The effect of binge-watching on the subscription of video on demand: results from randomized experiments

We analyze the outcomes of two randomized field experiments to study the effect of binge-watching on subscription to video on demand. In both cases, we offered access to subscription VoD (SVoD) to a random set of households for several weeks and used another random set of households as a control group. In both cases, we find that the households that binge-watch TV shows are less likely to pay for SVoD after these free trials. Our results suggest that binge-watchers deplete the content of interest to them very quickly, which reduces their short-term willingness to pay for SVoD. We also show that recommendation reminders aimed at widening the content preferences of households offset the negative effect of binge-watching and lessen the concerns of binge-watchers with lack of content refresh. We discuss that these recommendation reminders may help content providers manage supply costs, which may otherwise become prohibitive with frequent updates to SVoD catalogs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nas nuvens ou fora delas, eis a questão

Mestrado em Sistemas de InformaçãoO proposito desta dissertação é contribuir no sentido de uma melhor compreensão sobre a decisão de ir ou não ir para uma solução na cloud quando uma organização é confrontada com a necessidade de criar ou expandir um sistema de informação. Isto é feito recorrendo à identificação de factores técnicos e económicos que devem ser tomados em conta quando planeamos uma nova solução e desenvolver um framework para ajudar os decisores. Os seguintes aspetos são considerados: • Definição de um modelo de referência genérico para funcionalidades de um Sistemas de Informação. • Identificação de algumas métricas básicas para caracterizar performance e custos de Sistemas de Informação. • Analise e caracterização de Sistemas de Informação on-premises: Arquiteturas Elementos de custo Questões de Performance • Analise e caracterização de Sistemas de Informação Cloud: Topologias Estruturas de custo Questões de Performance • Estabelecimento de framework de comparação para a cloud versus on-premises • Casos de uso comparando soluções na cloud e on-premises; • Produção de guidelines (focadas no caso das clouds publicas) Para ilustrar o procedimento, são usados dois business cases, ambos com duas abordagens: uma dedicada aos Profissionais de IT (abordagem técnica), outra aos Gestores/Decisores (abordagem económica).The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute towards a better understanding about the decision to go or not to go for cloud solutions when an organization is confronted with the need to create or enlarge an information system. This is done resorting to the identification of technical and economic factors that must be taken into account when planning a new solution and developing a framework to help decision makers. The following aspects are considered: • Definition of a generic reference model for Information systems functionalities. • Identification of some basic metrics characterizing information systems performance. • Analysis and characterization of on-premisis information systems: Architectures Cost elements Performance issues • Analysis and characetrization of cloud information systems. Typology Cost structures Performance issues • Establishment of a comparison framework for cloud versus on-premises solutions as possible instances of information systems. • Use cases comparing cloud and on-premises solutions. • Production of guidelines (focus on public cloud case) To illustrate the procedure, two business cases are used, both with two approaches: one dedicated to IT Professionals (Technical approach), other to Managers/Decision Makers (Economic approach)

Designing and prototyping WebRTC and IMS integration using open source tools

WebRTC, or Web Real-time Communications, is a collection of web standards that detail the mechanisms, architectures and protocols that work together to deliver real-time multimedia services to the web browser. It represents a significant shift from the historical approach of using browser plugins, which over time, have proven cumbersome and problematic. Furthermore, it adopts various Internet standards in areas such as identity management, peer-to-peer connectivity, data exchange and media encoding, to provide a system that is truly open and interoperable. Given that WebRTC enables the delivery of multimedia content to any Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled device capable of hosting a web browser, this technology could potentially be used and deployed over millions of smartphones, tablets and personal computers worldwide. This service and device convergence remains an important goal of telecommunication network operators who seek to enable it through a converged network that is based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). IMS is an IP-based subsystem that sits at the core of a modern telecommunication network and acts as the main routing substrate for media services and applications such as those that WebRTC realises. The combination of WebRTC and IMS represents an attractive coupling, and as such, a protracted investigation could help to answer important questions around the technical challenges that are involved in their integration, and the merits of various design alternatives that present themselves. This thesis is the result of such an investigation and culminates in the presentation of a detailed architectural model that is validated with a prototypical implementation in an open source testbed. The model is built on six requirements which emerge from an analysis of the literature, including previous interventions in IMS networks and a key technical report on design alternatives. Furthermore, this thesis argues that the client architecture requires support for web-oriented signalling, identity and call handling techniques leading to a potential for IMS networks to natively support these techniques as operator networks continue to grow and develop. The proposed model advocates the use of SIP over WebSockets for signalling and DTLS-SRTP for media to enable one-to-one communication and can be extended through additional functions resulting in a modular architecture. The model was implemented using open source tools which were assembled to create an experimental network testbed, and tests were conducted demonstrating successful cross domain communications under various conditions. The thesis has a strong focus on enabling ordinary software developers to assemble a prototypical network such as the one that was assembled and aims to enable experimentation in application use cases for integrated environments

