Owera is recognized both for the xAPS, Remote Management and Service Activation platform (provisioning) and our Voice over IP Solutions (SIP Software and Development Kit). 1.1 About OweraOwera provides generic provisioning system for multiprotocol IP services and market-ready product designs for SIP based CPEs, including a SIP Software Development Kit. Owera is a Norwegian company with headquarters and operation in Oslo, Norway. Owera Inc, the US subsidiary is in Cambridge Massachusetts. Owera’s xAPS is a high performance ACS (Automatic Configuration System) that automates deployment and operation of IP equipment in services. The xAPS system features automatic install, automatic firmware upgrade, remote configuration, remote diagnostics and service monitoring. Owera’s xAPS is flexible for new products and services and is very scalable. The xAPS System is a very high performing and robust ACS and Element Manager. The xAPS System is designed bottom up as a multi protocol system that currently supports simultaneous concurrent remote management using TR-069 and OPP. OPP (Owera Provisioning Protocol) has been designed bottom-up to provide remote management or monitoring. The OPP protocol differs from TR-069 and other polling standards since it is auto NAT, bidirectional and real-time. Owera has designed this for targeting real-time monitoring, management of applications from mobile phones (over WLAN) and other nomadic devices. OPP can be used to extend functionality of other protocols (i.e. monitoring). Owera xAPS enables ISPs to gain a competitive advantage by providing better service visibility, extends connectivity, higher flexibility and extends to new service endpoints. Updates provided by xAPS are transparent to the end user with no service interruption and are virtually hands-free for the ISP. 1.2 HistoryOwera was established in the year 2000. The company was known as SX Design, a company that focused on developing SIP based hardware and firmware for CPEs developed on the SX chipset series from the chip vendor Ubicom (more about Ubicom below).In the year 2003, Owera changed focus and became a software development house for SIP based CPEs. Owera has developed a SIP Software Development Kit which has been sold to numerous manufacturers around the world (Australia, Taiwan, China, Greese, Germany, Holland, Norway, UK, US and Canada).
These manufacturers use the Owera SIP SDK to develop various CPEs, such as ATAs, RGWs, IADs, FTTH devices, Wireless communication systems etc.Currently more then 500.000 devices have been deployed which all are based on the Owera SIP SDK. Owera realised early that one of the key success factors of IP based services would be the ability for Service Providers to lower their support costs.
In 2003, Owera began developing a Remote Management and Service Activation system (provisioning) that not only would minimize the need for support, but which also would simplify the logistics and extend the Service Providers ability to monitor CPEs and be able to do proactive trouble shooting.
The provisioning system was given the name xAPS or eXtended Automatic Provisioning System. There were already numerous devices deployed, especially ATAs. These devices were produced with the absolute minimum of components, and more importantly the absolute minimum of free memory (cost reduction).Furthermore, early deployments experienced the effects of NAT, ALGs and firewalls.
Hence Owera concluded that there would be a need for an advanced client which could handle the obstacles NAT, ALGs and firewalls. Owera decided to target service endpoint that where under such limitations at the same time participating in real-time services or being mobile. None of the other available protocols and clients in the market had those possiblities. This protocol is the Owera Provisioning Protocol – OPP. Oweras provisioning clients currently manage more than 300.000 units.
The xAPS solution was deployed with the first Service Provider in 2004. Having one of the best SIP teams in the world in-house, who fully understands the obstacles deployed SIP CPE devices meet, proved to be very important. The foresight Owera had in 2003 has proven to be a key success factor for the company and gave Owera a head start on alternative solutions. As the IP based service market has evolved, the xAPS system has followed it tightly. In the last two years further developed the system to meet new market requirements, often as a result of requirements made by Service Providers that has deployed the system. We believe we still are ahead of most competitors, when it comes to CPE provisioning (ACS), and we have built a reputation in the market as a company that makes innovative solutions for IP based services. Owera managed in the period 2003-2007 to get a strong grip of the Scandinavian market, with references such as Telenor, TeliaSonera/NextGenTel, Ventelo, Canal Digital and Bluecom. In 2005 Owera managed to get the international breakthrough. Owera entered into an agreement with one of the biggest manufacturers of CPEs in the world – Dlink (more about partners, reference projects and customers below). Oweras CPE designs are today deploying outside Scandinavia with AT&T, KPN, UPC and BBned. Oweras position in the value chain can be described by the figure below.
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