Managing OTT with Local Content Delivery

By Alan Arolovitch, PeerApp

Content caching brings many benefits as operators work out how to cope with the astounding growth in demand for Internet video and other OTT content driven by "Broadband First" consumer behavior. We use the term "Broadband First" to describe new behavior patterns for content consumption. Today, many consumers are switching to broadband as their primary means of accessing entertainment, even if they still pay for cable TV. Whether it's watching TV programs, movies, or live sporting events, Broadband First consumers spend more time streaming content from the Internet to their laptops, connected TVs, tablets and phones than watching traditional linear TV.

To manage this deluge of OTT content, the most popular Internet content must be brought closer to end-subscribers to enable faster downloads. A local approach to content delivery allows operators to deliver globally originated content from a local source, ensuring QoE and offloading the network, which also yields significant cost savings. This approach can also be used to cache upstream traffic, which is expected to grow as software publishers have hinted at peer-to-peer (P2P) as an update vehicle. Upstream caching can prevent or delay expensive node splits. This article will discuss how local content delivery works and its benefits for OTT content downloads and upstream caching.

A tipping point in the industry

As the industry reaches a tipping point where streaming OTT content is now the norm, new approaches are needed to deliver the huge volumes of Internet video and other OTT content demanded by consumers. Streaming the OTT content across the broader Internet each time a user requests access is no longer the most effective approach - even when aided by a global CDN. The most popular content must be brought closer to end-subscribers for faster delivery.

A local approach to content delivery allows operators to deliver globally originated content from a local source; this offloads the network to ensure QoE and significant costs savings. With a local content delivery model, buffering and stalls should be eliminated, improving the viewing experience and thereby retaining or improving the consumers' satisfaction with his broadband service provider.

How does local content delivery work?

Local content delivery offers an open CDN-like layer that sits within and augments next-generation broadband networks, resolving the performance and scale bottlenecks seen in today's global content delivery model. By leveraging local content delivery, operators can realize payback on the network investments they have made.

In contrast to scaled out global CDNs, local content delivery offers dense subscriber coverage in a low footprint, serving 5,000-100,000 subscribers per node. By delivering video, Web, media and live streaming content in close proximity to the users, local content delivery eliminates content access latency, increases content delivery scale by one to two orders of magnitude, and reduces end-to-end network costs by more than 50%. Local content delivery also enables the sustained throughput required by HD and UltraHD (4K) video applications.

What are the benefits?

Both consumers and operators benefit from local content delivery. As mentioned previously, QoE has a high impact on subscriber satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is one way that operators can differentiate their brand. In addition to delivering high QoE, local content delivery can positively impact operational effectiveness by reducing both CAPEX and OPEX costs, letting operators retain full control of their network, and enhance network management.

It is both an exciting and challenging time for broadband operators. Moving content closer to the subscriber lets operators tackle some of the challenges, while opening the door to new opportunities. By accelerating last mile delivery via an open, local content delivery solution, operators can deliver the highest QoE to subscribers while reducing costs.

Alan Arolovitch is the chief technology officer at PeerApp. Reach him at [email protected].