blog-main-test | Ben Schwarz

Ben Schwarz

As an active consultant, analyst, and blogger, Ben is recognized as an international thought leader in the converging media space. After ten years in IT at Logica CMG, he became CTO of a music start-up during the Internet bubble. Ben spent the next ten years in telecoms, with Orange, aligning strategy to a world with the Internet. He ran innovation programs launching several media-based services including the operator’s first music streaming service and IPTV in Europe and Africa. Since 2008 he has run his own company, CTO innovation Consulting, now helping international clients with strategy, business modeling, technology. In 2012, he added communications and PR to his portfolio, honing the messaging for several vendors. He has published over a dozen industry white papers and contributes to several blogs. A great believer in the benefits of UHD technology, Ben joined the Ultra HD Forum in 2015 where he works on next-generation TV and entertainment and now chairs the communications workgroup. In 2018, Ben started running communications for a blockchain start-up, RIDDLE&CODE and has been consulting in that area since.

All Articles

Abstract visualization of interconnected network nodes with glowing golden connections overlaid on a digital cityscape, representing cloud-native infrastructure

Mikel Darrigues

12 March, 2026

Cloud-Native Revolution: Harmonic VOS and Red Hat OpenShift Mastering Video Delivery, Cost, and Scale

The telecommunications industry stands at a critical inflection point. High-definition streaming...

7 min read

David Whitehead

22 September, 2025

Brownfield MDU Broadband: Unlocking Revenue with Existing Infrastructure

From Burden to Breakthrough Brownfield multi-dwelling unit (MDUs) are often viewed as complex and...

4 min read

David Whitehead

8 April, 2025

Unified DOCSIS 4.0

Improving quality of experience for each subscriber is the next frontier in subscriber satisfaction...

5 min read

Janet Bean

12 March, 2025

OLT and ONT Interoperability: A New Path Forward

The Evolution of Fiber Broadband Networks As fixed-line fiber optic networks continue their rapid...

2 min read

Nimrod Ben-Natan

21 February, 2025

Harmonic Leads Broadband Industry Transformation

The broadband industry is in a period of critical transformation driven by the rise of DOCSIS 4.0,...

2 min read

Asaf Matatyaou

6 February, 2025

Broadband Operators Pick up the Pace with vCMTS and DAA Adoption

Adoption and deployment of DAA enabled with a virtualized broadband platform are accelerating,...

3 min read

How to Deploy vCMTS: Everything You Need to Know

Juan Chareun

28 March, 2023

How to Deploy vCMTS: Everything You Need to Know

Cable operators are at an important crossroads. With the iCCAP or iCMTS in end-of-life and telco...

9 min read

Best Approaches to Upgrade Legacy Cable Networks

David Whitehead

24 October, 2022

Best Approaches to Upgrade Legacy Cable Networks

An array of challenges is revealing a hard truth about the hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network:...

8 min read

Legacy Systems and Network Modernization

Alex Wong

23 June, 2022

How to Extend the Life of Cisco’s End of Support GS7000 Nodes

Legacy Systems And Network Modernization Necessity for Evolution as End of Life for Legacy Networks...

7 min read

Low Latency Solutions for Cable and Broadband

Daniel Etman

29 April, 2022

Low Latency Solutions for Cable and Broadband

Latency: A Real World Concern with Serious Impact Latency is considered as the time taken for...

7 min read

Understanding the Role of Network Convergence for Rural Broadband

Richard Rommes

25 February, 2022

Understanding the Role of Network Convergence for Rural Broadband

Rural areas are known – and valued – for their slower pace of life. Yet those who live in...

7 min read

Drivers for Virtualized PON & Cloud-Native Broadband Solutions

Richard Rommes

14 September, 2021

Drivers for Virtualized PON & Cloud-Native Broadband Solutions

Virtualized PON enables cable operators to meet the high demand for speed, reliability, and quality...

8 min read

Tony Berthaud

6 September, 2021

How Cable Operators Can Transform Video Services for Sustainable Business Growth

More service providers in the cable industry, including multiple systems operators (MSOs), are...

2 min read

Laying the Foundation for the Next Generation of Broadband Service

Yaniv Ben-Soussan

29 April, 2021

Laying the Foundation for the Next Generation of Broadband Service

New business models are emerging that are moored in digital enablement strategies. Broadband...

