Real-Time Data Transfer - Wiser Technology

NLP for Superior User Interaction

November 12, 2024January 22, 2025 by Agnes

Client at a glance

Advancing User Experience with AI-Powered Insights

Quantive (formerly Gtmhub) is a leading provider of strategy execution software and services, built on the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) methodology. Their platform helps organizations achieve alignment, enhance visibility, and foster a results-driven culture. Quantive’s platform now offers an enhanced user experience powered by real-time semantic suggestions and predictive analytics. By combining cutting-edge NLP technologies with scalable infrastructure, we empowered Quantive to deliver smarter, faster, and more intuitive interactions that drive customer success.

Challenge

As digitalization drives innovation at unprecedented speeds, Quantive faced the challenge of optimizing its product to offer personalized and seamless user experiences. Specifically, they sought to:

Deliver customized recommendations for OKR creation and management, alleviating the complexity of self-service workflows.
Streamline navigation to Insights, ensuring users could quickly access the most relevant information.
Boost customer satisfaction by automating form fill-ins and improving usability.

Our Approach

To address these needs, we collaborated with Quantive to deliver a data-driven solution that leverages advanced machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) technologies.

Key actions included:

Data Infrastructure:
- Developed a PostgreSQL database connected to an automated pipeline in Azure Cloud.
- Integrated Azure Data Lake and Data Factory for sourcing data from MongoDB, later orchestrated through Azure Synapse for scalability.
NLP Integration:
- Built an LSTM-based neural network using TensorFlow for automatic form fill-ins.
- Deployed a pre-trained Transformer model to generate real-time semantic recommendations for Insights, integrated via gRPC microservices fetching data from a Kafka stream.
Operationalization of ML Pipelines:
- Automated data science workflows using MLflow, Jenkins, and SonarQube for model training, testing, and deployment.
- Set up Grafana dashboards to monitor real-time service accuracy and performance, ensuring ongoing reliability.

Impact Delivered

Precision in Automation: Achieved over 95% accuracy in automatic entity recognition and form completion.
Enhanced Engagement: Significantly boosted customer engagement by providing timely, relevant recommendations.
Increased Usability: Improved adoption of OKRs and Insights features by streamlining workflows and enhancing user satisfaction.
Performance Excellence: Delivered a model service with a mean response time of 150 milliseconds per request, seamlessly handling thousands of customer interactions daily.

Expertise and Scope

Deliverables: NLP-based recommendation system, automated data pipelines, monitoring dashboards
Technology Stack: Python, TensorFlow, Keras, MLflow, Docker, Jenkins, SonarQube, Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, PostgreSQL

Coding for a Safer World

September 20, 2024January 22, 2025 by Sasho

Client at a glance

A Legacy of Global Security

For Wiser, participating in NATO AGS was more than a technical challenge—it was an opportunity to contribute to a mission that strengthens global security. As one of the youngest NATO member countries, this project was a milestone, not just in technical achievement but also in the emotional satisfaction of helping build a safer world for future generations.

Responding to Modern Threats with Advanced Surveillance

The NATO AGS program, with a $1.7 billion budget, represents one of NATO’s largest and most comprehensive surveillance initiatives. Built around five Northrop Grumman RQ-4D aircraft and an integrated Ground segment, AGS provides the Alliance with unrestricted access to persistent surveillance data in near-real-time. This seamless system strengthens NATO’s ability to respond to global challenges with precision and agility.

Our Role in a Multinational Effort

Wiser was one of two Bulgarian companies selected to contribute to NATO AGS, collaborating with prime contractor Northrop Grumman and major subcontractors, including Leonardo. By navigating the unique challenges of NATO standards and stringent security protocols, Wiser delivered solutions that met the program’s high demands and contributed to a safer world.

“Wiser proved to be a trustworthy partner, which we recommend for other projects as well. Their team is highly professional, diligent, and great to work with.“
Franco Berretti, Program Manager, NATO Programmes at Leonardo

Challenge

In a world increasingly characterized by security challenges—including crises in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, as well as global natural disasters—NATO faced the need for timely and coherent intelligence. The Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) program, one of NATO’s most ambitious initiatives, aimed to deliver unrestricted, near-real-time access to wide-area terrestrial and maritime surveillance data. This required a robust software infrastructure capable of processing and managing massive amounts of data while adhering to NATO’s stringent standards.

Our Approach

As part of the NATO AGS initiative, Wiser developed mission-critical software to support the Ground segment at the Main Operating Base in Sigonella, Italy. Our work focused on enabling seamless integration between airborne radar systems and ground stations, ensuring the secure and efficient handling of motion and imagery data streams.

Key contributions included:

Data Stream Processing: Developed a software module capable of processing multiple simultaneous data streams received by the Front End Processor from external sources such as aircraft and ground radars.
Metadata Extraction: Designed functionality to extract metadata and telemetry information from synchronous feeds, converting it into engineering data structures for storage, management, or visualization.
Standards Compliance: Delivered solutions adhering to NATO standards (STANAG 7023 & STANAG 4609), ensuring interoperability and alignment with Alliance requirements.
Visualization Tools: Created tools to support real-time visualization of up to 12 simultaneous video streams and geoTIFF decoding, enhancing situational awareness.

