1. Introduction
Server and storage know-how Live video streaming technology has made tremendous strides in recent years. Together with the rise of broadband internet services, delivery of live video, sharing of videos, and video on demand are a perfect fit for the technology. Given the advent and refinement of video and audio compression technology such as Flash, Windows Media, and Real, various new live video applications, especially across the internet, are being launched on internal communications across market segments in addition to use by third-party application providers that can deliver high-quality video across a wide range of industries. With these new technologies, companies are looking to implement and monetize various types of virtual events across a wide variety of business verticals as well as within their internal organizations. Due to its diverse applications, scalability, and cost-effective results, now is the right time to invest in live video streaming.
Live video streaming is the process of converting video and audio into a digital format and transmitting it live over the internet. This provides instant playback of video and audio on the user’s computer as it arrives. Often this is also referred to as IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, because it uses the internet to deliver video and audio data to the user. Anything that is live on TV can be delivered over the internet using live video streaming technology. Live video streaming provides an all-in-one solution for customizing a live video portal and the flexibility to broadcast a limitless number of live video events, all while controlling who can view each event.
1.1 What are live video streaming services?
It seems that not so long ago the words “video” and “streaming” would scarcely have been put together. Up until recently, video has been seen mostly as an entertainment medium, streamed down the internet to fixed, PC-based players (and TVs hooked up to the PC). However, video on mobile networks, while it has been technically possible for the last decade, has only taken off recently with 3G-UMTS networks – and then it was buffered and delivered as on-demand content, not live. The ubiquitous IP connectivity provided by Wi-Fi, followed by the flat-rate data plans that have now begun to replace pay-per-byte usage, has changed that. Now we are seeing a migration of live video services from the realms of TV to mobile and PCs connected to the internet. The most prevalent type of live video streaming is best described by an example: a real-time webcast of a live football match. In this scenario, viewers could be around the world, and the video is being captured by a camera and microphone, “encoded” into a digital format suitable for packetized transmission (e.g. MPEG2 or more likely now H.264), then pushed to an MPEG transport stream of packetized video via an IP network. This can then be repacketized again into a format suited to the access network – for mobile streaming, this would often be RTP. So asking what live video streaming services are could be seen as a bit of a pointless question: video streaming services simply become “live” when they start to use encoders and internet protocols that are specific. But the use of the word “live” to describe online video that is truly real-time is a trend that is said to become increasingly popular. This is because now mobile networks have the capability and multimedia-broadcast multicast services (MBMS) enable efficient delivery of video to mobile networks, it is now simple and cost-effective to provide video content to a “live” event that is happening at a specific time, such as a football match, a concert, or a news event – regardless of whether these are accessed with a mobile phone, a mobile TV, or a PC. Live video is expected to be a common sight in increasingly popular smartphones or other handheld devices that have Wi-Fi connections since they are capable of playing standard web-based video as well as the typical applications that utilize video services on mobile networks.
1.2 Benefits of using live video streaming services
With the power of video on demand (VOD) and a digital video recorder (DVR), we can choose what we want to watch and when we want to watch it. By far that is the convenience to the viewer. However it takes away the recklessness of a live TV show, and the advantage of interacting with people about a specific event or moment that may have happened in a show. By using live video streaming, the viewer is given an event time and event date to watch a show, whether it is an online show, or a live to air TV show. The concept of scheduled viewing is still a very crucial thing in today’s society, and live streaming gives back that same idea of presence with the advantage to still see it anywhere at anytime. This is very beneficial to someone who is on the go, but still wants to keep up with shows. Live streaming also encourages interaction with the viewers, as most streams will have some sort of live interaction such as a poll or Q&A, and may even show the results on the next event. This is something that cannot be done through VOD.
When we first found out about live video streaming, we thought that it was unnecessary and unwanted. Live TV has always been a one-way street with just wanted the viewers to expend their concentration time and watch a show that may or may not be any good. It doesn’t give the viewer the advantage to be given the chance to choose what they would want to see, as they are just simply limited to watching a show that is currently airing. Live video streaming however, gives the power back to the viewer. When we look at chat rooms in the good old days, we see that was an early example of what we feel is today’s idea of live stream. With the concept of the chat room, users are given the ability to choose what they want to read or participate, with what sort of chat they would want to read, prompting them to switch between different rooms and even chat to certain people. This is exactly the same with live video streaming, but obviously done so with video and audio.
