Multicast services control system and method

A method for controlling multicast video service, comprising:

• providing a service distribution platform having a multicast table, at least one service concentration platform, a portal site physically distinct and remotely located from the service concentration platform, and at least one set-top box;
• receiving channels at the service distribution platform from an Internet protocol video source;
• providing an entry in the multicast table for each of the channels;
• generating one of a “join” and a “leave” at a set-top box;
• snooping messages from the set-top box to identify the one of the “join” and the “leave”;
• forwarding the identified one of the “join” and the “leave” to the service distribution platform from the portal site via the service concentration platform;
• and
• forwarding the identified one of the “join” and the “leave” to one or more of the at least one service concentration platform wherein the identified one of the “join” and the “leave” is snooped by portals and concentrators and wherein the set-top box is further configured to receive additional “joins” and “leaves” from one or more of the at least one service concentration platform.

A system comprising:

• a first Ethernet packet switch configured to receive a set of multicast channels comprising multicast Ethernet packets from a multicast channel source;
• a second Ethernet packet switch physically distinct and remotely located from the first Ethernet packet switch in communication with the first Ethernet packet switch;
• a plurality of multicast receivers physically distinct and remotely located from both the first and second Ethernet packet switches in communication with the second packet switch;
• wherein the first Ethernet packet switch is configured to forward the set of multicast channels to the second Ethernet packet switch regardless of whether any of the channels of the set have been requested by any of the multicast receivers of the plurality;
• and
• wherein the second Ethernet packet switch is configured to forward those channels of the set that have been requested by one of the multicast receivers of the plurality and to discard those channels of the set that have not been requested by one of the multicast receivers of the plurality.