Search Results (23)

As ad-supported subscription models proliferate across over-the-top (OTT) media platforms, understanding the psychological mechanisms and perceptual factors that underlie consumers’ transition decisions becomes increasingly consequential. This study integrates the Uses and Gratifications framework with a contemporary motivation-based perspective to examine how users’ media consumption motivations and advertising attitudes predict intentions to adopt ad-supported OTT plans. Data were collected via a nationally representative online survey in South Korea (N = 813). The sample included both premium subscribers (n = 708) and non-subscribers (n = 105). The findings reveal distinct segmentation in decision-making patterns. Among premium subscribers, switching intentions were predominantly driven by intrinsic motivations—particularly identity alignment with content—and by the perceived informational value of advertisements. These individuals are more likely to consider ad-supported plans when ad content is personally relevant and cognitively enriching. Conversely, non-subscribers exhibited greater sensitivity to extrinsic cues such as the entertainment value of ads and the presence of tangible incentives (e.g., discounts), suggesting a hedonic-reward orientation. By advancing a dual-pathway explanatory model, this study contributes to the theoretical discourse on digital subscription behavior and offers actionable insights for OTT service providers. The results underscore the necessity of segment-specific advertising strategies: premium subscribers may be engaged through informative and identity-consistent advertising, while non-subscribers respond more favorably to enjoyable and benefit-laden ad experiences. These insights inform platform monetization efforts amid the evolving dynamics of consumer attention and subscription fatigue. Full article

In South Korea, Generation Z’s influence on the growth of sports over-the-top (OTT) services is significant. For sustainable growth, OTT service providers need to focus on converting existing users into loyal customers. In this context, understanding Generation Z’s subjective perceptions of the constraints on the continued use of sports OTT services would be meaningful. Therefore, this study aims to identify and categorize the factors constraining Generation’s Z’s continued use of sports OTT services using the Q methodology. A total of 25 Q samples and 18 P samples were selected. The QUANL program was used to calculate the correlation coefficients for each respondent, and Q factor analysis was performed through principal component analysis and varimax rotation. As a result, three types were identified: ‘Demand for improvements in pricing plans and system quality’, ‘Dissatisfaction with subscription fees and demand for diverse content’, and ‘Demand for differentiated services’. The findings of this study suggest that, for Generation Z’s continued use of OTT services, it is essential to provide personalized experiences and benefits or satisfaction relative to subscription fees. On top of that, offering various pricing plans can provide flexibility in service choices and encourage continued use among Generation Z. As such, this study can provide insights into appreciating the consumption trends and factors influencing the continued use of OTT services by Generation Z and interpreting related research results in the future. Full article

This article aims to test, measure and evaluate the quality of voice calls made in a mobile cellular network. A set of drive tests were conducted, during which logs were collected using specialized measurement terminals equipped with a dedicated voice evaluation application. Three different scenarios were considered: the first scenario consisted of a series of mobile-to-mobile calls in a circuit-switched (CS) domain over the GSM network, the second scenario involved similar calls using the VoLTE service in a packet-switched (PS) domain of a 4G network, and the third scenario employed an over-the-top (OTT) media service type via the WhatsApp application in the same PS domain of the 4G network. The measurement results highlight the user experience in each scenario and compare the voice quality evaluated through the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) across the CS and PS domains. The originality of this work consists of in situ measurements performed in Bucharest, Romania, providing detailed, context-specific insights regarding the network performance that can drive local improvements and support policy and investment decisions. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have been increasingly developed and applied in the audiovisual sector. Over-the-top (OTT) services, directly distributed to viewers via the Internet, are associated with a shift towards automation through algorithmic mediation in audiovisual content led by digital platforms. However, scientific knowledge regarding algorithmic recommender systems and automation in OTT services is not yet systemized; researchers, practitioners, and the public thus lack full awareness about the still largely opaque phenomena. To address this gap, we conduct a systematic literature review in the communication domain (2010–2022) and answer four key research questions: What research objectives have been pursued? What concepts have been developed and/or applied? What methodologies have been privileged? Which OTT platforms have received the most research attention? Challenges and opportunities are highlighted, and an agenda for future research is advanced. Full article