1.3 Overview of live video streaming service providers
Many live video streaming services are based around a free model, commonly using a free tiered service model. For example, a basic service may be provided free with advertisements, and the same service without advertisements at a premium. In other cases, a trial of premium functionality lasting a certain time period may be offered. This may be an attractive option for companies looking to trial live video streaming for the first time. Other free services are community-based, offering a free live video service, often for one-to-many broadcasting using a simple webcam or a mobile device, with the goal of creating a community around a broadcaster or the broadcasters of many users.
Live video streaming service providers offer a variety of different types of services. Some are based around a peer-to-peer model, where users stream live video to each other, and others are based around a centralized model where users can stream live video to a server, which is often transcoded and suitable for a wider audience. Other providers may provide a mix of these two models, using peer-to-peer for one-to-one streaming, and a centralized server for one-to-many streaming. Some providers offer tools that allow users to create and embed video players into their own web pages. Finally, some providers may offer a complete end-to-end solution, including providing video capture and encoding tools that are then tightly integrated with a custom player and live video platform.
2. Top Live Video Streaming Service Providers
A. Geographic Availability – some live streaming providers only operate in certain countries. B. Cost – pricing can widely differ between providers. Some are subscription-based, some are free, and others are pay-per-use. C. Simplicity – some services are easier to use than others. Difficult to use services can result in a loss of time up to the event and technology-related streaming issues. D. Scalability and Reliability – some providers are small businesses, some are large-scale enterprises. Some are capable of handling large audiences. Quality and reliability between the differing services can vary. E. Customer/Technical Support – it’s important to have good support, especially for first-time users.
When choosing a CDVSS platform, the main concern will be “which live streaming service provider do I use?” or “which service will be the best for my event?” We have evaluated several of the top live streaming service providers available on the market today. Each platform is assessed on its own merits based on the following categories:
2.1 Provider A
Provider A has been in the video streaming game for close to a decade and has gone through many changes in their service and product offering. They recently restructured their pricing plans to better compete with other content delivery and media streaming companies. With their new pricing model, the company offers a hybrid solution using an open CDN and taking advantage of their global backbone and POPs. They offer 2 pricing plans: a “pay as you go” plan and a volume discount plan. Both plans require a minimum monthly commitment. The “pay as you go” plan charges the customer based on usage at a rate of 15-30 cents/GB depending on the total usage, and the volume discount plan charges a fixed rate based on a commit ranging from 10-25 cents/GB. Customers on both plans have access to the same features and do not have to worry about per feature add-on charges that some of Provider A’s competitors still impose. The pricing model will charge an overage fee to customers on the volume discount plan who exceed their commit. This fee is equivalent to the rate difference between their committed rate and the “pay as you go” rate. With the restructuring of their pricing plans, Provider A now has one of the most cost-effective and versatile pricing offerings on the market today.
2.2 Provider B
This is a secondary service provider that customers can engage for a live streaming event. As for the contract, it varies for different sports and different events. An estimate of around $250,000 for an annual contractual fee. Users can negotiate with the exact figure based on the event or sport. For pay-per-view events, the revenue sharing is around 4-12%. This may vary based on the event or sport. For the long term, the contract agreement would be a revenue sharing method. The revenue sharing would be around 3-12%. This also varies according to the event (e.g. Olympic games). With Akamai, you can have full control of your content. Akamai has created a specific controller just to control the user’s live stream. At the back end, it is the same as Akamai Streaming. The controller GUI will enable users to control the whole event from start till the end. This includes recording the whole event, pausing the event, restarting again later, and setting for video on demand after the event finishes.
