Integrating IPTV into ISP Network
Are you currently a provider of internet services? If so, you should know that you can quite easily and quite significantly expand your business and make more money by offering IPTV services as well.
Many ISP businesses have been taking this step in recent years and benefiting greatly as a result. If you think that you might be able to make this move or if you would like to, then you should know that it's not really all that difficult, nor does it have to be very expensive, though there are, of course, some upfront costs involved.
However, you can quickly make these costs back and then some if you are smart about it. The key is just to go into the change prepared and knowing a few things upfront. If you can do that, then you can end up having great success with integrating IPTV services into your current ISP services. And, luckily for you, we've got some great tips and information to get your journey started off on the right foot. If you follow our simple tips, not only will you end up with an awesome IPTV provider, but you should also connect better with your clients and end up with a wider, more loyal customer base that will set your business up for success.
Many ISP businesses have been taking this step in recent years and benefiting greatly as a result. If you think that you might be able to make this move or if you would like to, then you should know that it's not really all that difficult, nor does it have to be very expensive, though there are, of course, some upfront costs involved.
However, you can quickly make these costs back and then some if you are smart about it. The key is just to go into the change prepared and knowing a few things upfront. If you can do that, then you can end up having great success with integrating IPTV services into your current ISP services. And, luckily for you, we've got some great tips and information to get your journey started off on the right foot. If you follow our simple tips, not only will you end up with an awesome IPTV provider, but you should also connect better with your clients and end up with a wider, more loyal customer base that will set your business up for success.
Offer Unique Content
The first step in integrating IPTV services into your current business model is to make sure that you have something unique to offer your clients, often referred to as "niche content." This is content that everyone else DOES NOT have but that a base group of people are interested in- so interested in that they would be more than willing to pay extra in order to be able to access it.
Finding out what "base group" of people you seek to appeal to and what kind of content they would be interested in will take some work upfront. You will likely need to do a lot of demographic research to find out what kind of content everyone else doesn't have and that people are interested in. And, out of that content, you will also need to determine how you can access it, what it will cost you, and how you will deliver that content to customers. This part of the process does take some time and work, but, once you get past it, it's easily sailing from there.
Without niche content, you are just going to be competing with all of the other big name providers out there. And, while that's certainly not impossible, it's a lot more difficult than just having your own "brand" or "specialty" that you can capitalize on. So, unless you are ready to compete with the "big dogs" in the television services industry, start thinking about some kind of niche content that you can access, buy, and/or create and offer to potential clients to get them interested in and subscribing to your services.
You'll enter the game one step ahead if you can go ahead and have a content plan in place and have that same content ready to be offered to users in a convenient, straightforward, and attractive way.
Finding out what "base group" of people you seek to appeal to and what kind of content they would be interested in will take some work upfront. You will likely need to do a lot of demographic research to find out what kind of content everyone else doesn't have and that people are interested in. And, out of that content, you will also need to determine how you can access it, what it will cost you, and how you will deliver that content to customers. This part of the process does take some time and work, but, once you get past it, it's easily sailing from there.
Without niche content, you are just going to be competing with all of the other big name providers out there. And, while that's certainly not impossible, it's a lot more difficult than just having your own "brand" or "specialty" that you can capitalize on. So, unless you are ready to compete with the "big dogs" in the television services industry, start thinking about some kind of niche content that you can access, buy, and/or create and offer to potential clients to get them interested in and subscribing to your services.
You'll enter the game one step ahead if you can go ahead and have a content plan in place and have that same content ready to be offered to users in a convenient, straightforward, and attractive way.
Broadband Infrastructure
Another really nice thing about adding on IPTV offerings, in addition to being able to offer money-earning niche content, is that you can use your existing broadband structure.
While you will need to make some basic changes and additions to the technology that you already have, your broadband technology will actually work with you so you do not have to make any very expensive changes in order to start offering IPTV services and earning more money and gaining more clients in the process. This- the fact that HUGE changes are not typically necessary, is perhaps one of the most major benefits of expanding to offer IPTV services.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that not ALL broadband infrastructure will necessarily be compatible with the changes that you are seeking to make, though most modern infrastructure is. As long as you have modern compression technology, you can typically get away with offering quality television services with as low as 700kbps per user.
If your bandwidth doesn't meet these minimum requirements, though, you would need to make some fairly costly adjustments to your current technologies. And, even if you are at the lower end of the allowed spectrum, you should be aware that picture quality and/or size may suffer with lower minimums, so you may still need to make some changes.
Changes, though, should not completely deter you from branching out into this new area. As long as you can fit the related costs into your budget and make plans to not only recoup your costs but also to profit in the long-run, then it is still a worthwhile integration to consider making.
