HOT, a large cable television and telecommunications provider, part of the Altice Group, delivers TV, broadband, and communication services. As part of its commitment to service quality, HOT maintains a rich portfolio of linear channels and original programming, supported by a complex and frequently updated Electronic Program Guide (EPG).

As programming schedules become increasingly dynamic, HOT requires a reliable way to ensure that the EPG displayed on viewers’ screens always matched the official metadata published by broadcasters. Having already deployed Witbe’s Witbox devices for remote access and manual testing, HOT expanded the partnership by implementing Witbe’s automated EPG validation technology: designed to verify real on-screen data, in real time, on real consumer devices.

The challenge

Maintaining EPG accuracy during rapid schedule changes

TV programming can change several times per day.

As a result:

• EPG metadata can become outdated within minutes.
• Titles may be removed, substituted, or rescheduled.
• Manual verification cannot keep up with dynamic updates across multiple channels.

This creates operational strain for HOT’s QA teams, who are responsible for ensuring viewers always see correct information when browsing or selecting content.

Prior to automation, EPG verification was performed manually: a standard industry practice, yet one that can be time-consuming when scale and update frequency increase. HOT’s goal was not to fix a failing process, but to introduce automation that supports speed, accuracy, and operational efficiency.

Requirements defined by HOT

HOT outlined a clear set of technical and operational criteria:

• Device-agnostic testing on real set-top boxes
• Network-agnostic operation across all delivery paths
• Full automation to support repeated checks throughout the day
• Ability to read any language metadata with high OCR accuracy
• Seamless integration with HOT’s existing metadata workflows
• Minimal operational disruption during deployment

Witbe’s platform met all these requirements while aligning with HOT’s long-term strategy for evolving QA and monitoring capabilities.

The solution

Automated two-way EPG validation on real devices through Witbe robots

HOT deployed Witbe’s automated testing technology on real consumer devices to validate EPG metadata exactly as a viewer would see it. The system runs continuous checks on key HOT channels using Witbe’s advanced OCR engine, which accurately reads text displayed on-screen.

The automated workflow combines backend metadata with real-device validation:

1. Retrieving the official program data
   HOT’s EPG provider generates a daily XML file for each monitored channel. These files, the official “source of truth”, are uploaded to HOT’s FTP server. The Witbe robot automatically retrieves the relevant file for each test run.
2. Capturing on-screen EPG data
   Using a HOT Streamer connected to the Witbe robot (enabling video capture and remote navigation), the automation opens the HOT application, selects the channel, and analyses the prime-time program information displayed on-screen through Witbe’s OCR engine.
3. Comparing backend vs. on-screen
   The robot then extracts the corresponding program fields from the XML file and compares them to the metadata it captured on the real device. This verifies that the viewer-facing information matches the broadcaster’s latest schedule.
4. Detecting mismatches automatically
   Any mismatch, such as incorrect program titles, missing descriptions, outdated schedules, or unexpected changes is automatically flagged. The results appear in Smartgate dashboards, where HOT teams can review, track trends, and receive alerts for fast correction.

Non-intrusive integration

The solution required no architectural changes to HOT’s systems. It simply adds an automated validation layer that interacts with the same interfaces and devices that viewers use.

Fast, seamless deployment

Automation scenarios were designed, validated, and activated within a short deployment window, with no implementation obstacles reported.

This solution upgraded HOT’s workflow from manual checks to a fully automated, scalable verification process.

The results and benefits

Consistent, real-time EPG metadata validation

HOT now benefits from automated checks running at regular intervals, allowing them to quickly confirm:

• On-screen program information matches the backend XML
• Any metadata fields are missing or outdated
• Unexpected programming changes have been correctly reflected in the EPG

Through this process, HOT has already observed occurrences when the automation detected mismatches or missing data, enabling fast correction.

Centralized reporting and alerting

All validation results are available through Smartgate dashboards, providing:

• Clear visibility into channel-by-channel metadata performance
• Historical and real-time comparisons
• Alarms raised automatically when on-screen data does not match the XML source

Improved viewer experience

Accurate EPG data leads to:

• Better content discovery
• Fewer customer support inquiries
• Increased trust in HOT’s platform
• Lower churn risk

Operational efficiency

The automation brings multiple benefits:

• Reduced manual effort for routine EPG checks
• Faster detection cycles when schedules change
• OPEX optimization through improved workflow efficiency
• A future-proof framework capable of supporting additional automated test scenarios

A foundation for future automation

This project marks the first step in HOT’s broader automation strategy. By leveraging Witbe’s technology, HOT can continue expanding into automated UI testing, channel monitoring, and video quality validation, all on the same Witbox platform.

“Ensuring our viewers receive fully accurate and up-to-date program information is essential to their experience. Witbe’s automation gives us immediate validation on real devices to deliver the high standards our customers expect.” Aviran Barlev, Director of Content Operations at HOT