3 min read

How Fixed Wireless Access Brings Next-Gen Broadband to Rural Communities

Matthew Uecker

23 March, 2021

How Fixed Wireless Access Brings Next-Gen Broadband to Rural Communities

The U.S. has identified rural broadband as a critical issue requiring robust solutions that can be...

3 min read

Eric Gallier

29 November, 2020

Cloud Portability and Neutrality Become Must Haves For Video Streaming

Global video streaming revenues are expected to reach $184.3 billion by 2027, according to Grand...

3 min read

Shahar Bar

27 November, 2020

Service Continuity for Every Situation or Event

Service continuity is the guarantee that your video is available to subscribers, all the time. It's...

5 min read

Alain Pellen

25 November, 2020

Cost Comparison: On-Premises Vs Cloud Computing

Trying to decide between on-premises vs cloud computing for your video processing and delivery...

8 min read

Jeff Lee

25 November, 2020

Harness the Power of the Cloud for Video Delivery

In recent years, advances in cloud technology and computation has made way for the cloud to play an...

3 min read

David Mouen

23 November, 2020

The Video DRaaS Guide for Video Service Continuity

No television operator or video streaming service provider wants to be responsible for a news...

4 min read

Bring your video workflow to the the cloud

Alain Pellen

2 November, 2020

6 Reasons to Bring Your Video Production Workflow to the Cloud

Upgrading to a cloud workflow for video processing, editing, encoding, storage, and delivery can...

6 min read

Kirby Grines

23 September, 2020

Best Practices for Monitoring Video Streams in Real-Time

The internet has permeated every aspect of our lives, contributing to the rapid proliferation of...

5 min read

Patrick Gendron

20 August, 2020

How Context Adaptive Delivery (CAD) Improves Quality of Experience and Reduces Costs

Due to the COVID-19 global health crisis, we saw Internet traffic surging by 20-40%. More people at...

4 min read

Patrick Gendron

21 July, 2020

How to Deploy a Unified Delivery Model for DASH and HLS at Scale

The video industry has been working hard to create a unified delivery workflow for the predominant...

3 min read

Harmonic Blog: The Business Case for Low-Latency Video Streaming

Ben Schwarz

9 July, 2020

The Business Case for Low Latency Video Streaming

With the explosive growth of subscription VOD services, OTT streaming has already become mainstage...

3 min read

Thierry Fautier

2 July, 2020

HEVC Market Perspectives: Broadcast and Streaming

There is a lot of talk in the industry about AV1 and all of the new MPEG codecs coming out this...

2 min read

Daniel Etman

4 June, 2020

Why Virtualize Cable Access?

2020 has so far seen a significant increase in the number of broadband subscribers being serviced...

5 min read

harmonic-bandwidth-congestion-manage-video-streaming

Thierry Fautier

27 May, 2020

Managing Bandwidth Congestion With Bitrate Reduction for OTT Services

OTT video consumption is rising rapidly. To effectively manage bandwidth congestion, some popular...

4 min read

Eric Gallier

26 May, 2020

Switch to Software Studio Production: 7 Essential Points To Consider

The dominance of software in the media and entertainment industry continues to percolate into the...

4 min read

Virtualized Cable Access Network Solutions

David Whitehead

19 May, 2020

Virtualized Cable Access Network Solutions: Changing the Way We Operate and Manage

Cable operators have traditionally relied on purpose-built hardware solutions such as integrated...

5 min read

David Mouen

14 May, 2020

DTT Evolution: Unified Headends for Spectrum Efficiency and New Compelling Streaming Services

An evolution is underway in the digital terrestrial television (DTT) environment. Major market and...

4 min read

Managing Upstream Broadband Capacity: Addressing Today’s Demands, Preparing for the Future

David Whitehead

7 May, 2020

Managing Upstream Broadband Capacity: Addressing Today’s Demands, Preparing for the Future

The current global health crisis has accelerated usage of broadband access networks almost...

3 min read

Eric Gallier

6 May, 2020

Transcode Video in the Cloud to Streamline OTT Multiscreen Delivery

The number of video streaming devices used per household is growing steadily. Recent research...

4 min read

Thierry Fautier

20 April, 2020

UHD HDR Video Delivery and Cost-Effective, Low-Latency Solutions

Consumers today are watching video on a growing number of screens, and video quality expectations...

4 min read

Eric Gallier

20 April, 2020

The Migration Path to All-IP Infrastructures

The media industry is moving to All-IP infrastructures, and it’s a progressive process. Whether due...

