E-vison to start consolidated OTT streaming next year
UAE residents will be able to access all of their favourite OTT (Over-the-top) platforms offering film and TV content on a single consolidated service, without the need to subscribe to each OTT separately.
E-vision, a subsidiary of e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group, will launch the consolidated OTT streaming services next year, a senior executive told the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
"Subscription fatigue of customers” [compulsion to subscribe to several streaming services at a time] has prompted the E-vision to launch a consolidated service," said Zahra Zayat, chief commercial officer of E-vision.
In an interview with WAM at the Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi, she explained that such a consolidation can technically be done overnight, but there is huge resistance from international OTT players in the market.
“They do not want to be next to their competitors, especially weaker ones. From our side, we want our customers to get direct access to them [all OTT services together]. Sometimes customers can access them through their mobile phone numbers. So, we have found a way to do it,” Zayat revealed.
“It is an opportunity to create a clear winner in the market, aggregating all streaming services under one umbrella as a one-stop shop.”
Asked the practicability of such a solution, given the resistance from the OTT players, she said: “Once you start onboarding some platforms, others will fear to remain standalone.”
Speaking about the potential number of OTTS in e-vision's upcoming consolidated service, she said: “We are actually open to everyone. Because we have a fragmented customer base in terms of language and taste. So, we truly want everyone.”
Zayat was a speaker at a panel discussion titled “Outlining media investment trends and how they will affect media landscape” at the Global Media Congress, which was moderated by Asif Ismail, a Washington-based journalist, producer and publisher.
It is an opportunity to create a clear winner in the market, aggregating all streaming services under one umbrella as a one-stop shop.” Zahra Zayat, Chief commercial officer, E-vision