News for OTT/IPTV providers

The latest informations about our platform and more…

Meet Us at NAB Show 2024

Mar. 28, 2024by moTV.eu

Would you be interested in further exploring our AI (video analysis & recommendation), Fast TV (Ad insertion capabilities), or simply try out our latest Applications? Let's meet in Vegas April 13-16 ✎ Send message.

NAB Show 2024
Nab Show 2024

What to watch out for when running a cloud based OTT service?

Feb. 07, 2024by moTV.eu

Working on larger projects with Tier 1 operators brings one common question to the table: Is it possible to run a fully cloud-based OTT operation and enjoy the “freedom” that the cloud service provides? The short answer is YES. Having everything hosted in the cloud is possible, but there are a few things that have to be done right.

The idea of leaving all the hassle with hardware, server rooms, installation, etc., to a cloud provider sounds very promising. But keep in mind you still need someone to take care of the virtual software and, most importantly, understand how it works. Negotiating the correct terms of the cloud hosting contract for the hardware is crucial. Since most OTT services transcode using GPU cards, you will need robust and likely expensive hardware hosted on the cloud. This will bring a monthly cost to the table that you need to account for. When talking about a monthly cost, it is very important to negotiate a reasonable rate for the cost of bandwidth. When moving to OTT, you will need great distribution to your end-users.

Operators tend to think that a cloud-based OTT means externally managed OTT. A cloud-based solution is the same solution you would have installed on premises. That means you still need to have the proper training to set everything up, service the system, and manage the subscribers. The only difference is that you don’t have to worry about the hardware, and you can focus on operations. For operators that are not yet 100% sure how to handle operations and need assistance, we provide an optional operation service that will help you set up and manage the whole OTT system. This is available for both on-cloud solutions and on-premises solutions.

When launching a full cloud OTT solution, all the content (live TV multicasts and VOD) has to be delivered from the headend to the cloud provider. If we take an example of 100 channels, each with a bitrate of 8 Mbps before transcoding, we get an 800 Mbps upload stream to the cloud that will be used to bring the content to the cloud. There, the content will be transcoded and stored, and after that, it will be distributed to the front-end devices (clients). For this example, we will use an operator with 150,000 users. Let’s say only 10% are using the system at the same time, so we get a number of 15,000 concurrent users. Even when using ABR and doing the calculation with the lowest profile of 400 kbps (400 kbps x 15,000), we end up with 6 Gbps. This is again considering the lowest ABR profile in SD. If we look into the same use case with HD, we get a bitrate of 2500 kbps per user, so the total traffic (2500 kbps x 15,000) would be 37.5 Gbps. If you have these numbers in mind and have negotiated the correct conditions for your bandwidth distribution, then you are ready to launch a cloud-based OTT platform. Based on our experience in the industry, it will be a challenge to negotiate reasonable conditions for the cost of hardware and bandwidth so that everything makes sense on paper. Cloud providers and cloud CDNs are not yet ready to offer a reasonable price per bandwidth that will make sense for an OTT provider. With the cost per Gbps as it is today, it doesn’t make sense to offer a full cloud-based solution for any client. The bigger you are, the higher the cost will be, and you will have to pass the burden of these costs to the end-users. This will increase your service price and lower the overall demand.

When it comes to the return on investment for hardware on premises compared to a cloud solution, you will usually see that in a couple of months (4-6), you will have the investment back. This will give you the margin that is needed to provide an OTT service and focus on marketing and operations.

What does make a better sense, and we have a lot of experience with, is running a hybrid model cloud-based solution. This is great for larger countries that have a cloud server present in the location. When this is available in your location, you can install the middleware, database, and Subscriber Management System on the cloud while keeping your transcoding and CDN (distribution) on premises under your control. This way, you have control over the traffic, and you don’t have to worry about the bandwidth. The control part of the system takes just a little bandwidth. This is an ideal solution for operators who are covering multiple areas, have different locations with different content while running a fully redundant transcoding and storage solution.

For operators targeting one region, we strongly suggest a fully redundant on-premises solution. This will give you not only full control of the system but will also provide your customers with great feedback, latency, and responsiveness.

Advantages of an OTT cloud setup:

  • Scalability: Cloud platforms enable seamless scaling of resources, allowing providers to accommodate fluctuating demand and sudden spikes in viewership without the need for significant upfront investments in infrastructure.
  • Global Reach: Cloud OTT distribution eliminates geographical constraints, enabling content providers to reach audiences worldwide. This democratisation of content delivery contributes to increased market penetration and revenue opportunities.

