The streaming [re]evolution

The streaming [re]Evolution

 Video content consumption over the internet trends are booming worldwide, driven by OTT platforms, eSports but also by new ways of smart-working and communication based on videoconference.

The lion share is made by OTT streaming services that are experiencing explosive growth, as media distribution is shifting from traditional linear TV to online streaming consumption (VOD & Live). Unlike traditional Pay TV services, streaming service subscribers expect to be able to consume content at any chosen time, on any device, including smart-TV, smartphone, PC, tablet and of course everywhere.

In this new entertainment era content remains definitely the ‘King’, but a premium quality delivery is its close “Queen”, and delivering the best service is a major priority for streaming providers. The challenge, as streaming demand grows and becomes the new standard, is to deliver the service while maintaining the quality viewers expect.

Broadcasters are facing the challenge of maintaining the same Quality of Experience (QoE) in streaming distribution as the one they have provided with satellite (DTH) or digital terrestrial (DTT). This is particularly difficult during live events with peak of concurrent users.

The key metrics that affect users’ Quality of Experience (QoE) in adaptive video streaming are:

1. Video re-buffering ratio: the fraction of time a viewer experiences re-buffering issues (video stops to load the content)
2. End-to-end latency: the accumulated delay of content transmission from the recording camera to the user’s device. It is also referred to as glass-to-glass latency, particularly critical during live events
3. Video startup time: the time that occurs from the click of the play button to the video starting
4. Average streaming bit-rate: the media bit rate, averaged over the entire streaming period. In the context of ABR, this is the average of all the segment frame resolutions selected by the client during playback

The gap in the QoE between linear and online streaming is resulting in financial losses and brand reputation damage for media and gaming companies. According to Conviva (CONVIVA 2018 annual state: Conviva’s Continuous Measurement Annual Census Report) c. 15% online video plays attempt didn’t go through due to video stalls, delayed start time and re-buffering, resulting in a Low Quality Experience (QoE) for the final user.

This bad user experience immediately translates into:

• billions of lost customer viewing hours, with direct revenue losses for broadcasters and advertisers
• Increase in subscribers’ churn, and consequent financial loss as new business models are not based on long term contracts
• customer [un]satisfaction and online brand reputation damage
• Impact on the Customer Relation service and consequent increase of call center traffic
• Difficulty in future negotiations with rights owners (especially for premium sports rights) due to unsatisfactory delivery of the content

Online video transmission solutions offered by traditional CDNs, based on legacy technologies and “Best Effort” approach, and developed over the replication of content on multiple servers (caching) and the delivery of content through multiple ISP nodes (multi-hop), cannot guarantee the best service solution to broadcasters.

Traditional CDNs related service issues are Latency, Degraded content quality, High risk of congestion, Decreased delivery capabilities and Complex and slow deployment of new configurations. All of them with a direct impact on the Quality of Experience offered to the final viewer.

The solution can only be provided by a new approach developed pivoting around the Quality of Experience for the final viewer and by an AI technology and service designed to support this transition.

MainStreaming’s AI solution provides broadcast-like premium quality of Experience and full control over the entire streaming workflow, from the point of ingest to the delivery to the final user through (i) High-throughput, (ii) High-Bitrate, (iii) No Congestion and (iv) Low Latency

With this approach and solution Broadcasters would be able to:

•      Transition its business to online streaming maintaining the same QoE to the final viewer managing millions of customers and unlimited concurrent viewers during live events

•      Have a custom platform, flexible and scalable on broadcaster’s needs, financially sustainable for the new business

•      Guarantee full governance and optimization over the entire streaming process