Preparing for the flood

Craig Matsumoto, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

September 29, 2008

2 Min Read
DPI (Hearts) LTE

12:35 PM -- The deep packet inspection (DPI) guys will be going nuts for Long Term Evolution (LTE) and WiMax. The problem is going to be PR.

It seems to be a consensus that the increase in wireless data traffic will bring an increase in the kinds of problems wireline networks face. Namely, congestion and the threat of massive peer-to-peer (P2P) bandwidth suckage. Arguably, it's already a problem in 3G, thanks to laptops with modems. (See Internet Tidal Wave Hits 3G.) That's why Continuous Computing Corp. , in touting its line of LTE equipment for OEMs to build from, noted that DPI is going to be built in. (See Continuous Computing Does LTE .)

That's a contrast to the way DPI was deployed before. "In the wireline world, we've seen DPI to be an after-the-fact deployment," says Manish Signh, Continuous's vice president of product management.

The mobile operators will have to be careful about marketing, though, because "DPI is a term that's gone very rapidly out of fashion," says Unstrung Insider analyst Gabriel Brown. "I've spoken to quite a few operators about it, and the general response is that they never talk about it, because they could end up with a Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) type of situation."

(He's referring to the Comcast throttling scandal. I'm not going to recite every gory detail. The latest on the situation, as of this writing, is here: Comcast Details Net Management Moves .)

Whatever it's called, it seems some kind of scrutiny over wireless data bandwidth will be the norm. "Everyone is evaluating it -- what kind of capability, how much, and where," Brown says. I haven't spoken to any of the DPI vendors yet, but I'd imagine they're giddy over the prospects.

— Craig Matsumoto, West Coast Editor, Light Reading

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About the Author(s)

Craig Matsumoto

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Yes, THAT Craig Matsumoto – who used to be at Light Reading from 2002 until 2013 and then went away and did other stuff and now HE'S BACK! As Editor-in-Chief. Go Craig!!

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