Disadvantages of an OTT cloud setup:

  • Bandwidth: The success of cloud OTT distribution relies heavily on robust and reliable internet connectivity. Adequate bandwidth is crucial to ensure high-quality streaming experiences and minimise buffering issues. Negotiating great terms is crucial for deployment.
  • Quality of Service (QoS): Maintaining consistent QoS across various devices and network conditions is a challenge. Adaptive streaming technologies, such as ABR (Adaptive Bitrate), helps to optimize the viewing experience by adjusting the quality of the video based on the available bandwidth.

Written by

Radim Benovsky

VP of Sales and Business Development

moTV.eu will gladly assess the situation you’re in and provide all the options you have in your market.

Cloud OTT

2023

OTT White Label - Next Generation

Oct. 24, 2023by moTV.eu

Why is it gaining popularity?

Today, the difficult task of getting content rights has not been resolved, and as many have had issues with the number of users being too low, OTT rights, and what DRM will protect the content, all this together makes it very difficult to acquire and negotiate quality content for operators and small ISPs

I like to use an example of an operator in the region we currently work with, they were able to negotiate the content rights and use our OTT/IPTV platform as a white label, today it has grown to 1.4 million end users with more than 100 ISPs and small and medium cable operators connected to their platform, all this was done in less than 4 years. This is the ideal scenario, but do you think you are ready to make that jump-start?

The task of becoming a White Label is not as difficult as many people believe, first, you will need content rights, and local servers with our specifications that can support our platform.

To start, let's talk about what is a White Label.
Here I give you an example that I read recently from a Marketing company that I have been following for a couple of months now, Innovan.do:

“What is Ibuprofen for you apart from medication? private label, main brand? In the case of ibuprofen, we are talking about the fact that it is the technical and real name of a molecule that is used in pharmacology. In the pill that we take when prescribed by the doctor, it usually comes with other products mixed to enhance its effect. But what matters here is not a brand. In fact, if you have a container on hand, you will see that behind ibuprofen, as a last name, it usually has the name of the laboratory that makes it." 1.

As you can see, a White Label is the CORE of the business, the interesting thing is that the costs can be seen as a joint venture and that each added vendor becomes a partner in the project since the main client's investment would be in Capex, this can be easily monetized and resold to ISP's or Cable Operators as an Opex model, offering a full end to end solution, making your ARR steady per customer added to the platform. The more end users grow, the more it becomes a win-win for everyone.

I like to use the example of the 20 000 licenses:
If the Capex model is worth around 160 000 USD including the cost of the software and the 20 000 licenses, but let's say you manage to partner up with 5 clients who use your platform with the content included, and you charge them 5 USD per license, it will leave a monthly income of 100 000 USD, not only do you recover the investment in the third month, but additionally it becomes an extremely lucrative business.

This business model is becoming more and more popular In Latin America, the main Operator will solve the problem of the small and medium-sized companies, not having to negotiate directly with the programmers and saving in the initial setup.

With our White Label you can achieve this and much more, we not only reach ISPs or cable operators, but we also reach content creators, universities, and hotels with the Hospitality model.

Benefits of a White Label

  • Profitability of services
  • It's a full end-to-end model, including DRM and CDN
  • Advertising
  • Analytics per vendor
  • Guaranteed ARR
  • Personalization by Vendor, logos, colors, content packs
  • Fits hospitality models

I conclude with a question, Would you take acetaminophen?

Written by

Iga Mubarak

Sales Director Africa area

OTT White Label

Nextv Series Mexico 2023 | DATAXIS event

Oct. 2, 2023by moTV.eu

Let's meet at the Nextv Mexico conference September 3-4, 2023.

What can you look forward to:

  • Harnessing the power of data for a more personalized experience
  • Maximize revenue, reduce costs and enhance user experience
  • Technological solutions for operators and OTT platforms
Nextv Mexico 2023
Nextv Series Mexico 2023

Capex vs. Opex, Which financial model best suits your company?

Sep. 22, 2023by moTV.eu

Are you ready to make the most important financial decision for your company? In this article, we will resolve some doubts about which model is best suited to your needs, your capital, and your long-term financial vision.

We are all clear that when it comes to acquiring property, the same questions will always haunt us, do I buy or rent? But have you wondered, what is the best or for whom is it better to buy or rent? The banks with their annual interest rates show a clear sign that they will take the biggest cut with our money to reinvest, and it is no secret to anyone that large companies today have adopted this same model business. Why? Because it works, and that's where the Opex model starts from.

Today we see more and more companies that provide IPTV/OTT services charging only with the Opex model to their final customers to secure their ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) with contracts of 3 to 5 years, but in reality who benefits from this model, the end customer or the company selling its services?

Let's give an example, if I buy an IPTV/OTT platform in an Opex model, for 20,000 licenses at 1.20 dollars, that would be 24,000 dollars per month, which is the average seen today in the competition. The good news for many is that you do not have to pay for a setup fee, but if you do the calculations without counting the costs of SLAs or the maintenance of each live App for a 3-year contract, we are talking about a cost of 864,000 dollars to keep your platform up and running.

