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January 22, 2015

Telstra launches Global Media Switch for Video Content Delivery

By Peter Bernstein, Senior Editor

If there is a hotter market of next generation communications capabilities than video it is hard to imagine. Other than security, as recent industry awards have demonstrated, streamed video along with real-time video are where it is at in terms of growth opportunities for both content creators and communications service providers. 



Hence, it is of more than passing interest that Australia’s largest communications service provider Telstra (News - Alert) has launched Global Media Switch – a professional video delivery platform that allows broadcasters and content creators to schedule, manage and distribute video in real-time across the world. The platform is a highly resilient, IP-based delivery network. It will provide customers with codec-level connectivity directly from the originating content source all the way to the broadcast destination.

Jim Clarke, Director of Marketing, Products and Pricing, Telstra Global Enterprise & Services, said Global Media Switch accommodates the significant transformation that the media landscape is experiencing, by offering greater control over media assets and ‘Codecs as a Service’ through a zero-capex pricing model.

Clarke noted: “With new models of on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation, media companies have had to make some substantial changes to the way they acquire, distribute and manage media assets…In this new era, staying profitable requires fresh thinking and adaptive approaches to technology. With the Global Media Switch web portal, video contributors can take direct control of service booking, scheduling and delivery to broadcasters themselves in a cost effective way, and even advertise content to other media providers to further maximize revenues.”

He added, “Whether customers are broadcasting 24 hours a day or delivering content for a live special event, Global Media Switch helps customers overcome the risk of unreliable transfers, buffering interference and low video quality.”

Telstra as the saying goes is “all in” on positioning to capitalize on the explosive growth of real-time and streamed video. Late last year Telstra completed its $270 million acquisition of Silicon Valley-based 98 per cent of video streaming and analytics company Ooyala, which itself acquired video advertising platform Videoplaza. 

In addition, Telstra touted the fact that the Global Media Switch can also be combined with Telstra’s Satellite Media Services, which provide access to more than 20 communications satellites for a complete digital media solution. It is now available in global locations via a range of packages and pricing.

Clarke concluded, “This launch follows Telstra’s recent acquisition of Ooyala, a leading innovator in premium video publishing, analytics and monetization. Both initiatives expand on Telstra’s growing media solution portfolio and are proof of our commitment to investing in purpose built solutions for the media industry, to support the shift in business and operating models due to changes in viewer behavior.”

The last quote is one that service providers around the world have given a sense of urgency to not only because of the rapidly changing demands of consumers and the need to provide new business and operating models, but also for competitive reasons.  Video content delivery is a fast moving target and service providers in their quest to be relevant against each other and OTTs must expand their portfolios and do so in short order since the consequences can be enormous. In short, Telstra will not be alone in becoming more aggressively engaging content providers in what is looking like a very turbulent year.




Edited by Maurice Nagle
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