Public service media (PSM) are grappling with structural shifts in the audio-visual sector, notably the shift of audiences towards over-the-top (OTT) or subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services. They have also heavily invested in online platforms, adapting their policies to engage digital users on their video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. This paper assesses PSM policies in Britain, Denmark, and Greece, examining initiatives regarding adaptation to the digital era. It explores whether they implement new strategies to expand their digital reach. Data from policy documents and interviews with BBC, DR, and ERT leading executives inform the analysis. Findings showed varied responses among PSM organisations, influenced by market dynamics and the evolution of broadcasting traditions. Full article

With the explosive pace of mobile over-the-top (OTT) video content streaming services, mobile network traffic has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. However, the limitation of antenna performance, the burden of investment cost, and restricted resources hinder improving the current mobile networks’ functionality. Accordingly, wireless device-to-device (D2D) caching networks came to the fore as one of the competitive alternatives for alleviating the overloads of mobile network traffic. Wireless D2D caching networks can be a desirable alternative for OTT service providers and telecommunication operators, but the problem is user resistance. User participation is imperative to deliver wireless D2D caching network functionality successfully. Thus, to gain a deeper understanding of user resistance toward wireless D2D caching networks and their underlying sources, this study introduces two perceived cost factors contributing to this resistance and one perceived benefit that mitigates such resistance. Based on an online survey, this study found new theoretical links among perceived costs and benefits, resistance, and participation intention. The findings reveal that user resistance is predicted by perceived costs, encompassing resource sacrifices and privacy concerns, whereas perceived benefits—specifically, perceived usefulness—did not significantly influence resistance. This implies that telecommunication operators should prioritize market requirements over technological advantages, emphasizing the potential for successful commercialization of wireless D2D caching networks. Full article

As the demand and diversity of digital content increase, consumers now have simple and easy access to digital content through Over-the-Top (OTT) services. However, the rights of copyright holders remain unsecured due to issues with illegal copying and distribution of digital content, along with unclear practices in copyright royalty settlements and distributions. In response, this paper proposes an automated OTT service copyright distribution management system using the Open Digital Rights Language (ODRL) to safeguard the rights of copyright holders in the OTT service field. The proposed system ensures that the rights to exercise copyright transactions and agreements, such as trading of copyright, can only be carried out when all copyright holders of a single digital content agree based on the Threshold Schnorr Digital Signature. This approach takes into account multiple joint copyright holders, thereby safeguarding their rights. Furthermore, it ensures fair and transparent distribution of copyright royalties based on the ratio information outlined in ODRL. From the user’s perspective, the system not only provides services proactively based on the rights information specified in ODRL, but also employs zero-knowledge proof technology to handle sensitive information in OTT service copyright distribution, thereby addressing existing privacy concerns. This approach not only considers joint copyright holders, but also demonstrates its effectiveness in resolving prevalent issues in current OTT services, such as illegal digital content replication and distribution, and the unfair settlement and distribution of copyright royalties. Applying this proposed system to the existing OTT services and digital content market is expected to lead to the revitalization of the digital content trading market and the establishment of an OTT service environment that guarantees both vitality and reliability. Full article

OTT (over-the-top) streaming is a subscription-based video service model that delivers video-on-demand content, films, and series directly to end-users over the Internet, bypassing the need for traditional satellite receiver systems. The most popular OTT service providers include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the viewership rates and subscriber numbers for OTT platforms rapidly increased. Like various other products and systems, usability problems can substantially impact user satisfaction, loyalty, and the intention to continue using OTT services. Therefore, this study aimed to conceptualize the usability of OTT platforms and develop an OTT Usability Measurement Scale for the usability evaluation of OTT platforms based on the Apple tvOS Guidelines and the literature. OTT platform usability was conceptualized with nine constructs, including Accessibility and Customization, Account Management, Data Entry and Search, Branding, Privacy, Navigation, Help, Content, and Design, and the concepts were measured with a scale including 48 items. The validity of the developed scale was tested through two separate survey studies conducted with Netflix web application users. The first survey involved 650 participants. At this stage, an exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the scale’s measurement properties, and the developed factor structure was confirmed. In the second stage, a survey with 600 participants was conducted, and a confirmatory factor analysis was applied to validate the scale properties. Furthermore, a nomological validation of the developed scale was performed, examining the relationship between the acquired OTT factors and elements such as continued intention to use, satisfaction, and brand loyalty. As a result of the nomological validation, it was observed that the privacy and design factors significantly affected each of the three dependent variables. Full article

