S
L
A
M
20C Broadband
Home
Copper Access
21C Broadband
Home
Internet
B
R
A
S
20C Backhaul
10
6000+
S
MA
SN
A
N
20
X
WCC
RTMAN/RAN
Network
VOSP
RAN
B
R
A
S
30000+
4
RET
Server(s)
Cab
EPG /
Content
Store
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Infinity / FTTC
Home
D
S
L
A
M
1200
Nagra
Head End
Fibre Access
21C Converged Core
Openreach
Backhaul/ Core
LTV
Head
End
Infinity / FTTP
Home
© British Telecommunications plc
YouView
Intertrust
Head End
Retail
Content
Content
Content
Providers
Providers
Providers
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Origin
Server
BT TV multicast network
Soft launched in January 2013
End-to-end delivery of linear TV
BT Infinity
homes
30,000+
cabinets
1,200 Layer 2
switches
2 Head Ends
Cab
D
S
L
A
M
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X
X
LTV
Head End
Nagra
Head End
BT TV multicast network
Currently 18 SD plus 4 HD channels
– 150 Mbps to each fibre cabinet to deliver channels
Enhancing the proposition later this year
– upgrading to 500 Mbps to each fibre cabinet to deliver additional
channels
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BT TV multicast network
Multicast on YouView requires a different encryption than
delivery on legacy Vision platform
Simulcrypt allows BT to transmit channels once but
encrypt with two keys
– avoids cost of retransmitting channels twice
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IT Platforms summary
Matrix portfolio architecture used
– applications aligned into functional platforms
– functionality grouped into stacks for each customer-facing
unit
Mixed use of off-the-shelf products (e.g. Oracle) and inhouse
Opportunity for further improvements
– simplify application estate
– reduce number of UK data centres
– significant virtualisation opportunity
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IT Platforms new architecture
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Summary
End-to-end structure allows TSO to improve customer
delivery
Significant network investment has driven improvements
with more to come
Robust linear TV delivery network in place
Opportunity for further IT platform improvements
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BT Group plc
Q&A
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Appendix glossary
BRAS
Broadband Remote Access Server - routes traffic to and from broadband remote access devices
C2M
Concept to Market – the process of creating and delivering new or improved products or processes
DSLAM
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer - a network device, often located in a telephone
exchange or cabinet which connects multiple customer digital subscriber line (DSL) interfaces to a
high-speed digital communications channel using multiplexing techniques
Head End
The originating point in a communications system. In TV delivery, the head end is where the
programming originates in the network
ITIL
Information Technology Infrastructure Library – a set of practices for IT service management
adopted by many thousands of organisations
L2C
Lead to Cash – a set of business processes that begin with a lead and end with the company
receiving cash
LTV
Linear Television – channels delivered via IP Multicast
MSAN
Multi-Service Access Node - a device typically installed in a telephone exchange or street cabinet
which connects customers' telephone lines to the core network, to provide telephone, ISDN, and
broadband all from a single platform
MTB
Manage The Business – the set of applications used to run the business (e.g. HR and finance
systems)
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Appendix glossary
RET Server
Retransmission server – used with IP Multicast services to increase quality of delivery by supplying
lost packets on request
RTMAN
Retail Traffic Management Node - used to stream the upstream and downstream broadband traffic
through the traffic management equipment to manage the service for the customer
RAN
Retail Access Node – the Points of Service Interconnect between the BT Wholesale and BT Retail
networks
SE
Service Execution – specific IT applications associated with service delivery to customers (e.g.
voice and TV IT applications)
T2R
Trouble to Resolve – process that begins when a customer has told us they are not happy with
either our product or service and ends when that problem has been resolved to the customer’s
satisfaction
UKMN
BT UK Media Network - provides live-to-air quality real-time video connectivity between television,
film and other content producers, and broadcasters
WCC
Wholesale Content Connect – BT Wholesale product that delivers on demand content efficiently by
caching content deep in the broadband network
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