The telecom industry continues to undergo rapid disruption, especially in how TV services are delivered. With many telcos shifting towards Android TV as the standard platform, operators face the challenge of managing their legacy infrastructure while transitioning to more standardized systems.
However, this transition doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing process. In this blog post, our CEO, Adhish Kulkarni, describes how taking a phased, strategic approach—one that extends the life of legacy devices—can deliver significant financial benefits while maintaining a high-quality customer experience. At Wiztivi, we’ve developed the DANA Framework to help telcos future-proof their business as they manage this critical transition to Android (or any other operating system) for their new generation of devices.
Telcos face a pivot point. On one hand, there’s the promise of migrating to Android. Depending on your choice of model, this offers the possibility of reduced operating costs, standardization, and access to a robust ecosystem. On the other hand, legacy systems, often (but not always) built on Linux, still represent a large portion of their installed base. For example, one of our customers has over a million legacy devices in the field.
The costs of fully replacing these devices are staggering. If we assume an estimated cost of €50+ to replace a device, the total capital expenditure (Capex) involved in swapping out hundreds of thousands of devices quickly adds up! And that’s before considering the increased operational expenses (OpEx) incurred when managing both new and legacy systems simultaneously during the migration. For many operators, this transition period lasts for many years, because even aggressive migration strategies leave legacy devices in the field. One of our customers is still maintaining nine different models of Linux devices!
What do most telcos do in this situation? Many reduce investment in legacy systems, allowing the customer experience on older devices to degrade compared to the new Android-powered set-top boxes (STBs). This often forces consumers to choose between:
1. Upgrading to an Android device
2. Struggling on with an outdated legacy system that offers a markedly poorer user experience than the one featured in their service provider’s advertising campaigns
3. Switching to a Smart TV app
None of these outcomes is ideal. They all increase the risk of losing a customer to a rival service. Replacing legacy devices prematurely results in high replacement costs, while neglecting the user experience on legacy devices makes customers more likely to churn. Even offering Smart TV apps comes with the risk of losing control of the customer experience to hardware manufacturers like Samsung or Apple. We have all seen how this has affected telcos in the mobile phone market!
The bottom line: by neglecting legacy devices, telcos could be spending more than necessary and risking customer dissatisfaction.
So, what’s the alternative? Telcos can extend the life of their legacy devices while maintaining a high-quality user experience. A strategic decision to support these devices for two to three more years could postpone millions of euros in replacement costs at the same time as they reduce the risk of customer churn. The challenge is to find a way to achieve this without driving OpEx and operational complexity.
The solution is cross-platform standardization: using a single application codebase that works on both legacy and Android devices. This approach makes it possible to deliver the same high-quality user experience across all devices without increasing costs.
Wiztivi’s DANA Framework is specifically designed to enable telcos to manage both legacy and Android devices with a single codebase. This allows for a smoother, gradual migration as legacy devices naturally phase out. The framework reduces the operational complexity of maintaining multiple systems and ensures that customers enjoy a seamless experience, regardless of the device they’re using. It also improves time-to-market as you aren’t starting from scratch when developing for each different platform.
With DANA, telcos can spread their Capex over a longer period, improving financial performance, at the same time as they reduce OpEx by streamlining the management of their platforms. DANA is a SaaS platform that can be implemented by an in-house development team or through external partners, offering flexibility and scalability. Customers continue to enjoy a consistent video viewing experience on legacy devices, Android STBs, and even on OTT and Smart TV apps, all from a single set of application code.
Examples of how DANA can be used to create attractive android UI/UX
At this point, you may be wondering how you’ll find a team of developers with the specific skillset to work with the DANA framework. After all, the Smart TV and STB landscape is notoriously fragmented, with many different proprietary operating systems that usually require expensive, specialist skills. One of the key advantages of the DANA framework is that it’s JavaScript-based, which means the majority of developers all over the world are already fully equipped to work with it. Implementing DANA eliminates the need for separate development teams for each platform. With a unified codebase, managed by a single team of JavaScript developers, telcos can maintain and evolve their legacy devices, Android boxes, and Smart TV apps efficiently.
By adopting DANA, telcos can avoid the financial and operational risks of a rushed migration to Android, while ensuring their systems remain flexible for future growth. This not only reduces costs but also gives operators greater control over their customer relationships and product roadmaps.
The transition from legacy devices to a platform like Android is more than a technical challenge—it’s a strategic decision. A measured approach that extends the life of legacy devices, while standardizing platforms across the business, offers significant cost savings and operational efficiencies. Wiztivi’s DANA framework provides the tools to manage this transition seamlessly, future-proofing your TV platform for years to come. And becuase it's tech-agnostic, it gives the same benefits whether you’re migrating to Android or another modern platform.
Want to know more about managing the transition from legacy devices to Android? Wiztivi has years of experience supporting telcos in growing their TV business. Our experts are ready to discuss the benefits of a balanced migration approach. Meet us in Hall 1 at IBC 2024, or contact our team to arrange an initial conversation.
You can also download our best practice e-guide to cross-platform success: