By: Vineet Dhawan, CEO & Founder, DCT
In a country of over a billion that tunes in to watch television every day, we have seen a dynamic shift from satellite cable to over-the-top (OTT) in less than a decade. As video streaming continues to dominate entertainment consumption with its growing popularity and multi-device accessibility, the focus shifts to optimising the experience for both users and platforms. The COVID pandemic contributed to its sharp surge in numbers, and today there are an estimated 101.8 million paid subscribers. Given the growing popularity of streaming movies and shows in India, the onus is on OTT platforms to enhance the experience for users periodically, improving consumer experience, and directly impacting platform growth.
The rise of original content production
An interesting development we have witnessed is the direct involvement of platforms in producing and owning original content, encompassing both movies and TV series. The pattern continues to grow, with major players producing content under their ‘original’ banners, some even hosting only original content. This approach accelerates globalisation by appealing to mass audiences and maintaining better control over content quality.
Another fascinating feature of OTT platforms is their increasing collaboration with TV channels that once operated solely through satellite providers, leading to higher consumption and offering viewers the convenience of a one-stop-shop experience.
With the rise in investment in original content and collaborations, it is crucial to ensure the infrastructure supports this growth. Scalable infrastructure is vital to meet the demands of content delivery and user experience, especially during peak usage.
Why scalable infrastructure is a must-have?
The future of OTT platforms depends on infrastructural innovation to ensure streaming remains a staple in the coming decade. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are already enhancing localisation and personalisation, their potential can drive further innovation and boost competitiveness.
Cloud-based infrastructure ensures scalability, meeting fluctuating demands and delivering uninterrupted service during high-traffic events. Moreover, it supports global expansion using low-latency content delivery and adapts to regional needs, allowing platforms to efficiently enter any new market while maintaining a far more consistent user experience giving it a competitive edge. Additionally, implementing global Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can ensure smooth global delivery with negligible latency and improved quality of streaming, making it a key part of future-proofing OTT platforms.
Scalability is crucial, but security is equally important. As user bases grow, robust security measures are essential to protect sensitive data and ensure a safe experience.
A secure future is the best feature
Cybersecurity and privacy remain major concerns, requiring robust measures to ensure user safety. To address this, new critical reforms and data privacy regulations have been implemented by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to regulate OTT platforms. However, the primary focus should also include implementing real-time threat detection systems, regular compliance audits, and user education programs to build trust and confidence among users.
Further, there is a pressing need for advancements in data encryption, network security, user data privacy, and secure payment processing. These are critical areas where OTT platforms can invest in upgrades and improvements. These platforms must prioritise security and compliance measures, safeguarding users from cyber threats while establishing themselves as trusted and fair players in the market.
Best practices for OTT platform testing
Implementing best practices for OTT testing is a surefire way to consistently deliver high-quality and reliable service to the end user. This should include, but not be limited to, performance testing, load testing, ensuring device-platform compatibility, UX testing, stream quality testing, and real-user monitoring. By focusing on thorough and regular testing, OTT platforms can address issues proactively and ensure seamless functionality across various devices and operating conditions. Periodic testing also reduces the risk of disruptions, enhances user satisfaction, and ensures platform stability and performance over time. An immersive and uninterrupted user experience assuredly leads to a larger user base, because consumers eventually seek quality over quantity.
What the future holds for OTT?
OTT platforms have revolutionised the television viewing experience by enhancing content discovery and streamlining navigation through well-structured menus and categorised libraries. Features such as curated content lists, seamless playback, and improved visual quality, including color grading and noise reduction, contribute significantly to an elevated user experience. With the ever-growing repository of shows and movies, maintaining organised libraries and user-friendly interfaces ensures that viewers can effortlessly find content that aligns with their interests.
The future of OTT platforms is certainly tied to personalised and targeted advertisements. If current trends are any indication, OTT platforms are likely to explore more aggressive ad models, starting subtly but growing more pervasive over time. We may also see some experiments with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in certain formats, along with more voice and gesture controls. What end users seek is quite simple – speed of service, high-quality content, secure connectivity, data privacy, and services that are easy on the pocket. Facilitating the simple demands of consumers is possible with robust and innovative infrastructure which is also scalable over time to accommodate more users in a highly competitive market.
The OTT market is still evolving and there is enough room for technological improvement to ensure long-term sustainability. Being equipped with the latest apparatus at all times and offering the best quality service is a surefire way to retain daily active users and become a future-proof OTT platform in this economy.