What You Need To Know To Select The Right Service Provider

Educating Yourself Before You Talk To Providers
Now that we have covered the background on the service-provider side of the business, when should you make the decision to use them for your streaming media needs and what should you be aware of?

- Cut Through The Hype: Once you have decided to go with a service provider for some or all of your rich media needs, be aware of some basics from a business case as well as a product side of the equation. For starters, realize that the majority of what providers pitch to you is marketing hype. Providers must realize that this is not about the technology or the products. The technology and products mean nothing unless they are the solution to a problem. It is not about the newest or greatest technology but rather the solutions that move your business forward. Providers have different names for their products and services, but the initial service from one provider to the next is pretty much the same.

- The Biggest Myth: The biggest services-provider myth is who offers the best "quality." Many providers talk about how they offer the best encoding or hosting quality, yet from a technical perspective, there are few ways to judge this evenly from one provider to another. No third-party organization provides unbiased, reliable data comparing providers from a level playing field. Remember that service quality is not always based on one factor, such as network speed; it’s usually based on a variety of factors, such as ease of use, price, scalability, and customer service.

- It’s Not About The Technology Or Products: Don’t get so caught up in the providers’ technology and products. While each service provider markets and sells its products and services differently, remember that their technology and products mean nothing unless they solve your problem. Most providers describe their products with words such as "mission-critical," "top-tier" and "cutting-edge." However, if these products do not address the needs of your particular problem, it does not matter how "cutting-edge" their technology is.

Page 3: Choosing The Right Provider Is Easy