2.3 Provider C
Now discuss Provider C, the third stream hosting provider. This provider has features similar to Provider A and B with some slight variations. Live events streaming is the service at the simplest level with more features available to the Enterprise. As with Providers A and B, Content Delivery Network (CDN) and Embeddable Player are both supported features. Live event on demand and simulcasting features are both supported at the Enterprise level. An encoder provided by a third party will be needed for both of these more advanced features. Provider C offers several slightly different services. Their main offering is a live event conference. An example of this would be a press conference given by a top company at a major trade show. The conference is both streamed live and recorded for on-demand viewing. This service is the most expensive option and the only option at this time which supports event and the service level is aimed towards the Enterprise. They also offer a new service for live streaming video via a mobile phone. This is a cheap alternative for someone who is looking to get video up and running quickly without investing much time or money. A simple phone is all that is required for this service and it can be used to instantly connect with customers or fans. This service supports any level of membership. Provider C is not really a good fit for small organizations due to the pricing of their services. Staff was unable to get a specific price quote without setting up a sales call and quotes are available only by phone. A quick estimate of the lowest service is roughly 330% higher cost to Provider A or B. This provider is more targeted towards large organizations and a potential new customer would likely just be someone who had used streaming media with a past company. From looking at these detailed services and supported features, a potential client can choose the best fit for their organization. A basic organization looking for a video hosting platform, perhaps for a small marketing campaign, would fit best with Provider A. The cost is minimal, there are no long-term contracts, and the service is easy to manage. Most likely the customer would get the service level similar to the event offered by Provider A. If the organization wants to invest a little more money to create a more professional or interactive media, Provider B may be a good fit depending on additional features offered at the time. This customer would most likely be able to take advantage of a free trial to test the event and the service level with an option to easily upgrade if the services are worth the price jump to Provider C. An example of a customer that should go directly to Provider C would be a large company hosting an important event. An investment of over 1 million dollars is often seen with large companies in tradeshow expo exhibits. The cost to use this provider for a similar professional image and effective media communication would be a very small percentage of the total investment and the company can expect a reliable service. Customer satisfaction is mainly based on media success and long-term players will likely be satisfied with the new services and supported features that this provider continues to offer in an ever-changing media industry.
2.4 Provider D
The basic package comes with an impressive array of features and customization. Configuration of the media player is very diverse and includes auto-sensing connection speed to provide the best viewer experience. The advanced analytics feature is very detailed even for the basic package. From real-time statistics to viewer information and conversion tracking, media publishers have a wealth of information at their disposal. There is also an add-on available for more in-depth analytics. Simulated live and on-demand audio or video is supported with multiple format types. Provider D offers a 99.9% uptime service level agreement and 24/7 customer support. The company boasts that phone and email support calls will be returned within one hour and has a guideline of responding to all calls and emails within three hours. This includes calls for the free customer support, which is a helpful tool for smaller media publishers. There is also a professional services option at an added cost. Finally, content and player branding are also options with the basic package.
Provider D has recently gained popularity as a video streaming service provider. This provider is based on premium and enterprise pricing models. Provider D is appealing to businesses that can afford the expansive hosting, meaning large corporations or businesses. There is a set price for the basic package, which includes specific amounts of data transfer. For additional transfer, customers must foot the bill. Additional transfer is billed at a significantly higher cost than the included data transfer. Custom plans are also available for businesses with streaming media needs beyond the provided packages. These custom plans require a higher cost than Provider D’s basic package but may be a more attractive option for businesses with specific needs.
3. Features to Consider When Choosing a Live Video Streaming Service
Video quality and screen resolution are the most important considerations when selecting a live video streaming service. Full live video quality is obviously the best quality available. Some streaming services give several options. One of these options is a live stream video on demand. Another choice is live streaming and providing the video for on-demand access later. In this case, if the video is recorded during live streaming, you can choose whether to make it available for on-demand access. Live streaming a video to an audience and making that same video available on demand after the event is an additional benefit to the user and increases market reach. But level adjusting the quality for on-demand videos can negate the need for a VOD over time by lowering the quality and therefore costs to the same effect. Audio quality is often an overlooked area of live video streaming. High-quality audio can give a professional aspect to a video, which is a useful feature for webinars and online training. A speaker or headset must be used, as audio played through speakers and then picked up by a microphone gives an echo effect. This is also an area where global language support is needed. Live closed captions are also useful. A final demand feature to list here would be simulated live. This term is probably an oxymoron, but it corresponds to a video recorded as if it were a live broadcast. A recorded video is scheduled as a live event, providing viewers a live experience with chat and social media integration, using a recorded video file.
3.1 Video quality and resolution options
These days, many consumers will expect video to be available in high definition. Despite the growing expectation, it is still not an essential service for every client and project. Broadcasting HD video requires a lot more bandwidth and may be cost-prohibitive for some smaller events. Consider whether a specific project really needs to offer an HD service and ensure it is an option rather than an automatic setting.
Another important factor is the choice of different resolution options. A viewing stream that looks great on a big monitor may be too slow to watch at work or on a 3G phone. The ability to have different options for different linestream speeds and devices is essential for attracting a wider audience. This is particularly relevant in a professional setting, where an informative stream may be useful to display on a screen in a reception area or at the same time as a presentation.
