Telstra deepens Digital Media capabilities,Launches Ooyala,Akamai

Telstra has launched two new Digital Media solutions designed to enable organisations to be more successful online. The new products, Online Video Solution and Content Delivery, offer customers industry leading platforms to help achieve a better end user experience and maximum business results when providing online services, video and applications.

Online Video Solution is powered by Ooyala, a leading video innovator and Telstra subsidiary. It combines Ooyala’s video publishing and analytics technologies with a number of Telstra value added services. For customers deploying their online video strategy, it creates a simplified content distribution method to web, mobile and social channels – whether it’s live or on-demand content – while analytics optimise viewer engagement and ad placement in near real time.

Philip Jones, Executive Director, Global Products and Solutions, Telstra explained, “As the world’s thirst for mobile and social media-ready video content continues to grow exponentially, so too does the desire for a more personalised and higher quality viewing experience. Brands and media companies are becoming more strategic with their approach by looking to cloud platforms and data analytics to better engage viewers and drive monetisation as a science.

“With the new Online Video Solution – powered by Ooyala, users have access to one flexible and scalable solution – whether it’s in a marketing context or ad-funded business model – that helps ensure success in the online content market,” he said.

Keith Budge, Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Ooyala, said, “Video is vital for every company’s digital media strategy today and Telstra’s Online Video Solution provides a compelling cloud TV offering for content owners to build a lucrative business with their video. With Ooyala IQ, Ooyala’s advanced analytics, Telstra’s Online Video Solution customers can also understand how their audiences are engaging with their content in ways that were never before possible, providing the insight to intelligently program their video across all screens to maximise revenue.”

The second offer, Content Delivery – powered by Akamai, brings to life a new strategic partnership between Telstra and Akamai. The scalable platform offers customers a comprehensive suite of optimisation and security technologies to accelerate their online service and website performance for end users, while also protecting against online threats that can cause downtime and data theft.

“For the majority of our customers, success online has become critical. From e-commerce and financial services, to media and web content, companies doing business online face numerous challenges. Speed is critical, as nearly half of web users expect a site to load in two seconds or less. When it doesn’t they tend to leave, and often don’t come back. The new Content Delivery platform will help our customers drive more secure, higher-performing experiences for end users that can adapt based on internet conditions, device type and peak demands,” Mr. Jones said.

Graeme Beardsell, Managing Director, Markets, Asia Pacific & Japan at Akamai, said, “The proliferation of content consumption online requires infrastructure that can deliver web and media content at scale and at very high quality. By partnering with Akamai, Telstra will now be able to provide Akamai’s globally-distributed content delivery platform to customers who want to enhance online experiences, in the right format, across all devices, securely and efficiently.”

According to Jones, today’s news represents another significant milestone in Telstra’s Digital Media Solutions strategy, and follows the recent announcement that Telstra intends to acquire Globecast Australia, a leading provider of media services for broadcasters.

“Telstra’s Digital Media Solutions portfolio continues to expand at pace and shape our domestic and global capabilities for long-term success. We see great synergies between Telstra and our key digital partners like Akamai and Ooyala, and by working with some of the best in the industry we will strengthen our ability to deliver innovative new solutions in an increasingly digital world.

“A great example of the depth and quality our digital media capabilities now on offer for our customers is the recent partnership announcement with Racing Victoria. Its’ new model, integrating capabilities from the Telstra Digital Video Network, Ooyala and Chief Entertainment, is one of the first of its kind in Australia and demonstrates a truly disruptive approach to sports broadcasting,” he concluded.