There is no doubt that Over-The-Top (OTT) content is having a profound effect on the telecom industry. In just a few short years, it has changed how people consume media and communications and has had a major impact on the business models of traditional service providers.
OTT content refers to any type of media or communication that is delivered over the internet, without the need for a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription. This includes services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Skype, WhatsApp, and many others.
Start of OTT Content:
The rise of OTT content has been driven by two main factors: the availability of high-speed broadband internet connections, and the proliferation of smart devices like smartphones and tablets that can be used to access this content.
Traditional telecom companies are feeling the pinch from OTT services in several ways. Firstly, their customers are increasingly cancelling their TV subscriptions in favour of cheaper (or even free) alternatives like Netflix. Secondly, many OTT providers offer their services directly to consumers, bypassing traditional service providers altogether. Finally, OTT services are eating into the bandwidth that traditional telecom companies sell to their customers – meaning less revenue for them.
In response to these challenges, some telecom companies are trying to embrace OTT content themselves. For example, AT&T now offers its own streaming service called DirecTV Now. However, it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to stem the tide of cord-cutting and keep traditional telecom companies relevant in the age of OTT content
The challenges of OTT content
The Rise of OTT
OTT communications refer to the delivery of audio, video, and other media over the Internet without requiring users to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite television service. In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number of OTT providers, with many companies now offering their own individual platforms. This increase in choice has led to a corresponding increase in competition, which has been beneficial for consumers who are now able to enjoy greater value for money.
One of the key reasons behind the success of OTT providers is that; they offer a much more flexible and customized viewing experience than traditional television providers. OTT services can be accessed on a range of different devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This makes it possible for users to watch their favourite shows and movies whenever and wherever they want. Additionally, OTT providers often offer a wider range of content than traditional television providers; giving users more options to choose from.
The growth of OTT services has also been facilitated by the increasing availability of high-speed broadband Internet connections. This has made it possible for more people to access streaming media content without having to worry about buffering or other issues that can lead to poor-quality playback. With faster Internet speeds becoming increasingly common; it is likely that the popularity of OTT services will continue to grow in the coming years.
Why OTT Is Changing Everything
OTT communications have brought about a fundamental change in the way that people consume audio and video content. In the past, most people accessed this content through traditional cable or satellite television providers. However, with the rise of OTT providers; many people are now able to enjoy their favourite shows and movies without subscribing to a traditional television service.
One of the key advantages of OTT over traditional television is that it offers a much more flexible viewing experience. OTT services can be accessed on a range of different devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This makes it possible for users to watch their favourite shows and movies whenever and wherever they want. Additionally, OTT providers often offer a wider range of content than traditional television providers; giving users more options to choose from.
The growth of OTT has also been facilitated by the increasing availability of high-speed broadband Internet connections. This has made it possible for more people to access streaming media content; without having to worry about buffering or other issues that can lead to poor-quality playback. With faster Internet speeds becoming increasingly common; it is likely that the popularity of OTT will continue to grow in the coming years.
The future of telecom and OTT content
The telecom industry is in the midst of a major transformation; as new technologies and services are changing the way people communicate. One of the most important changes taking place is the growth of over-the-top (OTT) content providers.
OTT refers to any service that delivers audio or video content over the Internet; without requiring users to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite television service. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of OTT providers; with many companies now offering their own individual platforms. This increase in choice has led to a corresponding increase in competition; which has been beneficial for consumers who are now able to enjoy greater value for money.
One of the key reasons behind the success of OTT providers is that; they offer a much more flexible and customized viewing experience than traditional television providers. OTT services can be accessed on a range of different devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. This makes it possible for users to watch their favourite shows and movies whenever and wherever they want. Additionally, OTT providers often offer a wider range of content than traditional television providers; giving users more options to choose from.
The growth of OTT services has also been facilitated by the increasing availability of high-speed broadband Internet connections. This has made it possible for more people to access streaming media content; without having to worry about buffering or other issues that can lead to poor-quality playback. With faster Internet speeds becoming increasingly common; it is likely that the popularity of OTT services will continue to grow in the coming years.
Challenges Telecom Engineers will Face on OTT Platforms
Challenge 1: Need more power
The OTT platform processes high-resolution video data. As a result, the operation of these platforms requires additional energy. The increased demand for storage capacity is due to the increased use of power, energy, and fibre capacity.
More disk space is required to handle the multiple versions generated.
Large fibre links require a dedicated IP switch that can handle high line data rates.
This improves clock speed and further increases throughput latency.
The solution to this problem is multicast technology. Multicast is an IP protocol mechanism for sending a shared stream of data using a reserved IP address. The use of OTT platforms for internet sales is becoming more and more common.
Challenge 2: Insufficient content delivery (speed and quality):
Meeting customer expectations is one of the most difficult aspects of OTT content delivery. With every new experience, content, or feature, customers want more from the OTT platform or the content itself. This applies not only to new OTT platforms but also to established OTT platforms such as HBO Go and Netflix. Ability to develop the next big thing.
Challenge 3: Using the Wrong Revenue Model:
There are approximately 340 million subscription-based revenue \ (SVOD \) subscriptions in the US alone. For a long time, most people expected transactional video on demand (TVOD) to be the next big thing; and most educational platforms were no exception. Meanwhile, the subscription-based VOD revenue model continues to grow.
Understanding that each OTT platform serves different types of audiences. The best solution to this challenge is to establish a dynamic revenue model that appeals to everyone. Most OTT providers offer a variety of revenue models to choose from for your business. Always remember.
Challenge 4: Content Issues:
Content is at the heart of the OTT platform. But it doesn’t seem to be the most important factor in attracting viewers. It’s also true that these services will fail in the long run; if viewers can’t create and deliver the content they want. Providing niche content is a great way to solve this problem. WWE and Crunchyroll are two examples of great niche content providers. This solution has been very successful with Curiosity Stream and Dramafever.
What exactly is niche content?
It’s all about avoiding the pitfalls of creating common content. It’s about giving the viewer something unique and different.
Challenge 5:
Retaining Viewers One of the most difficult issues facing OTT providers is maintaining viewers. The various concerns regarding this issue are:
Providing the content your viewers are looking for
Deployment of high-resolution video
Advertising content should be out of the way and be able to bypass them if the viewer chooses.
It’s easy to see why getting these components correctly is so important. Annoying ads and poor video quality are two main reasons consumers skip certain content.
The OTT industry is becoming more and more competitive; and it’s clear that if a provider wants to attract and retain viewers, it really has to offer something.