March 2016 X-PLATFORM 33
Embracing SVoD opportunity in APAC
by warren chaisatien
The release of our November 2015 Mobility Report highlighted the impressive acceleration in mobile traffic that will take place across the world over the next five years . It also captured the dynamism of the global marketplace , offering insight into the way this growth is being shaped across different regions , occurring at vastly different speeds and driven by diverse market factors .
In the Asia-Pacific , where a 10-fold increase in data traffic is projected between 2015 and 2021 , these trends highlight the potential value of entry for over-the-top ( OTT ) video operators .
Consistent with global trends , this growth will be largely attributed to video traffic , and highlights Asia-Pacific ’ s burgeoning embrace of a TV Anywhere world .
Intense growth in connectivity
The demand for OTT services and mobile TV viewing is inherently linked to access to mobile infrastructure and connected devices . Consequently , Asia-Pacific , which is on the edge of a massive consumer
Vidcheck , a designer and producer of software for automated quality control and correction of file-based media , recently conducted a ‘ Cloud Reality ’ webinar , which shared the thoughts and experiences of senior broadcast executives currently exploring the potential of cloud technology both for content management and as a medium for reaching directly to viewers .
A key theme emerging , reviewed Howard Twine , COO of Vidcheck , is one of increasing choices in the way TV channel man agers balance the mix between dedicated hardware , virtualised producton tools running on inhouse servers , and service-based resources for data storage and forwarding .
The cloud is a blend of technologies and business practices , said Dan Siewers , executive director of systems engineering at Fox ( TV Film & Sports ). Addressing the
Today , SVoD providers have a key opportunity to make an impact while the landscape in Asia-Pacific is still relatively young , says Ericsson .
shift , is ideally placed to capture new audiences as we move into the Networked Society . Between 2015 and 2021 , Asia-Pacific will double global smartphone additions , contributing 1.58 billion out of three billion additions globally . This will create unparalleled opportunities for video providers to extend their customer reach .
The reality that , in five years , mainstream and niche-content providers will be able to invite billions more customers to enjoy their content , anytime , anywhere , is reflected by the huge amounts of traffic expected during this time .
By 2021 , APAC is forecast to generate 40 % of total smartphone traffic . With connectivity on the rise , OTT and subscription-videoon-demand ( SVoD ) services have a strong incentive to launch services in the region .
Increasing subscription beyond the horizon
Despite the massive growth in smartphone and OTT subscriptions , penetration is still only at a fraction
What ’ s the reality surrounding the cloud ?
webinar , Siewers added : “ As such , it needs to be approached carefully . Broadcasters are accustomed to proprietary systems . Normally , we look at the business requirement and then identify the technology , which best matches that .
“ We end up leaning on our IT guys as we move towards a data-centric model , pushing all our content to the cloud first and building our infrastructure around that . Moving away from tape into files changes the nature of decisions regarding Capex and Opex investment . We are looking at the concept of a network described in software , as that is easy to manage ; you don ’ t have to worry about the hardware .”
How do media companies stop the spend on data centres , asked Brinton Millar , SVP of technology , strategy and architecture at Discovery Communications . He explained that 152PT of content is already moved into Discovery in 2015 , and that is only for HD . He added : “ Imagine the figures for 4K and 8K ! Where do we store it ? Maybe in the cloud or with an SAS model . We could do anything in the cloud now if the budget allowed it . We are talking to public cloud vendors and explaining the realities of our business .”
The move from tape to files worked better than expected for Sky , thus pushing the UK company to embrace the cloud , explained Darren Long , director of production services at Sky . “ We can ’ t do all our post production on-site as we are growing fast ,” he added . “ We need international shared storage for editing but we will always compare relative costs and reliability . It is a waiting game on costs and available services .”
A vital consideration , according to Long , is exactly where the asset is and how quickly operators can
Today , SVoD providers have a key opportunity to make an impact while the landscape is relatively young . As connectivity streams towards unprecedented heights , APAC offers an environment brimming with possibilities .
of the region ’ s potential market . This is not a sign of concern , but a significant opportunity for content providers to focus their attention on relatively unchartered markets across the region .
SVoD providers currently have access to a potential pool of millions of subscribers to introduce their products , and by entering a region at the start of a major boost in connectivity , they also have more than 10 times the opportunity waiting around the corner .
Seizing the SVoD opportunity
Content providers that make the most out of the compelling market opportunity that APAC presents will invest in market-leading media workflow technologies , compression and content delivery infrastructure , and robust telecommunications partnerships . Over the long term and as OTT gains traction across advanced and emerging markets , providers will also need partners who can help them manage and adapt to increased pressure .
Today , SVoD providers have a key opportunity to make an impact while the landscape is relatively young . As connectivity streams towards unprecedented heights , APAC offers an environment brimming with possibilities .
With a solid business proposition , and the technology to deliver a seamless mobile video experience , content providers can move beyond traditionally restricted boundaries , extending their reach to millions of potential viewers who are only just beginning to look towards their smartphones .
Warren Chaisatien is Head of TV Marketing , Australia and New Zealand at Ericsson .
Vidcheck recently conducted a ‘ Cloud Reality ’ webinar , which shared the thoughts and experiences of senior broadcast executives currently exploring the potential of cloud technology both for content management and as a medium for reaching directly to viewers .
get hold of it . Pushing content to customers via the cloud for a short period of time makes sense , because there is a need to be able to turn content on and off quickly . As for the long term , Long concluded : “ Internal transcoding on a regular basis via the cloud is a different scale of activity . Doesn ’ t look good yet , though it will come .” whoBuyswhat
■ Unified Streaming supports UniversCiné ’ s VoD platform
UniversCiné , a French independent film platform , has selected Unified Streaming to create a video-on-demand ( VoD ) platform to transmit and broadcast cinematographic culture .
A key strategic focus at UniversCiné is to use advanced technologies to be futureproof and offer its customers video anytime , anywhere , explained Benjamin Henseler-
Campana , CTO of UniversCiné .
To be able to provide their viewers with the best quality , UniversCiné selected Unified Streaming ’ s Unified Origin software because it provides advanced functionality to perform on-the-fly packaging to all formats and platforms , including DRM protection . According to UniversCiné , the Unified Streaming solution detects the device and platform content is viewed on , and searches for the highest bitrate , to provide the “ best quality and speed possible ”.
To address older and some Android devices , progressive download of MP4 is an option , making it possible for viewers to start watching before the download is completed .
Simon Westbroek , VP Global Sales at Unified Streaming , said : “ UniversCiné is a great reference and shows how our software can be used for creating an efficient and feature-rich VoD platform . Unified Origin makes it possible to stream from a single file , all adaptive bitrate formats , including the format required for download-to-one .”