While you will need to make some basic changes and additions to the technology that you already have, your broadband technology will actually work with you so you do not have to make any very expensive changes in order to start offering IPTV services and earning more money and gaining more clients in the process. This- the fact that HUGE changes are not typically necessary, is perhaps one of the most major benefits of expanding to offer IPTV services.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that not ALL broadband infrastructure will necessarily be compatible with the changes that you are seeking to make, though most modern infrastructure is. As long as you have modern compression technology, you can typically get away with offering quality television services with as low as 700kbps per user.
If your bandwidth doesn't meet these minimum requirements, though, you would need to make some fairly costly adjustments to your current technologies. And, even if you are at the lower end of the allowed spectrum, you should be aware that picture quality and/or size may suffer with lower minimums, so you may still need to make some changes.
Changes, though, should not completely deter you from branching out into this new area. As long as you can fit the related costs into your budget and make plans to not only recoup your costs but also to profit in the long-run, then it is still a worthwhile integration to consider making.
Finding the Right Solutions Provider
Whether you are going to be required to make changes to your infrastructure or not, you should be aware that you certainly do not have to go through this big change all on your own. There are actually a great many companies nowadays that specialize in helping ISP services to begin offering IPTV services or to expand their current IPTV offerings. These companies typically offer suites of software and hardware solutions and more that can help you to get your plans off the ground.
While you could potentially launch your new services without the help of one of these companies, it is typically not recommended to do so unless you have very extensive experience with and knowledge of the IPTV industry. Even then, you are still taking a risk- more of a risk than you would by trusting one of these companies. That is because, not only do such companies have helpful tools and services to offer you, but they also know the industry inside and out, can provide you with valuable information about your competitors, and can also help you to promote your new services to the right people and in the right way, so it really is best to go with this option.
The vast majority of companies have suites and services that are ready and made to work with broadband infrastructure, even those that do not yet meet the minimum requirements. Thus, if you do have the infrastructure in place, then you are typically good to go when it comes to working with these services. If you do not, then you can still work with them; you just may need to be prepared to spend a bit more money. You can and should request pricing information upfront so that you are not met with any unwelcome surprises.
With that said, do not assume that all "switch over" services are the same. There are a lot out there, due to the recent surge in ISP companies switching over to also offer IPTV services. Make sure you choose one that, in addition to all of the features discussed here, also offers you VoD capabilities, CatchUp capabilties for users, and all the other things that modern-day customers want and demand in their services, including the ability to "go mobile" and to take their viewing experience to all of their devices.
Thus, with that said, you really want to do your research when it comes to choosing a company to help you. Look for one that has knowledge and experience in the industry- not one that is just looking to get in on the "gravy train." Also, compare prices from one service to the next to find the best possible pricing to meet your budget while still enabling you to offer high quality services that will build and/or maintain your reputation.
As you can see, integrating IPTV services isn't all that difficult, but it does take some commitment and effort on your part. As long as you are willing to do your piece, however, then you should benefit greatly from making this positive change in your business structure.
While you could potentially launch your new services without the help of one of these companies, it is typically not recommended to do so unless you have very extensive experience with and knowledge of the IPTV industry. Even then, you are still taking a risk- more of a risk than you would by trusting one of these companies. That is because, not only do such companies have helpful tools and services to offer you, but they also know the industry inside and out, can provide you with valuable information about your competitors, and can also help you to promote your new services to the right people and in the right way, so it really is best to go with this option.
The vast majority of companies have suites and services that are ready and made to work with broadband infrastructure, even those that do not yet meet the minimum requirements. Thus, if you do have the infrastructure in place, then you are typically good to go when it comes to working with these services. If you do not, then you can still work with them; you just may need to be prepared to spend a bit more money. You can and should request pricing information upfront so that you are not met with any unwelcome surprises.
With that said, do not assume that all "switch over" services are the same. There are a lot out there, due to the recent surge in ISP companies switching over to also offer IPTV services. Make sure you choose one that, in addition to all of the features discussed here, also offers you VoD capabilities, CatchUp capabilties for users, and all the other things that modern-day customers want and demand in their services, including the ability to "go mobile" and to take their viewing experience to all of their devices.
Thus, with that said, you really want to do your research when it comes to choosing a company to help you. Look for one that has knowledge and experience in the industry- not one that is just looking to get in on the "gravy train." Also, compare prices from one service to the next to find the best possible pricing to meet your budget while still enabling you to offer high quality services that will build and/or maintain your reputation.
As you can see, integrating IPTV services isn't all that difficult, but it does take some commitment and effort on your part. As long as you are willing to do your piece, however, then you should benefit greatly from making this positive change in your business structure.