The rise of the Internet has forever altered how people worldwide prefer to consume video and television content. We no longer agree to be passive onlookers who willingly accept whatever those big broadcasting companies feed to them. Not when we can have a say in what we like, dislike, or want to watch. And definitely not when the technologies are smart enough to learn from our TV behavior, pick up on our habits, and provide us with the most exciting content that is precisely suited to our needs.
Once voiceless, the global TV audience now has a more influential role in deciding what content they wish to explore. Traditional network or cable broadcasts attract fewer viewers, being widely replaced by online VOD subscription services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. Their ultimate benefits include significant cost savings, excellent customization options, and maximum flexibility. However, one must also pay the price here in the form of not being able to access regular TV channels.
For those who want to enjoy all the perks of VOD services and also be able to watch the network programming, there is Internet Protocol television (IPTV) available, which provides a large selection of on-demand TV programs via the Internet.
What Is IPTV?
IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is a technology for transmitting a TV signal over Internet communication channels (via the UDP or HTTP IP protocols) used by digital television operators and ISPs. In simple terms, IPTV is what allows you to watch your favorite TV shows when you feel like it, as opposed to settling for whatever is on the air right now. IPTV services usually cost less than cable TV subscriptions and satellite channels while offering the same excellent quality and variety. The most popular types of IPTV are Video on Demand (VOD), live television, and TV on demand.
If you'd like to launch a company that will offer high-quality IPTV (television over IP) services, it is not enough to set up technical infrastructure alone. Services need supporting, selling, and advertising. Your staff needs proper training to handle the tasks they encounter in their daily work. Your customers want to feel that their providers care for them. In short, there is a lot to be done before you can call your IPTV business a success. And one of the most crucial aspects every IPTV provider has to think of is which iptv billing system to use.
Why Is It Important to Have a Good IPTV Billing System in Place?
It should be the top priority for any IPTV streaming service provider to select the perfect billing solution to ensure that all their current and future billing needs are satisfied and that they can keep up with an ever-growing customer base.
By settling for the wrong billing software, you risk subjecting yourself and your clients to multiple issues from sensitive data loss to delayed or missent payments, subscriptions canceled by mistake, and an overall poorer customer experience. To make sure none of the above happens to you, you need to automate as much as possible. The best way to do it is to invest in a reliable and functional iptv billing and subscriber management solution such as Hydra Billing.
What Can Hydra Billing Do for an IPTV Business?
Hydra is an easy-to-use, feature-rich iptv billing platform designed to handle all your billing and invoicing needs professionally and effectively. The solution is fully flexible and expandable, meaning it will grow and transform alongside your business, creating opportunities for profits where others would see nothing but challenges.
Hydra’s best features include customizable billing, recurring subscription management, automatic invoicing, provisioning, customer data tracking, easy CRM and ERP integration, dunning management, etc.
The benefits of using Hydra Billing:
• Optimized daily operations. With Hydra, you will be able to automate the process of charging your customers for their chosen channel packages, manage their subscriptions with ease, and rid your invoicing and collection processes of any human errors.
• Enhanced customer experience. Your customers will love the outstanding self-care experience Hydra provides. With the help of Hydra's Self-Care Portal, your clients will be able to manage their subscriptions, order top-up features, change pricing plans, download invoices and pay online using the most convenient payment method.
• Increased profitability. Integrating easily with CRM/ERP tools, Hydra allows you to enhance your customer service as well as improve the operational viability of your business and the visibility of its crucial processes. By connecting your operating expenses with their ERM results, you will know what you are doing right or wrong and where money has to go to increase your profits.