An Analysis of Coalition-Competition Pricing Strategies for Multi-Operator Mobile Traffic Offloading using Bi-objective Heuristics

In a competitive market relationships between telecommuni- cations operators serving simultaneously over a certain geographical area are diverse and motivated by very different business strategies and goals. Such relationships ultimately yield distinct pricing portfolios depending on the contractual affiliation of the user being served. Furthermore a key role in the last decade is the concept of tethering (connection sharing) which, when controlled by the operator, may help alleviating the con- sumption of network resources in densely populated scenarios. In this work we investigate the application of bi-objective heuristics for the de- sign of Pareto-optimal network topologies leading to an optimal Pareto between the revenue of the incumbent operators in the scenario and the quality of service degradation experienced by the end users as a result of tethering. Based on computer simulation this work unveils that such a Pareto-optimal set of topologies is strongly determined by the market relationships between such operators

Les opérateurs sauront-ils survivre dans un monde en constante évolution? Considérations techniques conduisant à des scénarios de rupture

Le secteur des télécommunications passe par une phase délicate en raison de profondes mutations technologiques, principalement motivées par le développement de l'Internet. Elles ont un impact majeur sur l'industrie des télécommunications dans son ensemble et, par conséquent, sur les futurs déploiements des nouveaux réseaux, plateformes et services. L'évolution de l'Internet a un impact particulièrement fort sur les opérateurs des télécommunications (Telcos). En fait, l'industrie des télécommunications est à la veille de changements majeurs en raison de nombreux facteurs, comme par exemple la banalisation progressive de la connectivité, la domination dans le domaine des services de sociétés du web (Webcos), l'importance croissante de solutions à base de logiciels et la flexibilité qu'elles introduisent (par rapport au système statique des opérateurs télécoms). Cette thèse élabore, propose et compare les scénarios possibles basés sur des solutions et des approches qui sont technologiquement viables. Les scénarios identifiés couvrent un large éventail de possibilités: 1) Telco traditionnel; 2) Telco transporteur de Bits; 3) Telco facilitateur de Plateforme; 4) Telco fournisseur de services; 5) Disparition des Telco. Pour chaque scénario, une plateforme viable (selon le point de vue des opérateurs télécoms) est décrite avec ses avantages potentiels et le portefeuille de services qui pourraient être fournisThe telecommunications industry is going through a difficult phase because of profound technological changes, mainly originated by the development of the Internet. They have a major impact on the telecommunications industry as a whole and, consequently, the future deployment of new networks, platforms and services. The evolution of the Internet has a particularly strong impact on telecommunications operators (Telcos). In fact, the telecommunications industry is on the verge of major changes due to many factors, such as the gradual commoditization of connectivity, the dominance of web services companies (Webcos), the growing importance of software based solutions that introduce flexibility (compared to static system of telecom operators). This thesis develops, proposes and compares plausible future scenarios based on future solutions and approaches that will be technologically feasible and viable. Identified scenarios cover a wide range of possibilities: 1) Traditional Telco; 2) Telco as Bit Carrier; 3) Telco as Platform Provider; 4) Telco as Service Provider; 5) Telco Disappearance. For each scenario, a viable platform (from the point of view of telecom operators) is described highlighting the enabled service portfolio and its potential benefitsEVRY-INT (912282302) / SudocSudocFranceF

