The video streaming industry is one of the most promising and fastest growing industries of the new era. By the end of 2023, the number of people around the world using over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services is anticipated to increase by over 85 percent. ZTE Corporation, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the mobile internet, together with Turk Telekom, one of the largest fixed-line operators in Turkey, has commercially deployed the largest IPTV/OTT platform in Turkey. turkey ott

To replace the legacy platform on the existing network, ZTE has successfully completed the cutover of nearly one million set-top boxes (STBs), the integration with over ten third-party vendors, and the delivery of more than ten types of terminals and over a thousand customized functions. The new platform adopts an integrated video platform architecture and supports smooth evolution, providing brand-new viewing experiences for users.

In recent years, Turk Telekom has been aimed to provide its over 10 million subscribers with more functions and more diverse video content. To achieve this goal, it has partnered with ZTE to build a new video platform integrating both IPTV and OTT.

The new platform features great UI design, rich functions, a stable system etc.

This platform, featuring great UI design, rich functions, a stable system, and many TV service scenarios, can provide users with superior viewing experiences. Moreover, it allows access to more than ten types of terminals, including Android TV STB, Smart TV, IOS/Android mobile devices, and PC. This can greatly satisfy the needs of users in different scenarios.

As for maintenance, ZTE offers customized cutover tools and a non-stop upgrade system, as well as various visual maintenance tools, which greatly simplify the maintenance work.

All the subscribers of Turk Telekom have been migrated to ZTE’s new platform

ZTE provides many great services like big data analysis and processing, sales promotion strategies, intelligent advertising management, smart search, and smart recommendation while introducing the Google ecosystem. All these are expected to bring the customers more value-added service scenarios and more flexible operation approaches.

Currently, all the subscribers of Turk Telekom have been migrated to ZTE’s new platform. As an industry-leading provider of multimedia video products, ZTE serves over 200 million users from its more than 120 commercial cases in over 40 countries around the world.

Moving forward, ZTE will stay committed to the technology evolution and service innovation of big video products, providing users with superior viewing experiences, and exploring new applications in the industry. turkey ott

Turkey regulates online streaming platforms turkey ott

In 2018, after serious debate, the European Union amended its Audio-visual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU to cover VOD streaming platforms such as Netflix and, in certain aspects, video-sharing platforms such as YouTube. The revised EU AVMS Directive introduced regulations concerning, among others, the monitoring of harmful content and commercial communications, more distinctly defined and extended the obligations to protect minors on video-sharing platforms, and required VOD media service providers to host at least 30 percent European content in their catalogue. The Turkish ‘Regulation on Radio, Television, and On-Demand Broadcasts on the Internet’, which came into force fully on 1 September 2019, follows the footsteps of the 2018 amendment to the EU AVMS Directive in certain respects. In addition to setting forth a significant range of requirements for service providers, two major highlights of the Regulation include introducing a licensing obligation necessary to provide on-demand content and subjecting all on-demand content to Turkish broadcasting rules and principles.

OTTs are now subject to linear TV regulations turkey ott

In addition to the licensing requirements, further requirements for media service providers and internet broadcasting platforms are imposed under the Regulation, which includes enabling parental control over broadcasts that might harm children and complying with the Turkish Broadcasting Law (eg, applying the RTÜK’s broadcast content rules as well as disclosing information to the RTÜK regarding their broadcasts
and revenue).
Following the entry into force of the Regulation, the President of the RTÜK announced that they have received more than 600 licence/authorisation applications from service providers including Netflix, BluTV, PuhuTV, Vodafone TV, Turkcell TV+, Digitürk, and Tivibu. Meanwhile, a cancellation action has been filed by the Ankara Bar Association arguing that the Regulation violates the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press by potentially causing arbitrary censorship.