5 min read

Gil Katz

8 April, 2020

Reinventing Broadband Support & Service: Leveraging Software and AI for Greater Quality and Agility

Broadband networks have clearly emerged as an essential lifeline that connects us together. Cable...

3 min read

Thierry Fautier

2 April, 2020

Streaming Traffic Surges: Solutions to Improve the Video Experience

The European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services asked major streaming platforms like...

3 min read

Patrick Gendron

24 March, 2020

Optimizing Live Video Delivery in Today’s Connected World

Today, live video is a key source of news and entertainment for many consumers. What is driving the...

5 min read

Eric Gallier

16 March, 2020

Streamline Channel Origination: The Benefits of Horizontal Integration

The Difference Between Channel Origination and Channel in a Box (Ciab) Many years ago, when CiaB...

3 min read

Alain Pellen

16 March, 2020

Live Sports Streaming and Video Delivery for Today’s Consumers

When you hear the words “video streaming” what generally comes to mind? For many people, it is a...

4 min read

David Mouen

10 March, 2020

Unified Headends for Broadcast and OTT: Deliver Flawless Content to Every Screen

Delivering media and TV channels to affiliates and consumers worldwide has developed into a dynamic...

2 min read

Asaf Matatyaou

27 February, 2020

Key Points to Help You Prepare Remote PHY Deployment

Much has been said about the benefits of remote PHY in terms of reduced CAPEX and OPEX, enablement...

1 min read

Thierry Fautier

24 February, 2020

4K for Sports: Getting the Big Game in UHD HDR

Today’s UHD HDR technology is maturing. However, even with dozens of cameras and specialty...

3 min read

Alain Pellen

21 February, 2020

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI): Tips to Monetize Your Content

Advertising is an effective way to monetize content and is a key driver for business growth....

4 min read

Eric Gallier

17 February, 2020

Your Guide to Start and Expand OTT Channels

Demand for OTT channels is growing, consumer habits are changing, and it’s creating a clear impact...

6 min read

Asaf Matatyaou

9 January, 2020

Cable Access: Trends in 2020 That Will Drive the Industry Forward

2019 was a transition year for the cable industry as market dynamics have started to shift....

3 min read

Thierry Fautier

20 December, 2019

The Current State of OTT Sports Streaming

OTT for sports is becoming increasingly attractive. There are growing investments in content...

5 min read

David Mouen

13 December, 2019

Run Media Processing Software on Private Data Centers: Key Deployment Questions

The video delivery industry is shifting to software and media processing in the cloud. However, for...

3 min read

Alain Pellen

14 November, 2019

5 Ways to Boost Your Revenues with Live OTT Sports Streaming

The numbers show that the popularity of live sports video is at an all-time high. More people are...

3 min read

Patrick Gendron

7 October, 2019

How to Improve QoE for Broadcast Quality Live OTT Streaming – Part 2

In May, we started a blog series on how to improve quality of experience (QoE) in an OTT...

3 min read

Eric Gallier

6 September, 2019

Plug and Play: Why it Matters for IP Simplicity

The media industry is accustomed to plug-and-play devices thanks to technologies like USB and HDMI....

2 min read

Patrick Gendron

29 August, 2019

DASH and HLS: An Update on Low Latency OTT Delivery

With a growing number of OTT service providers counting live sports as an attractive part of their...

4 min read

Eric Gallier

25 July, 2019

Virtualized Playout System Options for Your Video Business

If you are reading this blog, chances are you are looking for an alternative to dedicated hardware...

2 min read

Patrick Gendron

19 July, 2019

Improving QoE for OTT: A Review of Netflix’s Techniques

OTT video consumption is exploding across the globe, with the latest stats from Parks Associates...

2 min read

Jean Macher

11 July, 2019

Why SaaS Is a Smart Choice for Primary Distribution

In the life cycle of a TV channel, “primary distribution” refers to the delivery of a fully...

2 min read

Thierry Fautier

4 June, 2019

5G and 8K: The Big Buzz During International French Tennis Tournament

5G and 8K are two next-generation technologies that are pushing forward the envelope of innovation...

2 min read

Featured Insights

Cloud-Native Revolution: Harmonic VOS and Red Hat OpenShift Mastering Video Delivery, Cost, and Scale

Pushing the Boundaries of Video Innovation ...

Brownfield MDU Broadband: Unlocking Revenue with ...

The Economics of Hybrid Streaming Architectures

The Everything Era: What NAB 2025 Really Told Us ...

Ben Schwarz

All Articles