how telcos can revolutionize the way we use streaming services

There’s a new age issue: It’s called subscription fatigue

Being able to watch a whole TV series in a single, or a few evenings has become the new normal. Netflix started the ride; Amazon, HBO, Apple TV, and a list of streaming services followed. The issue we see now, however, is that viewers are becoming fatigued with the number of streaming services. Keeping up with the latest ‘must-sees’ requires dozens of subscriptions with different providers. For customers, it’s becoming an overwhelming, costly and fragmented affair.

The siloed nature of today’s streaming services frustrates customers

In relation, Deloitte’s Annual Digital Media Trends survey found that almost 50% of U.S. customers are frustrated by the number of subscriptions required to watch the shows they want.

Not only are multiple streaming services expensive, but the sheer navigation between them is painfully tedious. Fragmented switching between streaming services completely contrasts with modern customer expectations of everything being seamless.

So what? You may ask. Customers are just going to have to deal with it.

Well, there is a substantial risk of letting customers deal with it. Because picture this: To watch a single show, new users must create a new account entirely. They must go through all the steps: set up a payment plan, and think of a new password (next to the 38 other passwords they already have scattered in the cloud). It gets to a point where using a friend’s credentials is simply a lot less effort.

The key message here: Customers will always pick the path of least resistance. The quickest journey to achieve their goal. Logging in with a friend's credentials is a whole easier than having to create a new account.

The result? Customers are increasingly sharing passwords between them. It becomes an identity nightmare that, in turn, creates a range of security issues. Especially since 80% of hacking-related breaches can be circled back to passwords. In addition, streaming providers can potentially miss out on revenue and the opportunity to have a meaningful engagement with viewers.

So, how can streaming services avoid streaming fatigue and eliminate password sharing?

Telecom Operators can function as brokers for streaming services
Rather than going after subscription fatigue and shared accounts, why not leverage the dominant customer interface of the telecom operator?

Beyond reselling, telcos can offer easy and timely access to streaming content from different streaming providers. Successively, this can result in a far better - and more synthesized - watching experience.

Besides, consolidated streaming content could reduce administrative effort for users. Simplify payments and account creation. Finally, it would enable users to easily – and legally – share gated content with friends and family.

In turn, users' incentives to freeload streaming content, or share their passwords, will be minimized.

New capabilities enable Business Growth and improve User Experience
OneWelcome provides out-of-the-box capabilities that simplify and secure access to digital services. With a focus on users and companies, we empower both parties to be in control.

In practice, it looks like this: Your customers can bring their own identity to log on. You can then dictate access, based on access policies, user attributes and subscription data. Just like social sharing, subscribers can simply invite friends to watch the TV shows that they like - and every viewer gets their own account.

It’s a win-win.

Streaming services can reduce risk-related activities, increase viewer engagement and ensure great content reaches viewers in an effortless and perfectly legal way.

Telcos are left with more insights into customer priorities and preferences. Knowing who invites who lets you leverage recommender systems to increase conversion and improve retention in compliance with privacy regulations.

Reimagine – and unify – the world of subscriptions
Let’s take a step back to find some inspiration in traditional broadcasting models. Changing between channels was easy – seamless. This is not to say that we must go backwards; we are by no means ready to give up on the world of ‘watching’ convenience. But a more unified approach to disparate streaming services is indeed needed. Telcos might just pave the way to realize this.

Any thoughts on this? Feel free to shoot me a message on LinkedIn.

about the author

Ward Duchamps has an extensive experience in Identity and Access Management. Currently, he serves as VP of strategic partnerships at OneWelcome. Ward was the founder and CEO of Scaled Access, a specialist in fine-grained and policy-based authorisation, which has recently been added to the OneWelcome product suite. Ward also co-founded miaa Guard where, as the company's CTO for over a decade, he successfully led a team that integrated CIAM technology for several corporate customers. Before that, Ward was part of Deloitte as Director of security and privacy services.

ward.duchamps@onewelcome.com

Ward Duchamps

VP Strategic Partnerships, OneWelcome