Impact Delivered

Enhanced Situational Awareness: Improved in-theatre intelligence capabilities, enabling effective decision-making in complex environments.
Real-Time Data Processing: Delivered uninterrupted handling of mission-critical information, supporting NATO’s response to diverse challenges, including military conflicts, humanitarian crises, and disaster recovery.
Scalable Architecture: Provided a robust software infrastructure capable of managing massive data loads under stringent security requirements.

Expertise and Scope

Deliverables: Software decoders, video visualization tools, and geoTIFF decoding
Technology Stack: Java, C, C++, C#, NATO STANAG 7023 & STANAG 4609

OTT Video Streaming Platform Migration – Insights & Challenges

September 17, 2024November 7, 2024 by Sasho

The environment

In the ever-evolving landscape of video streaming, growth often demands a transition to more powerful and flexible platforms. Recently, we faced such a challenge with a client who had outgrown their current platform hosted on Vimeo. The task at hand was not just a migration – it was a strategic move to a dedicated, robust, Over-the-Top (OTT) platform tailored to meet the growing demands of their audience.

The steps

Content Migration
User Data Migration
Integration with 3rd Party Platforms
Payment System Transition
Switch Over Planning

Content migration: A herculean task

Migrating content is the most visible and critical part of the transition. This isn’t just about moving video files—it’s about transferring the entire ecosystem: video assets, metadata, subtitles, artwork, and more. The complexity and volume of data made this task more time-consuming than anticipated, highlighting the need for meticulous planning and execution in content migration.

User data migration: Maintaining continuity

User data migration is a sensitive and intricate process. Our task was seamlessly moving user accounts, profiles, settings, watch history, and recommendations. The challenge lay in mapping the legacy data architecture and transferring relevant data to the new system. A crucial aspect of this was handling passwords, which had to be transmitted in hashed form to maintain security and user trust.

Integration with 3rd party platforms

The new OTT platform demanded the integration of fresh APIs, SDKs, and infrastructure. This step was crucial to support the enhanced features and functionality we envisioned for the platform. Adapting to these new technical requirements was a significant hurdle but essential for the long-term scalability and flexibility of the platform.

Payment system transition: InPlayer integration

A subtle yet vital aspect of our migration strategy was the integration of InPlayer for payment processing. This switch was a technical update and a strategic move to enhance user experience and streamline revenue generation.

Switch over planning: The final leap

The final transition from the old to the new platform required careful orchestration. Our goal was to minimize subscriber impact and avoid confusion during the switchover. This phase demanded precise internal communication among our teams and externally with our client’s audience.

Conclusion

This migration project was more than just a technical task; it was a natural learning curve for us. Tackling these challenges sharpened our ability to handle complex OTT platform transitions. We’ve gained many practical insights from this experience, which we’re excited to apply in our future work.

Looking back, we see this project as more than just a platform switch. It was a significant change for both our client and our team. We’re pleased to have managed this complicated process successfully, and it’s given us a new level of confidence in our work in video streaming development.

A Comprehensive OTT Video Streaming Solution for Nova Broadcasting Group

August 30, 2024January 22, 2025 by Sasho

Client at a glance

Shaping the Future of Video Streaming

By delivering a comprehensive OTT solution, Wiser Technology empowered Nova Broadcasting Group to redefine its streaming platform. With full control over its ecosystem and enhanced scalability, NBG continues to lead the market while offering an unparalleled viewing experience.

“We are truly delighted by the high level of competence and responsiveness of Wiser Technology’s team.“
Dirk Gerkens, CEO, Nova Broadcasting Group

Challenge

Nova Broadcasting Group (NBG), a leader in Eastern Europe’s media landscape and part of United Group, sought greater independence and flexibility from its existing streaming platform. While leveraging a prominent global provider, NBG aimed to better control its user experience, accelerate time-to-market, and foster tailored audience engagement. The challenge was to build a custom Over-The-Top (OTT) platform that could scale with its growing user base and meet evolving market dynamics.

Our Approach

To empower NBG with ownership over their streaming ecosystem, we partnered with the group to deliver a tailored solution that combined robust infrastructure with a user-focused experience.

Key actions included:

Custom OTT Architecture: Designed a scalable system built to NBG’s specifications, integrating proprietary and third-party streaming services.
Comprehensive Product Development: Delivered native applications for web, iOS, Android, AndroidTV, and Chromecast, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices.
Distinct Streaming Services:
- Nova Play: Offering live and Ad-Supported Video on Demand (AVOD) models.
- Play Diema Xtra: Supporting live streaming, Pay-Per-View (PPV), and Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD).

