Online Video Driving Demand for Multi-screen Services

Next Generation Communications Blog

Online Video Driving Demand for Multi-screen Services

By Susan Campbell

Consumers are beginning to embrace the multi-screen digital lifestyle, blurring the line between traditional broadcast TV and online multimedia content. TV and video are being consumed without fixed program schedules or even a home TV. Connected devices such as PCs, smarpthones, tablets and netbooks are allowing users to adopt a more flexible viewing expereince. The challenge in this industry is that consumers want to be able to watch content on different fevices, creating a demand for true multi-screen services.

In addition to the demand for multi-screen services, consumers also want seamless access to the same content, capabilities and quality of experience (QoE) on any screen, anywhere and at anytime. The demand is proliferating throughout the industry such that an Alcatel-Lucent survey found in 2010 that 71 percent of respondents would use a multi-screen service and 65 percent would be willing to pay for it. Another 63 percent of young consumers would remain loyal to their current provider, if multi-screen services were made available.

When surveying consumers in Western Europe, Alcatel-Lucent found there is extensive interest in multi-screen services among this base. Of all respondents, 50 percent expressed an interest in multi-screen services and 27 percent expressed a strong interest. Smartphone users demonstrated the strongest interest, especially in multi-screen features such as remote PVR, pause and resume and program search.

Alcatel-Lucent has also determined the next evolution in digital media delivery: On-net CDNs. On-net content delivery networks allow network service providers to focus on their core strength – aggregating and delivering content and managing subscribers. These service providers can develop their own next-generation, enhanced on-net CDN capabilities by leveraging their existing network assets and end-to-end infrastructures.

Such capabilities enable the service provider to meet consumer demand for premium online content, as well as become more desirable to content and application providers seeking viable partners in this space. At the same time, service providers can use on-net CDNs to apply their network reach to push content closer to consumers on every platform.

Network service providers can also tap opportunities in premium content delivery and retail, allowing them to leverage their strategic network and subscriber assets to break the current hold in broadband service commoditization. Velocix is designed specifically for service providers seeking to leverage an advanced content-delivery solution to deploy an advanced digital media platform.

With so much demand existing and building in the global marketplace, operators can gain significant market advantage if they can effectively leverage the multi-screen opportunity. Partnering with Alcatel-Lucent and its comprehensive Multimedia Strategy and end-to-end multi-screen solutions will enable operators to speed time to market for such solutions; address consumer demand by extending personalized content, superior QoE and innovative cross screen services across a number of devices; maximize efficiency and eliminate redundancy; and develop profitable media business models.

 



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