As the over-the-top (OTT) service market continues to evolve, with new large global players entering the already crowded market, competition between various OTT services for subscribers has intensified. In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of user preference content on the selection of specific OTT services by consumers. Specifically, we employ the conjoint experiment (CE) method to examine consumer utility, relative importance, and marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for over-the-top (OTT) subscription service attributes. Especially, the presence of users’ killer content and its impact on MWTP is the focus of our study. As a result of calculating the MWTP for each attribute, we found that users are willing to pay about 7633 KRW (5.8 USD) for the first-ranked killer content in their first preferred genre. To gain a deeper understanding of users’ willingness to pay for OTT services, we further analyzed the data by age group and the number of OTT services in use. Based on the results, we suggest strategic plans for local OTT operators to compete effectively in the fiercely competitive OTT market. Full article

Supported by artificial intelligence and 5G techniques in mobile information systems, the rich communication services (RCS) are emerging as new media outlets and conversational agents for both institutional and individual users in China, which inherit the advantages of the short messaging service (SMS) with larger coverage and higher reach rate. The benefits can be fulfilled through media interactions between business and smart phone users. As a competitor of over-the-top services and social media apps, the adoption of RCS will play a vital role for mobile users. It is important to conduct quantitative research and reveal the behavioral intention to use (BIU) among RCS users. In this paper, we collect 195 valid respondents from university via an offline experiment and then build a structural equation model consisting of task characteristics (TAC), technology characteristics (TEC), task-technology fit (TTF), performance expectancy (PE), perceived risk (PR), perceived trust (PT), perceived convenience (PC) and satisfaction (SA). We find that SA, PC and PE have direct impact on BIU. TTF has indirect path connecting to BIU via PE and SA. The impacts of PT and PR on BIU are not significant. Performance results show that our proposed model could explain 49.2% and 63.1% of variance for SA and BIU, respectively. Through revealing the influencing factors of BIU, we can point out the user perception of the brand-new interactive channel and then provide the guidance for the large-scale commercialization of 5G RCS. Full article

The quality of experience (QoE) assessment of adaptive video streaming may be crucial for detecting degradations impacting customer satisfaction. In a telecommunication environment, eliminating failure points may be the highest priority. This study aims to assess the QoE level of the video played by the STB device connected to the production TV system. The evaluation has been based on the stalling effects, video quality changes, and the time related to the last decreased bitrate change occurrence. The two-phase continuous clustering approach has been studied to assess the QoE level based on the ACR scale. The number of devices with grades 1 or 2 is relatively low, but those devices generate significantly more events than adequately functioning devices. STBs try to play the highest possible bitrate, and there is no possibility of setting the intermediate bitrate level. The STB player does not have the button to set the quality level, usually available in pure over-the-top applications. Hence the bitrate fluctuations that can annoy customers appear for the lowest grades. The boundary cases can be easily assessed. The outcome should be challenged by the customers’ opinions to find the proper QoE threshold. Continuous clustering may allow telecom operators to assess customer satisfaction with their TV service. Full article

In Internet-of-Media-Things (IoMT) environments, users can access and view high-quality Over-the-Top (OTT) media services anytime and anywhere. As the number of OTT platform users has increased, the original content offered by such OTT platforms has become very popular, further increasing the number of users. Therefore, effective resource-management technology is an essential aspect for reducing service-operation costs by minimizing unused resources while securing the resources necessary to provide media services in a timely manner when the user’s resource-demand rates change rapidly. However, previous studies have investigated efficient cloud-resource allocation without considering the number of users after the release of popular content. This paper proposes a technology for predicting and allocating cloud resources in the form of a Long-Short-Term-Memory (LSTM)-based reinforcement-learning method that provides information for OTT service providers about whether users are willing to watch popular content using the Korean Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformer (KoBERT). Results of simulating the proposed technology verified that efficient resource allocation can be achieved by maintaining service quality while reducing cloud-resource waste depending on whether content popularity is disclosed. Full article

