How to Combine IPTV and Over the Top Television (OTT)

Adding Internet TV (OTT) to IPTV systems can allow TV broadcasters to provide many new services. Ameer Karim from Entone explained to me during the TelcoTV trade show that TV broadcasters can rapidly expand their services and their geographic footprint using OTT without significant capital investment. TV broadcasters can either integrate OTT capability into their existing system or supplement their existing broadcast system with an independent Internet TV system. The key is that the customers only see a unified service. Using an OTT platform and adding subscribers who use hybrid set top boxes (broadcast + Internet TV), TV operators can combine existing linear television services with new on demand services on the same program guide. The on demand services may be provided from a mixture of stored media and streaming media. OTT services can include a new premium tier of valuable services. Adding new “high value” on demand services has the benefit of creating “sticky customers”.