Similar to the same path trod by services providers such as AT&T, CenturyLink and Telefónica, WOW's road to network virtualization is starting with NFV-based business services.
According to a story by Light Reading's Mari Silbey, WideOpenWest Holdings LLC (WOW) , a cable over-builder, has started combining virtualized components with its existing equipment from multiple vendors. The NFV benefits for WOW include automating service provisioning, connection optimization and network security for its business customers while also shedding hardware-based solutions. (See WOW Trials NFV for Business, Eyes Residential .)
The big picture will also include using NFV for services and applications for WOW's residential customers.
"The next 12 months is going to be learning and refining what we're doing and how we're doing it, and then my hope is that at that point we're full speed ahead around more than just business services," said WOW Vice President of Engineering Eric Fligel, in the Light Reading story. "I would expect over the course of the next 24 to 36 months to really see significant change from an infrastructure standpoint."
— Mike Robuck, Editor, Telco Transformation