SCOTTSDALE, USA: Traditional video-on-demand services, and traditional “siloed” video services currently use a great deal of proprietary, or industry-specific, equipment. Market research firm, In-Stat sees traditional and pay TV service providers migrating to more efficient content delivery networks (CDNs) and data centre models based on server virtualization.

This migration enables content portability and will have a direct impact on equipment vendors, service providers and content owners.

Tata Communications BitGravity to offer CDN

Gerry Kaufhold, analyst, In-Stat, said: “Increasing usage of ‘over-the-top’ internet video is driving traditional TV service providers to launch TV everywhere initiatives The data centre approach promises more flexibility to manage content for delivery to multiple device types, enabling service providers to offer any content, on any platform, in any location.”

In-Stat believes next-generation on demand approaches increase content owner influence, and greatly expand the delivery options. Among other impacts, content owners and service providers will need to re-negotiate licensing agreements that will reflect more flexibility and responsiveness to consumer demands. The CDN trend will also drive a shift in the type of equipment and features that manufacturers provide to service providers to handle video delivery.

Research highlights:
Over the next five years, the worldwide value of content delivery network (CDN) services will pass $2 billion annually by 2011 and continue growing thereafter.

Barriers, such as digital rights management, competing encoding formats and standards, and restricted bandwidth remain a challenge to meet customers’ new demands for flexibility in content use.

Adaptive bit rate video approaches will permit IP-networks to deliver a quality user experience at lower bit rates.