TAKING YOUR CONTENT OVER THE TOP:
TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE
Over-the-top (OTT) online video delivery, which was a cutting-edge concept just a few years ago, is now a mainstream method of retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. Almost anyone whose business is related to content—including producers, TV manufacturers, broadcasters, and service providers—has much to gain from streaming delivery technologies and business models. Viewing third-party streaming media (especially premium video content) over data connections provided by cable, satellite, and telephone companies continues to grow in popularity. YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Instant Video, Roku, and others have given us new ways to find and watch premium on-demand content well after its release date, and now “live” or next-day access to content from the likes of HBO NOW, PlayStation Vue, and Sling TV is taking OTT streaming to the next level.
Consider the enormous OTT viewership that’s up for grabs worldwide:
In 2015, OTT video delivery grew to $12 billion in global revenues.
Premium OTT revenue in the UK, Dutch, and German markets alone is forecasted to reach nearly €700 million by 2017.
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. households have broadband Internet connections, and 11 million have broadband only —not cable TV—making streaming video their primary source of viewing entertainment.
The average U.S. broadband household spends $9 per month on subscription streaming services, up from $7 in 2012.
OTT TV and video revenues in the Asia Pacific region alone are expected to exceed $3.6 billion 2015, and $11.2 billion in 2020.
With so much at stake, one big issue content owners are facing is how to protect their OTT deployment investment, whether they deploy in house or use a third-party service. OTT streaming infrastructure needs to support an ever-changing landscape of devices that use different codecs, protocols, and platforms. This is where Wowza Media Systems™ comes in. You need a reliable, future-proof solution that lets you stay ahead of the market and deliver the high-quality viewer experiences your customers have come to expect—and that’s what Wowza™ technology delivers.
TV Everywhere delivery: Whether your viewers are on laptops, smart TVs, smartphones, or Chromecast or Roku devices connected to televisions, Wowza powers TV Everywhere by putting your pay-TV subscription content in viewers’ hands anytime, anywhere.
Any-device reach: Because Wowza Streaming Engine™ software is codec- and platform-agnostic, it reduces the complexities of supporting a wide range of devices. Wowza supports current and emerging codecs, including H.264, H.265, VP8, and VP9, as well as core and emerging protocols such as Apple HLS, MPEG-DASH, and WebM. Ingest MPEG-2 transport streams over terrestrial, satellite, and cable networks and deliver to IPTV, HbbTV, OTT devices, computers, smartphones, and more. Tight integration with leading player technologies simplifies deployment to all your target devices.
Future-proof technology: Wowza technology protects your deployment investment by continually adding integrations with a wide array of codecs and platforms—taking the
BROADCAST BEAT MAGAZINE
IBC Issue September 2015
92