Systems and methods for switching content providers to maintain streaming experience

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving, at a server computer, a request for a first media content item to be provided to a user device;
• and
• in response to receiving the request for the media content item:
• (i) identifying a first application from a first content provider for providing the media content item to the user device;
• (ii) determining, using control circuitry, when the user device is at a first geographical location, whether a second content provider providing the media content item through a second application to the user device will provide better performance than the first content provider providing the media content item through the first application to the user device;
• (iii) in response to determining that the second content provider providing the media content item through a second application to the user device will provide better performance than the first content provider providing the media content item through the first application to the user device, causing transmitting of the content item from the second content provider to the user device through the second application;
• and
• (iv) determining, using the control circuitry, when the user device is at a second geographical location, whether receiving, over the communication channel, the media content item using the second application from the second content provider will provide better performance than receiving, over the communication channel, the media content item using the first application from the first content provider, wherein a time elapsed in between (ii) and (iv) is less than a predefined threshold duration, during which the user device travels from the first geographical location to the second geographical location.

A system comprising:

• control circuitry configured to:
• receive, at a user device, a request for a media content item;
• and
• in response to receiving the request for the media content item:
• (i) identify a first application from a first content provider for receiving the media content item;
• and
• (ii) determine, at a first geographic location of the user device, whether receiving, over a communication channel, the media content item using a second application from a second content provider will provide better performance than receiving, over the communication channel, the media content item using the first application from the first content provider;
• communications circuitry configured to:
• (iii) in response to the control circuitry determining that receiving the media content item using the second application from the second content provider will provide better performance than receiving the media content item using the first application from the first content provider, transmit a request using the second application to the second content provider for the media content item;
• (iv) receive the second content item and displaying the second content item on the user device;
• and
• the control circuitry further configured to:
• (v) determine, at a second geographic location of the user device, whether receiving, over the communication channel, the media content item using the second application from the second content provider will provide better performance than receiving, over the communication channel, the media content item using the first application from the first content provider, wherein a time elapsed in between (ii) and (v) is less than a predefined threshold duration, during which the user device travels from the first geographical location to the second geographical location.