• Orange Liveboxes will soon use prplOS as their operating system, allowing application ecosystems to be developed.
• Orange OpenTech is showcasing three examples of how prpl can be used. These include downloading a content filtering application from an app store, prioritising bandwidth for successful videocalls and extending the lifespan of the box hardware by allowing for behaviour modifications on the software side.
Given new life in 2020 by several telcos, the prpl Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve standards and security for Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), i.e. Wi-Fi boxes and extenders. As part of its drive to enhance connectivity and services in homes, Orange has partnered with the prpl Foundation to help develop this open-source technology. Chem Assayag, Senior VP Home Services Innovation at Orange, explains: “Software, more than hardware, is what makes our solutions relevant. Embedded software is a key focus for us. Together with our long-standing partner SoftAtHome, we have identified an essential need — to develop the solutions we rely on. That’s why we partnered with the prpl Foundation in 2020. It was important for us to be part of an open-source solution supported by telecom operators. The Foundation brings together players such as Vodafone, AT&T, Bell Canada and Verizon, providing a forum for open dialogue. The goal is to create a fairly broad ecosystem of solutions around a new technology and therefore benefit from synergy effects with other telecom operators.”
The prpl operating system implementation has been subject to strict specifications in terms of digital sobriety.
This open-source framework can be defined as a joint technological effort where each contributor can take existing solutions, adapt them to their needs and reshare them in return.
Thus, in 2022, prplOS—the shared and standardised open-source operating system—was announced. It will be at the core of the next generation of Liveboxes, Orange’s Wi-Fi boxes. It is expected to take the concept of the connected home to the next level with more personalised services and improved cybersecurity and interoperability of connected objects within the home.
A more modular Wi-Fi box for more personalised use at home
Chem Assayag explains how the prpl operating system enables application ecosystem development: “With this new generation of , we are moving from a monolithic system—where each new service was essentially based on specific software developments and entailed complete updates to the box—to a more open, scalable and personalised ecosystem. With prpl open-source software at its core, the next generation of Wi-Fi boxes will be able to accommodate new services and applications for our customers, aiming to create value for Orange.”
Orange is starting to implement prpl, with a hardware launch announced for 2025.
A range of stakeholders, partners and service providers will be able to develop prpl applications as required within the Livebox ecosystem. In the future, users will be able to access a greater number of services, which can currently be categorised into three broad families:
- Home and user security, for example protecting connected objects and equipment and parental controls: authorisation management, filtering and restricting access to certain types of content, managing usage windows for children. prpl is also compatible with presence (or absence) detectors for remote home security systems.
- Managing home network connectivity (or LAN): It will be possible to prioritise available bandwidth according to needs on the fly. For example, in a family home, when a teenager is playing an online game while another member of the household needs to prioritise a videocall or wants optimum conditions for watching a TV series in 4K. Scenarios — or “presets” — that prioritise “remote working”, “leisure” or “low power” uses are conceivable.
- Managing energy: Another interesting prospect is giving users the ability to track, control and optimise energy consumption for their box and their home. The goal is for everyone to optimise their consumption and reduce their electricity bill.
Next-generation Liveboxes with prpl: Digital sobriety specifications
Managing energy consumption is a sign of a more global eco-responsible approach, which has been thought out ahead. Designed from recycled materials, the lifecycle of the next generation of Liveboxes will be extended by their ability to provide changing functionalities (services, applications) without any hardware changes. “The implementation of the prpl operating system has itself been subject to strict specifications in terms of digital sobriety. It was very important for us that this open-source software layer could be integrated with our resources in a harmonious and optimised way: Chipset, RAM and box design were all taken into account to ensure reasonable consumption and resource optimisation. The solutions and applications that we offer to end users will be chosen with care. We will be able to focus on collaborating with partners, developers and service providers who are part of an end-to-end eco-responsible development approach.”
Demonstrating the possibilities of prpl technology
Three demonstrations are showcasing the benefits of prpl open-source technology at Orange OpenTech: an app store to download services directly to your prpl Livebox; the ability to let users prioritise traffic to optimise a video call; a Wi-Fi 7 box with prpl embedded.
Chem Assayag
