iWorld
Vidnet 2019 to discuss untapped potential of OTT-telco partnerships
MUMBAI: In the race to reach a larger audience easily, all the over-the-top (OTT) players in India have struck deals with major telecom players. While all the video streaming platforms in India are still struggling with monetisation, telco platforms have created an alternative route to monetise content. Moreover, the OTT platforms are not limiting the partnership opportunity to telco platforms but also joining hands with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMS), broadband players, smart TVs for a stronger distribution strategy.
According to a report from KPMG, telco partnerships have contributed 30-35 per cent to overall subscription revenue of OTT platforms in FY 19. The revenue from telco partnerships is expected to achieve robust growth in the coming years, although slower as compared to direct subscriptions.
Vidnet 2019 summit is hosting a panel discussion on ‘Captive Audiences of the Telecom Trace’ where experts from the major platforms will share how telco partnerships have helped to gain them more audience and what are the untapped opportunities in the space. “With the unlimited choices today the customer has, it's all about giving the right content to the customer and engaging deeply with what's in the library,” Apalya Technologies co-founder and CEO Vamshi Reddy commented.
The panel discussion will also trace answers to relevant questions like how telcos and OTT players can maximise revenue potential through the partnerships. Moreover, there are large feature phone users existing in the ecosystem. Hence, it will be also discussed if the OTT players can tap these consumers or they are happy just identifying the smartphone users.
However, these partnerships are not only helping the OTT platforms, telco players are being benefitted as well. After the entry of the market disruptor Reliance Jio in 2016, the average revenue per user (ARPU) has sharply declined. Hence, it has become important for the telco partners to encourage more data consumption with lucrative content offerings
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
