Global Media Streaming Services: Top 5 Challenges
The whole world is streaming, but what challenges might you face as you try to jump on board?
It looks like 2016 will be the first year when global internet traffic exceeds one zettabyte. A billion gigabytes of data every month now travels through our broadband cables and Wi-Fi routers. A growing percentage is due to our insatiable thirst for streaming content.
A decade ago, the concept of watching television programs on smartphones and (as yet non-existent) tablets would have seemed far-fetched. Yet today, media streaming services are in constant demand on every continent. Below, we consider five of the most common challenges facing any company seeking to enter this fast-growing entertainment sector, as well as outlining solutions to these issues…
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Global demand.
A global media streaming service has to meet demand around the world, with highly fluctuating viewing figures during each 24-hour cycle. As American audiences turn off, European viewers are tuning in; Europe’s night-time then becomes Australasia’s mid-evening peak time, and so forth. A robust streaming service requires data centers on multiple continents, with expandable bandwidth that can respond instantly to surges in demand. Data is slowed by every relay it passes through, but a multinational infrastructure can minimize the estimated 200ms lost simply by bouncing data halfway round the world.
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Different client hardware.
From iPads and BlackBerries to Linux-powered PCs and MacBooks, today’s plethora of platforms have yet to adopt any degree of uniformity. Ensuring the current disparity of client devices can all accept streamed content requires the adoption of standardized codecs like HLS or MPEG-DASH, which can be output across numerous different devices and platforms. The diversity of digital rights management software in web browsers and OS must also be kept in mind.
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Bandwidth variations.
In the same way customers access streaming services from different devices and operating systems, connection speeds also vary. The internet has never been so congested – ironically, due in part to the popularity of streamed content. Overcrowding can cause delays in the provision of data packets, but adaptive bitrate streaming can adjust file quality in real time if congestion occurs. Routing protocols can also be optimized with modelling software, to reduce latency and packet loss.
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Universal accessibility.
In such a competitive marketplace, no streaming service will survive regular outages. Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime rarely report downtime, so consumers can be confident their monthly subscriptions really do provide unlimited access. As well as intercontinental data centers, universal accessibility demands redundancy and enough backup servers to mitigate the loss of a key hardware resource. If you’re employing a web hosting client, look for 99.99% SLAs, while multi-layer firewalls and terabit-per-second network capacity provide further reassurance that a hosting company has the tools to succeed.
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Monetization.
The startup costs involved in acquiring original content and distributing it can easily be offset against the huge profits available from this immensely popular broadcasting service. However, a clear plan is required at the outset for monetizing a streaming platform – particularly a startup company without the residual loyalty enjoyed by established brands. Payment gateways should be robust and completely secure, with a funding model that draws people in before persuading them to upgrade (perhaps by removing in-program advertising) or convincing them to sign up after a free trial. Choosing whether to target private or corporate audiences is another key factor in deciding whether to rely on subscriptions or advertising – or both. After all, even modest per-customer revenue can be hugely profitable when scaled up globally.