Our story began 3 years ago when the Chilean Telco Mi Internet decided to expand its services. A new pay-TV OTT “Mi Play” should make them available for country-wide customers. Well, now it is one of the most popular platforms in Chile which offers more than 135 full-HD channels. Customers have access to the content on major devices, including web, mobile, and TV platforms. All this builds on the partnership with AlphaOTT™, which offers a wide range of carrier-grade products and services for IPTV / OTT businesses. What was it?
“The service was born with the aim of satisfying the need for pay TV by Mi Internet customers,” said Daniel Halpern, CEO of Mi Internet.
Middleware
The main goal was to deploy an OTT service for the customer base of Mi Play. The first step had to be middleware, which is a feature-rich management system. As AlphaOTT™ offers flexible deployment options (on-premise or cloud-based), the customer decided to use an on-premise solution. We integrated a high-availability cluster for further maintenance. It helps to support server applications that can be reliably utilized with a minimum amount of downtime.
Branded Apps
We provided MiPlay with a wide range of client applications for major platforms, including web, mobile, TV, and Smart TV platforms. Of course, it required customization tailored to Mi Play audience and functionality needs. Choosing the right user interface is helpful by attracting a potential audience and retaining clients.
As AlphaOTT™ offers a few different UI designs, we made a decision based on analysis, Modern UI would be the most appropriate option for such a service as Mi Play. Such a user interface features so-called millennium-style navigation and fits average TV users. So, we ensured an extraordinary experience across multiple platforms and seamless usage.
DRM and Security
Not least important is to ensure the premium content that should be licensed. Mi Internet had many contracts with content owners, so, our task was to provide the company with DRM integrations and multiple level end-to-end security. The second part is necessary to protect the content from unauthorized access and usage.
It was challenging to ensure multi-DRM solutions because the major three platforms (Apple, Android, Microsoft) have their own DRM requirements. So, it was necessary to use all three DRM technologies in the Mi Play ecosystem: Widevine for Android, FairPlay for Apple, and PlayReady for Microsoft. Moreover, we provided support for all approval steps in the application stores.
Billing System
Despite AlphaOTT™’s long partnership with a Chargebee billing provider, Mi Internet preferred to use its own local billing system. Our task was to integrate their billing system with our infrastructure, including middleware and all applications. It was possible to proceed using the AlphaOTT™ API and the support of our developers.
Current Collaboration
Mi Internet is an AlphaOTT™ customer and we deliver maintenance at all stages. What services are we providing at the moment?
- Functionality improvement. Yes, it should be updated regularly. We deploy the latest versions.
- Streaming compatibility on all platforms. One of the most essential points is that all the content should be streamed with integrated DRM technologies. correctly.
- Technical serviceability. It means everything should work properly: subtitles, audio tracks, etc.
“Well, at the beginning we didn’t know much about OTT, but we felt a need to implement it. We were looking for a partner that could analyze our situation and offer a full-stack solution for proper work. AlphaOTT™ approved itself at all stages of our collaboration delivering the best practices and consulting. We are happy to have such a reliable partner”. – Daniel Halpern, CEO of Mi Internet.
AlphaOTT™ is delighted to now build on successful relationships and enable the Mi Play journey from IPTV to OTT mobile and beyond.
Should you have any questions regarding your project? Please feel free to contact us info@alphaott.com +1 (302) 502-0096
