Flash Networks Identifies Tipping Point for Mobile Video Viewing Frustration
Harmony reveals minimum service levels required to ensure subscriber satisfaction
HERZLIA, Israel(12 Jun 2012)
Flash Networks, a global provider of intelligent mobile Internet solutions, revealed today minimum quality of experience levels that lead to subscribers abandoning video viewing and downloads. Data was collected from Flash Networks' installed base of dozens of tier-one operators, representing hundreds of millions of subscribers, using Harmony Analytics platform. This information can be used to define and provide service levels that will ensure a positive quality of experience for greater subscriber satisfaction.
The Flash Networks study revealed that subscribers who experienced eight or more seconds of video stalls (buffering) were 73% more likely to abandon video viewing, resulting in customer frustration and possibly churn. This quality of experience metric can be used to determine when and what type of optimization technique to apply to ensure a smooth video viewing experience, and is being implemented in Flash Networks' unique policy-based optimization solution. Relevant optimization techniques include dynamic rate adaptation, adaptive bit rate optimization, and multi-level transcoding.
The study also revealed that some subscribers receive more bandwidth than their usage requires while others aren't receiving enough bandwidth to ensure a smooth video viewing experience. To address this issue, Harmony pinpoints specific areas in the network that are experiencing traffic congestion, whom the affected subscribers are, and the end-to-end experience for specific users, enabling operators to manage service performance proactively and promptly. Harmony is then able to reallocate bandwidth based on the true needs of individual subscribers, thereby ensuring a positive user experience for all.
In addition, by optimizing only where and when required, Harmony ensures a high quality of experience while providing a small footprint solution. This is especially relevant for LTE networks, which are ultra-high capacity networks with enormous amounts of data.
"Data traffic is rising exponentially and, at the same time, expectations and demands for mobile Internet quality of experience are increasing," said Liam Galin, President and CEO of Flash Networks. "While quality of experience reporting is a first step, it's not enough to help operators minimize subscriber frustration; they must also have the capabilities to act upon this information to provide high quality of service and customer satisfaction."
To learn more about Flash Networks' mobile video optimization capabilities, come hear Liam Galin speak at Mobile Video Optimization 2012, June 12 at 11:30 AM at the Marriot Hotel in Brussels, Belgium.
About Flash Networks
Flash Networks, the leading provider of mobile Internet optimization and monetization solutions, enables operators to provide exceptional quality of experience, reduce network operational expenses, and monetize the mobile Internet. With in-depth traffic analytics and user insight, Flash Networks' Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway helps operators manage the explosion of mobile data traffic while generating revenues by offering personalized and targeted content. With offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Flash Networks services over 500 million subscribers daily and is proud to count among its customers top-tier mobile carriers including MTS, Orange, SMART, SingTel Group, T-Mobile, Telefonica Group, and Telekom Austria Group. For more information, visit www.flashnetworks.com.