More service providers in the cable industry, including multiple systems operators (MSOs), are transitioning from traditional hardware infrastructures to software-based solutions to lay the foundation for an ultra-connected future.
Bringing Superior Quality of Experience to Every Screen
U Digital, is an MSO based in Mysuru, India. With a strategic business mission to bring high-quality, engaging digital TV experiences across the state of Karnataka, the operator offers hundreds of television channels and thousands of VOD titles to subscribers on TVs and mobile devices, including smartphones.
Overcoming Challenges to Meet Demands for Engaging Digital TV Experiences
With increased demand for high-speed connectivity and streaming, U Digital wanted to expand its business and grow its subscriber base in South India. To achieve success, the operator needed to overcome specific challenges:
- Accurate video content scrambling
- Roll-out of additional services
- Reach new audiences
- Secure content delivery to ensure only authorized subscribers have access to selected content
Embracing Software to Pave a Path for Service Expansion
U Digital’s requirements led to the decision to replace its existing multiplexer. This change was a spark in the process of U Digital’s network evolution and business transformation. New questions came up around U Digital’s overall existing hardware infrastructure. Hardware limitations included longer time to deploy, expensive maintenance and upkeep, lack of agility and flexibility to launch new, enhanced services.
The operator reached the conclusion that the right path forward was to embrace software-based solutions to gain the flexibility it needed to rapidly grow its business.
Optimizing Resources & Reducing Costs With Software
U Digital teamed up with Harmonic to lead its software transformation. Harmonic’s ProStream® X video stream processor and NMX network management system offered a purely software-based solution for multiplexing and scrambling, with centralized control of all services.
Harmonic deployed the ProStream X and NMX solutions on existing, third-party hardware installed at U Digital. The enhanced processing capabilities and high density of the ProStream X solution allow U Digital to simultaneously encrypt and deliver 600 video services using less of their existing servers.
By freeing up the remaining hardware for other applications, Harmonic’s software solutions provide U Digital with cost savings and enable optimal utilization of resources.
Improving Scalability, Reliability & Efficiency
Software solutions are inherently flexible, scalable and efficient. Harmonic’s NMX provides U Digital with a single-window for operational control, making video delivery simple and easy to manage. With NMX, U Digital can grow and scale its system and video services based on business needs.
Harmonic’s software solutions also improve system reliability. The ProStream X processor ensures reliable scrambling of DVB Simulcrypt applications to optimize system availability and reduce the chance for downtime. The reliability of U Digital’s video services is further strengthened by Harmonic’s dedicated support team, which provides U Digital with 24/7 assistance.
Harmonic’s software solutions streamline the management of encoder statmux pools for U Digital. ProStream X allows non-video packet identifiers (PIDs), such as audio, ancillary data, teletext, subtitling, into the statmux pool. When the bandwidth provisioned for PIDs is not in use, U Digital can reallocate it toward video delivery and enrich the quality of experience for subscribers.
“We are growing rapidly, with a keen intent to keep our customers connected to endless entertainment options,” said Kalegore Manchaiah Manjunath, managing director at U Digital. “Harmonic offers us an efficient, stable software solution with an easy gateway to future expansion. As we launch our streaming services in the imminent future, Harmonic’s solution will support both traditional video delivery and streaming, simplifying our operations.”
Bringing Unrivaled Video Quality to Every Screen
The operator can now support both traditional video delivery and streaming, to easily expand its bouquet of cable video services and attract new audiences. The operator now has a path forward to grow in tandem with evolving subscriber and market demands with the world’s most advanced solutions for video delivery.