Ecast Connects Jukeboxes with AirLink Gateways

Ecast operates the largest broadband touch-screen media network in the United States, delivering on-demand music, advertising and other forms of entertainment to more than 10,000 digital jukeboxes in bars and nightclubs throughout the country. The company currently reaches more than 42 million listeners each month and serves some 4 million paid ad sessions per month, with an average of 2.3 viewers per sessions.

Challenges

In order for customers to access the Ecast online database, the jukeboxes must have continuous Internet access. Traditionally, this Internet connectivity was provided by local broadband operators. Reliance on local broadband providers resulted in
numerous agreements and customer service issues for both Ecast and the jukebox
operators.

Having to count on landline access resulted in long lead times (up to six weeks) for new installations and severely restricted the mobility of the jukeboxes if the facility owner wished to move it to a new location. Similarly, maintenance and repair of the jukeboxes were subject to the same cost and scheduling issues.

From an administrative point-of-view, Ecast incurred significant costs negotiating, managing and renewing individual contracts with local broadband providers across the country. They were also unable to leverage their size and scope to secure lower cost Internet access and services.

Solution

Ecast began searching for an alternative Internet access solution and discovered the Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X intelligent gateway, which offered a single-source, lower cost means of providing reliable Internet connectivity to each of its remote jukeboxes.

Within six months, Ecast had deployed 500 AirLink devices in jukeboxes across the
Country. Ecast is now able to quickly demonstrate and install jukeboxes, and operators are no longer burdened with long lead-times and costly installations and maintenance.

The Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven-E solution has resulted in significant benefits to Ecast
and their operators:

• Increased flexibility – Wireless jukeboxes are no longer restricted by the location of landlines and can easily be relocated to the most profitable location
• Reduced operating costs – Contract negotiation and management of local broadband service providers is significantly reduced
• Vendor Consolidation – Consolidation of new customers into a single network provider and communications platform enables a common management and support structure
• ROI - Simplifies jukebox deployment; Rate of monthly jukebox installations has increased by 600 percent

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For more information, or for sales inquiries, please contact Sierra Wireless or one of our distributors.