Now, if I tell you that the Capex model does not have to be as expensive as everyone imagines and banks are not always the enemy. Would believe me? I’m not saying one model is better than the other, it is about understanding the CORE of the business to make the best decision.

To simplify it, let me set an example of a Capex model; the cost for the three years for the same 20,000 licenses will cost around $100,000 vs. $864,000, which model will you choose? You may wonder, but where is the hidden cost, there simply isn't any!

In the Capex model, there is always a setup cost, these costs can vary with moTV between $35,000 to $60,000 depending on the size of the project, so if we calculate a Capex project with us for 3 years, for an amount of $60,000 for the software and $100,000 for the 20,000 licenses the total will cost around $160,000 versus $864,000, still cheaper right?

This is where the experts in economics will say, that it is better not to put all the eggs in the same basket, but what if in this case, the basket is a Bank, let's use this scenario, our Capex model platform has a cost of $160,000 and let's say you have 30% saved to invest, that’s 48,000 dollars, you would have to ask for a bank loan of $112,000 and let’s say you finance it for 5 years, the monthly payments will be around 1,866 dollars, that is still lower than paying $24,000 a month.

Nowadays, the experts in economy recommend not investing all at once, to leave more capital and invest in other projects, but if we are smart and learn how to use banks to our benefit, and not as an enemy, or better yet, get an investor for the project, in this case, is as if you were buying a Capex model, with Opex payments.

Ultimately, we want to choose what gives us more financial stability in the medium and in the long term, and that is only defined by the current financial situation of your company.

Cons

Capex

  • Startup investment is more expensive
  • Local server installation required

Opex

  • Fixed payments for 3/5 year contracts
  • In the long run, it is more expensive to maintain.
  • The platform is rented
  • It has hidden costs at the end, SLA, and for each App

Pros

Capex

  • Increase the capital of your company
  • It has no hidden costs
  • Stability due to local servers
  • In the long term, it is cheaper to maintain
  • Does not require storage on the cloud
  • Licenses are perpetual, SINGLE payment

Opex

  • Recommended for a small operator between (0-3,500) users
  • It has no setup costs
Capex vs Opex in OTT
Capex for OTT

IBC 2023 - Transforming media | Changing perceptions

Jul. 31, 2023by moTV.eu

Join Us at the 2023 IBC Conference and discover game-changing innovations, explore new business models and also network with influential decision-makers.

Let's talk about Technology & Business opportunities.

IBC 2023
ibc_amsterdam

Meet Professional Leaders at CABSAT 2023

May 2, 2023by moTV.eu

Industry leaders guide your creative content journey with hands-on technical learning on 16-18 May 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Main sections: CONTENT CREATIONPRODUCTION & BROADCASTSATELLITE & DISTRIBUTION.

Come to see inspiring speakers, groundbreaking mentors, and revolutionary startups.

CABSAT 2023
Nab Show 2023

Meet Us at APTC 2023

Apr. 21, 2023by moTV.eu

How innovation and technology are transforming the telecommunications industry.

Join our team at the 2023 APTC Show, schedule meeting with Lorena via email right now ✎ Send message.

ibc_amsterdam

Let’s connect at the 2023 NAB Show!

Apr. 12, 2023by moTV.eu

The 2023 NAB Show Centennial will be the pinnacle for all in the global broadcast, media and entertainment industry.

Join our team at the 2023 NAB Show, schedule meeting with Radim via email right now ✎ Send message.

NAB Show 2023
Nab Show 2023

Meet Us at ANDINA LINK CARTAGENA 2023

Jan 23, 2023by moTV.eu

Visit us in Cartagena during the Andinalink show from 6. 3. till 9. 3. 2023. Are you interested in a full IPTV / OTT platform come and have a chat with us. We will gladly show you our Complete Eco System with local content and advanced monitoring. If you are an ISP and don’t have content - don’t worry, together with our partner Youcast we are able to provide a full solution including Colombian local content. Come to see us on stand L37 and we will tell you how fast you can have your own applications up and running.

ibc_amsterdam

2022

Come talk to me in Nextv CEO / Africa

Aug 15, 2022by moTV.eu

Monetising original content via OTT platforms.

  • Which streaming models are the most adapted to African video consumption?
  • Nollywood content producers going into ITT
  • Monetisation strategies: can free, premium and hybrid services grow alongside?
Nextv Africa 2022

See you at IBC 2022

Jun 24, 2022by moTV.eu

Let's meet up at the global crossroads of the media, entertainment and technology industries. We'll be at IBC 2022, the place where you'll find the best in content and technology.

ibc_amsterdam

Let's meet in Cartagena

Feb 09, 2022by moTV.eu

Would you like to know more about our solution? Take advantage of this unique opportunity to visit us in Colombia this year. Our team is looking forward to seeing you at our booth n. 66!

expo-cartagena

Background playback

Jan 26, 2022by moTV.eu

Offer your viewers something more!

