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Building an OTT Platform: No Single Solution Fits Everyone

© 2015 Vindicia, Inc. All rights reserved. Vindicia Confidential.

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Building an OTT Platform: No Single Solution Fits Everyone

© 2015 Vindicia, Inc. All rights reserved. Vindicia Confidential.

The OTT revolution is taking off at lightening speed. Content owners like the NBA and

NFL, networks like BBC and HBO, and full-on content aggregators like DIRECTV are all

trying to decide how they’ll leverage the content that they license or create. Distributing

direct to the consumer via video over the top presents an opportunity for these content

owners to generate additional revenue streams while connecting with their audience in an

exciting new way. Vindicia has been working with a number of content owners as they

make the journey and deploy a full OTT solution.

What is interesting to me is to watch the approach our clients take to building out the

actual solution. In some cases, the content owners are extremely technical. At least one of

our clients has built out their own video player and video content management platform.

Although you need to have a lot of engineering talent to pull that off, you’ll end up with a

platform that exactly matches your specifications. Your fate is literally in your own hands if

you go this route. Other clients have gone more for the best-of-breed solution, and in

some cases are relying on outside vendors not just for the platform software, but also for

the integration work. I am no longer surprised to meet clients who are outsourcing the

entire integration process, from the platform-to-platform work, right down to the integration

to their own in-house financial systems.

3 © 2015 Vindicia, Inc. All rights reserved. Vindicia Confidential.

I have to confess that this “all outsourced” approach makes me a bit uneasy. As a SaaS

provider, we have a very long-term relationship with our clients. Even in the most

successful implementation, the first release isn’t the last time you’ll touch the

software. Product offerings continue to evolve, and with that evolution comes a new wave

of requirements. Sometimes that can be handled directly from a GUI (like creating new

pricing plans). Other times, lower-level work needs to be done. At Vindicia, we pride

ourselves on the notion that our clients can be self-sufficient. We’ve had clients who

launch completely new offerings, add new payment methods, and restructure their entire

go-to-market strategy, all without having to request any professional services work.

However, they’re able to do that because they have a good working knowledge of the

solution architecture. They’ve gotten their hands dirty during the initial implementation, and

they understand how the systems all work together. My big concern with clients who

outsource the complete development is that they may become dependent on outsiders for

every change to their business. If they sign a new content deal, they should be able to

deploy that without coming back to Vindicia or their OVP vendor to make that content

available to their audience. Likewise, as their financial reporting needs change, they don’t

want to pay an integrator to come back and update the reports.

4 © 2015 Vindicia, Inc. All rights reserved. Vindicia Confidential.

The analogy here is to home ownership. Some folks are completely comfortable living in a

home they own but calling a professional plumber or electrician when any issues arise. A

lot of folks in high-rise apartments in Manhattan are quite used to that model. Others may

decide that they want to be more hands on, and they’ll tackle routine maintenance or even

the occasional bathroom remodel on their own. In the end, there’s no one solution that fits

everyone. But as you’re getting ready to invest in that new property, it’s important to make

sure you’ve thought through how you’ll keep it a “happy home” as your needs evolve in the

future. Understanding what you’ll be able to do on your own (and what will require outside

help) is key in planning your new OTT platform.

About the Author: Doug Smith

Doug has over 20 years of experience in technology

development and professional services in enterprise software

and telecommunications. His primary areas of focus are

professional services practice development and enterprise-

scale integration strategy.

Visit our Blog for more information.

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© 2015 Vindicia, Inc. All rights reserved. Vindicia Confidential.