Challenges of OTT Testing

OTT testing includes testing video, data, voice, and capabilities of the OTT app on the internet. Testing ensures customer experience, network speed, security, and connectivity. OTT services depend on many network components, infrastructure setups, and application components.

FREMONT, CA: Streaming is one of the most important methods for distributing content. Streaming content is more popular than satellite TV, rentals, and other modes of consuming content. It is essential to provide the users with the best quality services, and it is important to test to create a seamless user experience. In over-the-top (OTT) testing, testers check every product feature to ensure it works without errors or disruptions from outside sources.

The tester must consider many factors when testing OTT, such as the network, browser compatibility, hardware specifications, latency, and buffering time. Even one component error can cause OTT testing to fail, making the testers face significant challenges.

In testing an OTT platform, testers face many challenges, including:

Response Time in different networks: OTT services require fast internet connections. Buffering can take a long time if the data transfer rate is low. Slow-loading content may cause users to stop using the product and switch to another. Testing the OTT platform at different network speeds is essential to ensuring its performance.

Cross-Device Issues: There are OTT platforms that work on computers, smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, and any other internet-enabled device. Since all devices may not be available to the testing team, OTT testing presents a significant challenge.

Cross-Browser Issues: Browsers can also access OTT applications. Testers guarantee compatibility across a wide range of browsers. It is essential to perform cross-browser testing on OTT applications, and OTT applications may require help to test across various browsers with different versions.

Issues caused by user interaction: OTT users may need help understanding all the underlying issues in the application because they are not technically qualified. Customer feedback might be negative if they need help understanding why there is a slow network speed. The testers' job is to test all these scenarios and provide solutions that explain the problems to the customers in simple terms.

Traffic overloads: Traffic overload can sometimes lead to glitches due to popular events and streaming shows. The result can be negative feedback. For popular content, it is challenging to determine the maximum number of consumers.