It's Working: How the Internet Access and Online Video Markets Are Thriving in the Title II Era

Financial and marketplace evidence demonstrates that the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order is an absolute success, accomplishing its stated goal of preserving and promoting the online ecosystem's "virtuous cycle of investment." ISP investments accelerated following the vote (e.g., aggregate capital expenditures by publicly traded ISPs have risen by more than 5 percent during the two-year period since the FCC's February 2015 vote; investments in core network technology at cable companies during that same time period are up by more than 48 percent). Investments in the edge, including those by online video providers and edge computing firms, are up as well (e.g., capital expenditures by firms in the U.S. data-processing sector increased 26 percent in the year following the FCC's order while there was just 4 percent growth in the year prior). More new U.S. "over-the-top" video services launched in the two years following the vote than in the seven years prior. Furthermore, the certainty the FCC's action created spurred the entry of numerous pay-TV full replacement providers, with vertical carriers such as AT&T now distributing (and others poised to distribute) their pay- TV services via other ISPs' last mile networks.In sum, the 2015 Open Internet Order and accompanying legal classification decision settled the prior uncertainty about open, nondiscriminatory broadband telecom service access. What followed that decision was a historic period of U.S. investment and innovation

Learn How to Experiment: The Development of a Corporate Accelerator

Incumbent high technology organizations’ responses when facing digital disruption present an important area for research in the field of strategy and innovation management. In times of increasing environmental dynamism and uncertainty, these firms, which previously have relied on strong capabilities in research and development, supported by experiential learning, find themselves unable to learn about new markets and technologies in a satisfactory pace. This study argues that these firms must learn to experiment in order to facilitate development of new businesses, thus enabling organizational renewal and adaptation to the changing environment. As little is known about how incumbents may achieve this undertaking, this thesis sets out to answer the following question: How do large established firms learn how to experiment in order to develop new businesses? Through an in-depth case study of a large multinational telecommunications company, I follow the establishment of a corporate accelerator aimed to support systematic experimentation- driven venturing in new strategic business areas. The study draws on multiple sources of data, including field observations, interviews and archival data. The findings, which amount to a grounded model depicting the process of learning how to experiment, are discussed in the light of corporate entrepreneurship theory, the emerging literature on accelerators as enablers of experimentational learning, and organizational learning literature. I identify six distinct learning mechanisms that transpire partly in parallel, partly sequentially over three distinct phases. These learning mechanisms are referred to as (1) schematic arms- length vicarious learning; (2) coactive vicarious learning; (3) unlearning of conflicting corporate practices; (4) replication across the organization; (5) deliberate learning; and (6) adaptive replication of corporate practices

Algoritmos evolutivos multiobjetivo con codificación Dandelion para el trazado de estrategias de descarga de tráfico oportunista en redes multioperador

