Why Doing Nothing Costs More: Domagoj Bartolić Brings Hard Truths on Legacy IPTV/OTT Streaming Platforms to IBC 2025
The greatest risk for today’s video service providers isn’t just fierce competition from global giants like Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime. It’s the hidden tax of clinging to outdated IPTV and OTT platforms—systems that drain budgets, frustrate subscribers, and stall growth in a fast-moving market. For operators still tethered to legacy infrastructure, the chilling reality is this: doing nothing is costing more every day.
On Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 10:15 AM in Hall 4 (4.C20) of IBC Amsterdam, Domagoj Bartolić, Product Owner at UniqCast, will cut through the noise in the panel “Upgrade Options for Online Video Services.” Bartolić brings real-world no b.s. insights, sharing how leading video service providers across Asia, Europe, and Africa have successfully navigated the complicated shift from legacy IPTV/OTT platforms to future-proof solutions while minimizing churn and optimizing costs.
The Silent Peril of Legacy Platforms: Why Staying Put is Risky Business
The global video streaming market is booming, projected to hit $434.5 billion by 2027 (MarketsandMarkets), with IPTV subscribers alone expected to grow to 174 million in 2025 (Digital TV Research). Yet, behind this growth lurks a harsh truth for many operators: their foundational technology is failing them.
Legacy IPTV/OTT platforms are often characterized by:
- Lack of essential modern features such as personalized recommendations, multiscreen support, and targeted advertising.
- Unresponsive vendor support and stalled development pipelines.
- Old, clunky UIs driving poor user experience and increased churn.
- Inflexibility that obstructs quick adaptation to evolving consumer demands and emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and cloud-native architectures.
- Growing operational costs and vendor lock-in, making upgrades more expensive and riskier than starting fresh.
Operating under these legacy constraints means operators face slower user growth while watching competitors deliver Netflix-style experiences across smart TVs, mobiles, and OTT devices.
Bartolić and the UniqCast team attest, “The price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change.”
Upgrading or Replacing? The Real Dilemma Behind Legacy Modernization
The panel at IBC 2025 will dive deep into whether operators should patch and upgrade existing infrastructures or commit fully to a new platform that supports cloud, SaaS, and virtualization.
The reality uncovered by UniqCast’s extensive legacy replacement projects:
- For many operators, the complexity and expense of upgrading legacy systems exceed the cost of replacement.
- Migration involves challenges such as STB compatibility, DRM integration, seamless subscriber data migration, and retraining users on new UI/UX experiences.
- However, the benefits of replacement pay off quickly, including enhanced flexibility, faster rollout of new features, and better scalability for surges (e.g., during sport events or esports streaming).
Bartolić, leveraging UniqCast’s multi-continent legacy replacement experience—including striking successes in Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, and Bosnia Herzegovina — will share practical lessons on minimizing service disruption and customer loss, alongside tips on choosing the right technology mix.
Lessons from the Field: Real-World Success Stories That Defy the Legacy Curse
UniqCast’s frontline expertise shows that legacy replacement is not just a theory but a proven path to profitability and sustainability.
- In Sri Lanka, Dialog Axiata replaced a previous platform and integrated hybrid DVB-S/OTT STBs in under 6 months, vastly improving user experience and cutting costs.
- Azerconnect in Azerbaijan launched a modern, future-proof service that included STB migration.
- HT Eronet had a seamless IPTV/OTT platform upgrade with expert on-site operational support from UniqCast, ensuring uninterrupted service.
Such case studies underpin a growing industry consensus: modern IPTV/OTT platforms with cloud-native, microservices architectures and built-in CDN and multi-DRM support are essential for long-term competitiveness.
The ROI of Change: Turning Legacy Replacement into a Competitive Advantage
While the upfront investment in legacy replacement may seem daunting, the financial upside is compelling:
- Reduced operational expenses by retiring outdated hardware/software maintenance.
- Increased ARPU through personalized content, interactive advertising, and upselling via integrated TV stores.
- Lower churn rates as subscribers enjoy improved UX and device parity.
- Faster time to market for innovative features thanks to modular, scalable architectures.
UniqCast’s whitepaper highlights key KPI improvements operators can track post-migration: subscriber growth rate, customer retention, viewer engagement, and service availability—all crucial for investor confidence and long-term growth.
Looking Ahead: Why Procrastination Is the Real Enemy in 2025 and Beyond
With 5G becoming widespread, AI-powered recommendations transforming content discovery, and multi-device streaming now table stakes, legacy platforms are not just outdated; they actively inhibit innovation.
Operators who hesitate risk being outpaced by agile entrants and global OTT leaders. Domagoj Bartolić will emphasize at IBC that those who act decisively today will own the market tomorrow.
Meet Domagoj Bartolić and the UniqCast Team at IBC 2025
Join Domagoj Bartolić on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10:15 to 11:00 AM in Hall 4 (4.C20) to gain real, actionable insights on upgrading online video services that go beyond buzzwords.
UniqCast is your single point of responsibility partner for turnkey IPTV/OTT/DVB platform replacement projects across five continents. With proven technology, deep migration expertise, and a relentless focus on premium user experience, UniqCast empowers operators to future-proof their services and slash total cost of ownership.
If you are attending IBC 2025 book a meeting with out IBC team here.
For those who can’t make it to IBC or want to start planning now, download UniqCast’s comprehensive whitepaper on legacy replacement or visit uniqcast.com/replacement to learn more.
