In our latest whitepaper, What Happens When Free Runs Out?, we will examine how operators can capitalize on the expected decline of the OTT players’ dominance in the personal storage space. Google, for example, already has introduced usage limits on its freemium subscription model in part because its users are consuming increasing amounts of its cloud resources. The exponential pace of personal data content creation – digital photos, videos and more – is out of balance with the infrastructure investment required to keep that content in the cloud. As OTTs look to recoup costs by pulling back on free or low-cost offerings, consumers are presented with a stark choice between accepting these new usage limits or finding an alternative that might deliver greater value. Many may now reconsider who they choose as their cloud provider.
Clearly, we are at an inflection point in the personal cloud marketplace. There is a real opportunity for operators to take advantage of the personal cloud market upheaval and to double-down on efforts to raise subscriber awareness of cloud offerings. By launching attractive personal and family plan cloud offerings that suit the needs of consumers and align with their lifestyles, operators are well-positioned to acquire increased market share in this space.
The fact is that telecom operators can make a compelling case when it comes to convincing consumers to use their personal cloud offering, especially one that delivers more benefits and features than OTT platforms. Here are just two reasons why:
- Cloud users today want more than a simple “collect and store” service. They also expect a high level of security and privacy. Operators are seen as a logical option to provide such capabilities as they already have earned an excellent reputation for their ability to protect their subscriber accounts. In contrast, OTT cloud platform privacy policies and their practices in deriving revenue from a user’s content are increasingly under fire by both users and regulatory agencies.
- Subscribers want one-stop convenience. Telcos who offer reasonably priced bundled deals that include unlimited personal cloud storage for everyone on a multiline group data plan means those subscribers won’t need to worry about exceeding cloud use limits or managing multiple cloud accounts, multiple cloud bills or multiple cloud passwords.
For operators, the growing global personal cloud opportunity – one that is expected to be valued between $15 billion and $25 billion in less than five years – gives them the opportunity today to create differentiated services, provide more value for their subscribers and improve the overall user experience, as long as they can put together a convincing offer that combines ease of use and the right price point.
Download a copy of “What Happens When Free Runs Out?” to learn more about why operators are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the growing consumer dissatisfaction with OTT cloud platforms.
Visit our website to discover how the Synchronoss Personal Cloud for Telcos offering can enhance subscriber value, provide personalized subscriber experiences and increase revenue.