Telekomunikazio operadoreen hazkuntzarekin, bai operadore handiak, azpiegitura, antena eta irrati espektro propioak dituztenak, bai operadore birtualak zerbitzuak aurrekoei baliabideak alokatuz eskaintzen dituztenak, gaur egun, operadore asko daude azalera geografiko berean zerbitzuak ematen. Bakoitzak bere politika eta estrategia propioekin, bezeroei zein prezioei dagokionez. Gaur egungo merkatuan, operadore guztiak elkarrekin lehiatzen dute ahalik eta bezero kopuru handiena lortzeko asmotan eduki dezaketen errekurtso muga kontuan hartu gabe. Bezero bat operadorearen estaldura eremuan sartzen denean, automatikoki beharrezko baliabideak erreserbatzen dira berarentzat eta konexioa uneoro mantentzen da nahiz eta erabilera konstantea ez izan. Proiektu honetan, dispositibo edo gailuen konexio modu berri bat aurkezten da: operadoreak hasitako tethering-a. Tethering-a, errekurtsoen banaketa estrategia bat da, zeinak dispositibo bat tarte nodo bezala funtzionatzea ahalbidetzen duen. Modu honetan, operadoreak kudeatuta gailu bakarrarentzat errekurtso erreserba egin daiteke nahiz eta gehiago zerbitzatu. Gainera, content catching mekanismoak gehituta, tarteko dispositiboak cache bezala erabiltzea ahalbidetu dezake sareko edukiak bezeroengana hurbilduz. Proiektu honetan operadoreek euren artean aplikatzen dituzten erlazio-politika ezberdinen efektua aztertzen da, operadoreak izango dituen irabazietan eta tethering konexioen eraginez erabiltzaileak jasandako kalitate murrizketan. Politika hauek sortutako sarea eta emaitzak baldintzatzen dituzte, aztertutako bi parametroetan. Koalizio eta konpetentzia erlazioak zehaztuko dira hauei zuzenean erlazionatutako eta optimizazio multiobjetibo algoritmo baten bidez, Harmony Search, lortutako pareto-optimoak diren sare topologia ezberdinak proposatuko dira.Con el aumento en el número de operadores de telecomunicaciones, tanto grandes operadores que cuentan con infraestructuras propias y espectro de radio con licencia, como operadores virtuales que explotan las infraestructuras de los primeros para ofrecer servicios, actualmente varios ofrecen servicios simultáneamente en la misma área geográfica. Cada uno de ellos, con sus propias políticas y estrategias en cuanto a clientes y precios. En el mercado actual, todos los operadores compiten entre sí para conseguir el mayor número de clientes posible, sin tener en cuenta la limitación que puedan tener en los recursos disponibles, ya que cada usuario conectado a la red, supone reservar un ancho de banda específico y mantener esa conexión a pesar de que no esté en uso constante. En este proyecto, se plantea una nueva manera de conexión de dispositivos; tethering iniciado por el operador. El tethering es una estrategia de compartición de recursos, en la que se permite que un nodo se conecte a través de otro a la red, reservando así únicamente el ancho de banda necesario para uno de ellos. Además, añadiéndole el mecanismo content catching permite que el dispositivo intermedio pueda funcionar a modo de caché, acercando ciertos contenidos a los usuarios. En este proyecto, se estudia el efecto que las diferentes políticas relacionales de los operadores tienen tanto en los beneficios de los propios operadores como en la calidad de servicio recibida en los clientes. Estas políticas aplicadas, condicionarán los resultados obtenidos, tanto económicamente como en la degradación de la calidad de servicio debida al tethering. Se establecen relaciones de coalición y de competencia entre operadores y se proponen diferentes topologías Pareto-óptimas vinculadas a ellas, obtenidas mediante un algoritmo de optimización multiobjetivo: Harmony Seach.With the increase of the number of telecommunication operators, nowadays there are many operators offering services over the same geographical area, those operators can be big ones, who have physical infrastructure and spectrum license, or virtual operators who offer services exploiting the infrastructures of the big operators. Each one has its own politics and strategies regarding to clients and pricing. In the actual market, all the operators fight with each other for achieving the maximum number of clients as possible, without taking into account the physical resources limitations due to the maintenance of the connection of each user in spite of they aren’t using it constantly. In this Project a new connection way is laid out; operator started tethering connection. Tethering is a connection sharing strategy in which a node is allowed to reach the net thought other node’s connection saving this way the resources needed for one of the nodes. Besides, it allows the intermediate node work as a cache, bringing closer some contents to other users. In this work the application of bi-objective heuristics for the design of Pareto-optimal network topologies is studied depending of the different relational policies applied by the operators. This policies, will condition the obtained results, influencing the revenue of the incumbent operators in the scenario and the quality of service degradation experienced by the end users as a result of tethering Coalition and competition relationships are established between operators and different network topologies are proposed. These topologies will be obtained by the heuristic Harmony Search Algorithm