Background playback and PIP feature allow viewers to play video or listen to the radio even when they minimize the OTT application. We have also updated the UI to separate TV channels and radio channels.

background-playback

2021

Enjoy our new Apple TV application

Nov 24, 2021by moTV.eu

We're proud to present brand new application for AppleTV. We have developed this application according to all the new Apple standards. With this application, you will notice fast channel zapping, more intuitive control and better coordination.

Since AppleTV only supports FairPlay and we do understand the importance of securing content using DRM, so we've integrated it with Apple FairPlay.

expo-cartagena

2020

Push notification

Sep 18, 2020by moTV.eu

Inform your customer with any kind of message or simply help the customer with his device troubleshooting remotely.

Push notifications offers you these types of services:

  • Notification
  • On video message
  • ATV restart
  • Customer logout
  • Channel switch
  • Firmware update
  • Clear device cache
  • On video fingerprint
background-playback

Multi-vendor service

Jan 02, 2020by moTV.eu

Cloud service to other partners, who are interested to offer their customers Pay-TV with all the features you have.

Multi-vendor service offers:

  • own branding of apps and web-TV portal
  • own channels packages for customers
  • own VOD packages for customers
  • own pricing per packages
  • own dashboard with analytics
  • integration of own payment method
  • own limitation of unicast per package/platform by given resolution (SD, HD, UHD1, UHD2)
  • own nPVR length, length of Timeshift, apps on stb, bundled with packages

The platform is fully extendable as you grow!

Multi vendor flow chart for OTT providers

2019

Add advertisement to your live channels

Aug 21, 2019by moTV.eu

moTV advert plug-in ingests targeted advertisement across all platforms in web TV / STB / Android, iOS app anytime and anywhere. Ui management of this plug-in is through the web browser for the PAY TV OPERATOR AS well as for advertising agency.

Business model is based on revenue share.

Upload Advert videos

  • variable length
  • up to 1080p
  • aspect ratio 16:9 or variable
  • mp4 container format

Upload static image

  • 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • png format

Set metadata

  • set desired maximum impresion count
  • set interval for ad validity (from / to)
  • set exact time to show ad in live or VOD channels

Targeted Ads (according to SMS)

  • per user profile
  • per user behavior

Insert Google Ads

  • before any standard content
  • or at any content pause

Playback of the Ads is un-skippable

AVOD

Recommendation / Discovery of new content tailored to the viewer's interests

Aug 15, 2019by moTV.eu

Advanced content discovery and recommendation solution, delivers personalized content based on your user's interests and viewing habits.

The system collects relevant data about customer's assets, users, and business requirements and in return delivers metadata enrichment, personalization, and data analytics services.

Key functionalities:

  • delivers advanced search, recommendations, content discovery and personalization of linear TV, VoD, Catch-UP and 3rd party services
  • learns and builds user profiles faster and more accurate than any other solutions
  • data processing and personalization across any type of digital media
  • delivers rich and unified metadata across multiple data sources
  • delivers highly personalized user experience and therefore increases revenues as well as consumer loyalty and satisfaction

Recommendation engine delivers personalization in real time through a single moTV API. It can be delivered as a cloud service or as a software for local (on-site) installations or a combination of both.

recommendation and discovery engine

VOD (video on demand)

Jun 22, 2019by moTV.eu

Video on Demand (Vod) allows users to watch video content of their choice whenever they want, rather than at scheduled broadcast time. VoD can be offered as a stand-alone app with the possible extension for live TV and vice versa.

Operators can:

  • create VoD, (upload movies, set name, description, actors, select quality of streaming…)
  • create different packages and set the price
  • instant movies update in the packages

Customers can choose the packages on websites.

VOD

Complete analytics for operators

May 18, 2019by moTV.eu

The moTV platform provides various analytics for pay TV provider to collect statistics across all devices running on the platform and display in the MW on the dashboard with the possible download.

Between most used statistics to collect and display in the dashboard screen are most watched content, device distribution and content distribution and its time period.

These statistics are set by default in the MW dashboard and they bring highly valuable informations from all devices.

* Other statistics can be set upon request by pay TV providers.

recommendation and discovery engine

See multiple channels on one screen

Mar 22, 2019by moTV.eu

Mozaic provide great source of channel monitoring for operators.

Mozaic can be:

  • 2x2 channels
  • 3x3 channels
  • 5x5 channels

HW requirements: 2x mosaic 3x3 on Nvidia quadro P 5000

background-playback