Consumers are increasingly viewing video across a number of devices. They expect a seamless, multi-device experience that allows them to watch content on any device, irrespective of location. Mobile is a key channel for this approach and users expect the same level of experience, regardless of whether they are watching video while commuting on a train or in the comfort of their own home. With the shift from linear to on-demand TC growing, MNOs and Content Providers are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver the experience their customers need.

It’s well known that people are moving away from linear TV consumption to on-demand viewing. Recent data suggests that this trend is rapidly gathering pace. According to analyst firm IHS Markit, Europeans now spend more than two hours on average each month watching on-demand video.

Of course, they can do so via a number of platforms, but mobile access has become increasingly important as a channel. Customers may begin to watch a programme on a traditional television, but they may seek to continue viewing the same content on a tablet or through their mobile while travelling to work or in another location. They want and need a multi-device experience that provides seamless viewing for their content of choice.

So, Content Providers and MNOs that deliver video packages have a clear interest in ensuring that the user experience can be maintained across devices and in any location. That means they must pay attention to how the quality of content at all points in the delivery chain – but there’s a weak link. Currently, content providers and MNO lack the ability to obtain quality assurance in the last mile for video.

Without this ability, they cannot provide a guaranteed user experience to their customers, which means that quality in the last mile can be offered as “best effort”. But, with mobile likely to become even more significant as a channel to access on-demand video content, the situation is likely to get much worse. As a result, the lack of control exposes a serious problem for the successful monetisation of video content.

Fortunately, there is an answer to this increasingly important problem. Tambora’s guaranteed Quality of Experience, or gQoE solution enables MNOs and Content Providers to deliver an optimised, real-time video experience for users. This is achieved by analysing individual user sessions, making decisions and applying intelligent policy rules in the mobile operator network that, in turn, ensure that that sufficient bandwidth is available to deliver the optimum customer experience to a specific subscriber.

gQoE complements existing techniques, such as ABR streaming, Edge Caching, and transcoding. Crucially, it is efficient, because the integrated remote sensing function also means that additional bandwidth is only requested when conditions demand it.

Tambora’s gQoE requires no CAPEX or OPEX, and because it interacts directly with PCRF, it enables precision control down to per user and per session. It is less intrusive and more scalable than other solutions.

So, MNOs and Content Providers that seek to offer a truly optimised, seamless experience to their customers, across all their devices and irrespective of their location, should get in touch to find out how they can collaborate with Tambora to deliver premium quality in the last mile. Get in touch today and find out more.