Living up to customer expectations when it comes to video quality is the key to a satisfying live stream. A platform can offer the best content in the world, but it is all for nothing if the picture is constantly breaking up, the colours are running or it is just too slow. BBC iPlayer has done extensive research into the quality expectations of online video and have created a scale that demonstrates when picture quality becomes unacceptable to most people. Source: [Link]
3.2 Compatibility with various devices and platforms
A content streaming service is only useful if it’s able to effectively deliver content to your intended audience. One of the first things to look at is whether or not a service can upload and convert a broad range of video file types. This is essential if you’re unfamiliar with what your viewers will be using to access your content. Ensuring that the service has a browser-based uploader (preferably Java) can also save a lot of time and frustration. This is because browser uploaders are often able to bypass the need for certain user configurations like FTP. In considering the most common modern viewing platform, the mobile device, it is worth investigating whether a service can cater to these users. This can be through providing both a mobile browser compatible video player, and support for mobile video formats. Platform support is also very important if you have a specific type of viewer in mind – whether they be PC or Mac users. Although most services will cover both, it’s wise to double check since some are optimized for a specific operating system.
3.3 Customization and branding options
If branding features are important to you, know that they can vary significantly in both availability and ease of use. Generally, the more comprehensive branding options are found on platforms that are more difficult to configure and maintain. Lastly, customers with large video libraries will want to be able to apply branding settings to multiple videos at once, so make sure to check if that feature is available.
Branding options extend beyond the look of the video player. If your content is subscription or pay-per-view, you may want to disable or customize the platform’s default messaging for content behind a paywall. Users looking to use live or VOD content to funnel traffic to their own site will want to take advantage of the video link and embed settings. These let you determine the destination of viewers who click on your video in a platform’s player or search results.
Obviously, the more configurable a player and video page are, the better. If you are doing live events, pay close attention to the live channel and event list features. In some cases, users have been disappointed to find that certain features they saw in marketing materials were only available with higher level (more expensive) service plans. This is an area where a sales call or email to the service provider can be helpful to ensure you’re getting the features you need.
First, consider the customization and branding options available with each service. Do you require your content to feature your personal or company logo? Do you want to display your brand name during ads? Some companies want to use specific colors, button labels, or language in their players. It’s probably a good idea to make a list of which features are ‘must haves’ and which are less important.
3.4 Analytics and reporting capabilities
A recent research paper on internet video by the Cisco Visual Networking Index team has revealed some interesting data. Over half of the global traffic in video will be based on demand or streaming content. In our age of digital media, on-demand video plays a key part in societal changes and creating widespread behaviour/attitude changes. For brands and businesses, it is fuelling spending on digital marketing, based on the strength of the analytics and metrics it can provide. This is an important parallel to draw, as the same analytics used for live streams can also be used for VOD. Cisco also predicts that mobile video through devices such as smartphones will increase and become the highest increasing internet traffic video category. Therefore, the ability to track data on viewer behaviour is not purely for statistics and measurements, but it is a real method to understand your consumers and to find out how live streaming can be effective.
Far too often businesses invest resources in production and integration of live streaming without any understanding of its success. It is vital to be able to track and measure the results of your streams in order to know how successful each one is, and to determine when it is beneficial for your brand to use live video. This is a very important feature for any live video streaming service as its success can often depend on the effectiveness of the streams. It is important to differentiate between analytics and reporting. Most live video streaming platforms will offer analytics in real-time or near real-time. This is an essential tool for monitoring the success of live streams, for example how many viewers are watching, and how their viewing behaviour (connecting, dropping off), patterns or interests are different from other times. The effectiveness of tracking these features will depend on the complexity of live event. Recorded data can be useful to compare a live stream with others at different times.
3.5 Pricing plans and packages
Those who only require live streaming for specified intervals also have several affordable options available to them. DaCast is a very popular service for those who fall into this category. They offer several different pricing plans, with the most basic plan starting at $19/month with 100GB of bandwidth and 300 viewers. Pricing increases can allow for more viewers and higher bandwidth. All plans from DaCast also include ad-free streaming, analytics, and 24/7 support. Wowza offers similar services but with a bit more flexibility. All of Wowza’s plans are billed hourly, and 10% can be saved off all prices if you apply for a 12-month subscription. With pricing beginning at $0.25/hour and scaling up to $0.50/hour, there are many options available for all budgets. Wowza also offers a flat rate plan of $49/month for those expecting a more consistent level of streaming. All Wowza’s plans have unlimited viewers and include unlimited free transcoding.
