Paul Bunyan Communications chooses Witbe for live video monitoring technology

Witbe, a global leader in test automation and monitoring technology for video service providers, today announced that Paul Bunyan Communications — one of the largest rural all-fiber-optic network providers in the United States — is using the company’s proactive monitoring technology to remotely monitor channels running on its popular PBTV set-top boxes (STBs). With monitoring data, the service provider can deliver an outstanding quality of experience to customers across several states.

“After talking to Witbe’s friendly and extremely knowledgeable team, and seeing the quality of their products, we knew we weren’t going to find another company that would hold a candle to them,” said Grant Hicok, lead video system engineer at Paul Bunyan Communications. “We place great value on working with partners who understand our challenges and know their own products, and Witbe definitely meets that criteria.”

Witbe’s proactive monitoring technology is capable of automatically monitoring any video service while it runs on a physical device plugged into a Witbox — the company’s signature hardware. The Witbox evaluates the picture and sound quality of the service it monitors just like a human would. Whenever live service quality dips or is interrupted, the team at Paul Bunyan Communications receive immediate alerts to help them resolve errors before their customers even notice. This monitoring data is then compiled in Smartgate, Witbe’s observability platform, where teams can analyze the results across devices, regions, and software versions.

Paul Bunyan Communications is also using Witbe’s Remote Eye Controller (REC) software to remotely access and control any device plugged into a Witbox. With Witbe’s REC, teams can collaborate and virtually monitor PBTV STBs across the regions they operate in.

“Our robust, proactive monitoring technology was designed to help providers keep a reliable eye on their video service 24/7,” said Mathieu Planche, CEO at Witbe. “Witbe’s technology is just as effective and dependable for providers focusing on the specific needs of local markets as it is for global players. Paul Bunyan Communications choosing Witbe’s technology underlines our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that meet the highest standards in the industry, ensuring our customers always have the most effective tools available to them.”