Impact Delivered

User Growth: Migrated users and content seamlessly, achieving zero churn and expanding the user base to 600,000 active users.
Enhanced Viewing Time: Increased watch time by 17%, boosting ad revenue per user.
Improved Content Reach: Expanded from four to six live TV channels, meeting audience demands.
Full Ownership: Delivered Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for all front-end applications, enabling NBG to define and lead its feature roadmap.

Innovative Features and Design

The platform offers a superior user experience with:

Dynamic User Features: Personalized profiles, push notifications, watch-later functionality, and continuous play across devices.
Advanced Monetization Models: Supports ad-serving, PPV, and subscription-based approaches for premium content.
Seamless Viewing Options: Integrated DVR functionality for live and recorded streams, allowing users to pause, rewind, and fast-forward effortlessly.

Robust Backend and Scalability

Content Management: Adaptive bitrate streaming ensures optimized delivery across all networks and devices.
Security and Monetization: End-to-end encryption, DRM, and secure monetization tools guarantee safe and reliable revenue generation.
Analytics Integration: Multilayer analytics drive intelligent marketing strategies and actionable user insights.
Infrastructure Stability: Leveraged multi-CDN deployment, auto-scaling, and redundancy to handle high traffic volumes while maintaining industry-leading video quality.

Overcoming Technical Challenges

One significant hurdle involved MPEG-DASH limitations, including static DVR configurations and live-edge adjustments. Our proprietary live stream proxy solution resolved these issues, enabling real-time stream modifications and delivering a seamless user experience.

Agile Execution

The project followed Agile/Kanban methodology, structured into iterative phases, each delivering major features and improvements. Our cross-functional team included Product Managers, a Software Architect, DevOps Engineers, and QA specialists, ensuring alignment with NBG’s strategic goals.

How to achieve broadcast-grade quality in PPV streaming at scale?

June 21, 2024November 7, 2024 by Sasho

Introduction

In the ever-evolving realm of digital streaming, delivering pay-per-view (PPV) content that matches the caliber of traditional broadcast has remained a formidable challenge. Wiser Technology, a leading software service company, stands at the forefront of this challenge, striving to provide millions of global fans with a seamless, high-quality live-streaming experience. This case study aims to succinctly convey the technical prowess and successful strategies employed by Wiser Technology, in partnership with JW Player, to deliver exceptional PPV live-streaming services.

Together, we will dive into how Wiser Technology, in collaboration with JW Player (JWP), successfully achieves broadcast-grade quality in PPV streaming at scale.

The Challenge

The PPV streaming landscape is complex, mainly when providing a broadcast-grade consumer experience at scale without delay. The goal is to course content and replicate the real-life experience of watching a live broadcast.

The Solution

Our quest for optimal technology led us to JW Platform, a robust partner supporting all our infrastructure needs. JW Platform is pivotal in delivering a top-tier web experience, integrating seamlessly with payment systems, entitlements, and more.

JW Player’s Role

JW Player plays an instrumental role in this ecosystem, offering:

World’s Fastest HTML5 Player: Ensuring broad reach, enhanced engagement, and effective monetization.
Customizable Experience: Tailoring the video player to create fully branded experiences.
Broadcast Quality Stability: Ensuring consistent, high-quality HLS DASH-compliant video playback.
Complete API Control: Offering comprehensive control over every aspect of the video experience.

Secure Video Streaming

In the digital age, content security is not just a feature – it’s a necessity, especially for pay-per-view events where exclusivity and revenue protection are paramount. Wiser Technology takes this aspect seriously, employing state-of-the-art Digital Rights Management (DRM) to safeguard video streams.

Wiser Technology’s streaming solution supports a variety of DRM schemas, ensuring compatibility and security across different devices and platforms. These include:

FairPlay

Used primarily in Apple environments, FairPlay is a DRM technology developed by Apple Inc. It’s widely used for streaming content on iOS devices, Apple TV, and Safari on macOS.

PlayReady

Developed by Microsoft, PlayReady is a versatile DRM solution that supports a wide range of business models, including rental, subscription, and electronic sell-through, and is widely used on Windows devices and some smart TVs.

Widevine

Google’s Widevine technology provides multiplatform DRM and supports a range of standards. It’s vital for streaming on Android devices and Chrome browsers and is also used on many smart TVs.

The Result

Our collaboration has led to the seamless streaming of some of the most significant live PPV boxing events, handling peak loads with minimal latency (<5sec), and offloading 95% of traffic to CDNs. Our infrastructure has successfully managed 1,200+ live PPV events annually, with 16K+ requests per second at peak times.

Conclusion

Our journey with JW Player illustrates that achieving broadcast-grade quality in PPV streaming at scale is a goal and a reality. With robust platforms, effective caching, redundancy, auto-scaling, and strategic CDN use, we ensure a smooth and flawless digital adventure for every viewer. At Wiser Technology, we are dedicated to supporting every phase of the content distribution life cycle, collaborating closely with JWP to build and customize OTT services that meet the unique needs of our customers.