The purpose of this study was to explore strategies for distributing online content of dance post COVID-19 in Korea. And specially to discuss the distribution strategies of online performances through videoization of dance performances and OTT (over-the-top) streaming: (1) Methods: For this purpose, a survey was conducted on the distribution strategy of dance online contents for a total of 100 practitioners such as dance field, video contents, and art management. A total 91 sample were used except for defective questionnaires, and Vavra (1997)’s modified important performance analysis was conducted; (2) Results: The results of the matrix through the modified IPA analysis are as follows: first, the first quadrant included ‘quality of dance performance’, ‘platform for OTT streaming’, and ‘promotion for potential audience development’. This means that both explicit and intrinsic importance are high, and it is an important execution factor that has a positive effect on the satisfaction of the online contents of dance only if it is met. Second, the second quadrant included ‘brand awareness of choreographer or dance company’, ‘creative composition and choreography’, and ‘fee and price criteria’. This is a case of low explicit importance but high intrinsic importance, and these factors are attractive attributes that affect the satisfaction of dance online contents, although consumers do not expect it to be important. Third, the third quadrant included ‘new formats and curation’, ‘convergence technology (AR, VR, 3D, etc.) for the field sense’, and ‘online audience service (communication, membership, etc.)’. This means that both explicit and intrinsic importance are low, and if these factors are met, it can have a positive effect on the satisfaction of viewing of dance online contents. However, it does not have a negative effect even if it is not met. Fourth, in the fourth quadrant, ‘production and editing competency’, ‘quality of videos and sounds’, ‘copyright of performance creation’, and ‘fandom and audience management’ was included. This is an essential attribute in the distribution strategy of dance online contents because it has high explicit importance and low intrinsic importance, and it can have a negative impact on satisfaction when these factors are not met. Full article

The fifth generation (5G) of cellular networks improves the precision of user localization and provides the means to disclose location information to over-the-top (OTT) service providers. The network data analytics function (NWDAF) can further elaborate this information at an aggregated level using artificial intelligence techniques. These powerful features may lead to the improper use of user location information by mobile network operators (MNOs) and OTT service providers. Moreover, vulnerabilities at various layers may also leak user location information to eavesdroppers. Hence, the privacy of users is likely at risk, as location is part of their sensitive data. In this paper, we first go through the evolution of localization in cellular networks and investigate their effects on location privacy. Then, we propose a location-privacy-preserving integrated solution comprising virtual private mobile networks, an independent authentication and billing authority, and functions to protect wireless signals against location information leakage. Moreover, we advocate the continuous and detailed control of localization services by the user. Full article

Quality of service (QoS) requirements for live streaming are most required for video-on-demand (VoD), where they are more sensitive to variations in delay, jitter, and packet loss. Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) is the most popular technology for live streaming and VoD, where it has been massively deployed on the Internet. DASH is an over-the-top application using unmanaged networks to distribute content with the best possible quality. Widely, it uses large reception buffers in order to keep a seamless playback for VoD applications. However, the use of large buffers in live streaming services is not allowed because of the induced delay. Hence, network congestion caused by insufficient queues could decrease the user-perceived video quality. Active Queue Management (AQM) arises as an alternative to control the congestion in a router’s queue, pressing the TCP traffic sources to reduce their transmission rate when it detects incipient congestion. As a consequence, the DASH client tends to decrease the quality of the streamed video. In this article, we evaluate the performance of recent AQM strategies for real-time adaptive video streaming and propose a new AQM algorithm using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks to improve the user-perceived video quality. The LSTM forecast the trend of queue delay to allow earlier packet discard in order to avoid the network congestion. The results show that the proposed method outperforms the competing AQM algorithms, mainly in scenarios where there are congested networks. Full article