HBO

Challenge

HBO contacted Conviva for a full video optimization solution when the premium cable channel became an early mover in the TV Everywhere initiative. HBO’s focus was to provide subscribers with programs and movies on digital platforms, on the go, and at the highest quality possible through HBO GO®. HBO’s partnership expands several years with Conviva including development of their award winning HBO GO® platform.

As a premium cable brand, HBO wants to ensure it is delivering the highest quality video experience available to meet the demand for HDTV quality on multiple devices. HBO also wants to learn from audience online behavior as they continue international expansion in Central Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Solution

HBO signed a 6-year agreement to leverage Conviva’s video delivery optimization product suite. Conviva monitors each viewer’s experience in real-time with Insights and optimizes each stream with Precision. HBO also leverages Insights to effectively retain cable subscribers wanting to access content across multiple devices, on-the-go. Conviva provides extensive expert services including elevating the design and implementation of HBO’s iOS app and providing guidance on strategies to support international expansion including Latin America. Conviva’s expert team built the multi-CDN origin and drove player design.

Result

HBO GO® utilizes Insights and Precision to protect viewers from experiencing interruptions that result in lost audience and decreased viewer engagement. With Insights, HBO GO® has real-time data on each viewer’s Quality of Experience (QoE) and content performance. HBO GO® uses Precision to switch bitrate and stream-source before the audience experiences any disruption (buffering or stuttering), to optimize each stream. HBO GO® has enjoyed significant success. Its high quality video drives more viewers to the cable network and effectively retains cable subscribers looking to access the content they pay for on multiple devices. In the first week, the HBO GO® app reached a million downloads, and today is offered on every major mobile device. In the first month of the Precision launch, HBO captured a 36% increase in viewer engagement. Their quality continues to rank as “best in class” in the industry. HBO GO® viewers watch 321% longer – without interruption.

"We are at the forefront of the industry, leading the way with a new generation of on-demand entertainment, delivering the quality experience fans have come to expect from HBO day in and day out. Partnering with Conviva, with the audience-centric technology and deep expertise we require, has enabled us to reach astonishing growth for our Platform.”
-- Otto Berkes, EVP Technology & CTO