You should always be cautious when it comes to pricing. Some live streaming packages seem too good to be true, and they probably are. Not every company can afford to have a 24/7 live stream going on, so they must find a package that can help them do this within their budget. If you fall into this category, you should look into the Ustream’s Pro Broadcaster package or the Livestream’s Procasting package. Each of these packages costs $99.99/month and with it, you can have unlimited viewing. FDC Servers also offer a competitive package and have several different instant stream options once you’ve signed up for a certain account. Pricing can range anywhere from $7.50/month to $55/month, but all of these are supported with 24/7 live stream. These options can give you great results without having to dish out too much money.
4. Live Video Streaming Services in Singapore
Potential SaaS (software as a service) providers can look into building live video streaming apps or services. An example will be the Oncor Video Platform, which is used in the USA and built for global organizations to communicate and reach a large, dispersed workforce. With the MICE industry being a huge revenue generator for Singapore, a local LVS service targeting this industry may also be a hit in years to come.
Popular sites include Cricfree (for live sports events) and Spuul (for live Indian TV shows). However, Twitch.tv, an international live video streaming site, is currently the top website for live video streaming. Most consumers are using live video streaming for on-demand TV shows. Live video streaming will be more popular among local consumers in the future as broadband speeds increase. With the availability of better quality live video streaming, consumers will find more uses for it.
A recent study by the global communications agency Red2, which covers the live video streaming markets in Singapore, Brazil, Australia, and India, showed that Singapore’s live streaming service was mostly related to events driven by the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions) industry. It also targets the global market as there are virtual events that enable overseas viewers to watch it live. These events can range from music concerts to seminars. Consumer live video streaming at this point in time is still in its infancy.
4.1 Overview of the live video streaming market in Singapore
The technical infrastructure in Singapore is superior compared to many other small to medium-sized countries around the world. Singapore is also seen as a great test-bed for new technologies – which simply means companies and people willing to try to use something new. A mix of superior technology and a culture of innovation is a great recipe for new startups – and indeed we see quite a few in Singapore. Singapore is also host to many regional offices for global enterprises, and of course the usual small medium enterprises (SME) which can be found just about anywhere. All of these varying types of organizations are consuming cloud services and applications more and more these days – it’s a more “variable cost” method of consuming technology and allows much quicker time to market for new products. The days of buying computers and loading them up with software is becoming more and more rare. You can tie this back to live video streaming – gone are the days when you had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on satellite uplink and production crew to have a simple company announcement sent out globally. Now all you need is an Internet connection and a device. So at some very high level, the live video streaming market in Singapore is reflective of what’s going on in the technology world – it’s full of opportunity. Next in this series of blogs we will examine the current state of live video streaming services in Singapore – again focusing on the “sports” angle. Why did we pick sports as a guidepost? It’s simple – sports is the most complex and demanding form of live video production. If you can do sports well, you can do anything well. And at Streamit, we have been given this very challenge by our customers. More on that in future posts.
4.2 Popular live video streaming services in Singapore
TV1 is the service currently run by the national broadcaster and has recently shifted from an online catch-up TV service to an exclusive live TV service. Mediacorp has officially signed a deal with the International Paralympic Committee in February to be its broadcasting partner in Singapore for the next two Paralympic Games. The contract will see Mediacorp broadcasting live and on-demand coverage of the Paralympic Games on multiple platforms, including television and digital, thereby providing greater visibility of the Paralympic movement and its athletes than previous editions to viewers in Singapore and around the world. Mediacorp has also added that Singapore audiences can look forward to action from the most recent edition of the Paralympic Games, with selected coverage subtitled in Mandarin to cater to wider audiences. According to Hidayat Amir, Senior Vice-President, Rights Acquisition & Syndication, Mediacorp, “We are thrilled to be the official broadcast partner of the IPC in Singapore. Through extensive coverage of the next two Paralympic Games, we aim to inspire and mobilize the Singapore audience to support our Team Singapore athletes” (Media Access Australia, 2012). Singtel, which has announced a tie-up with Sony Pictures Television, is launching a new web-based blockbuster movie service in Singapore called HOOQ. This new over-the-top service will enable subscribers to stream and download Hollywood and regional movies via their smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. It is undoubtedly that this will increase the demand for streaming services in Singapore. With movies taking up a huge portion of the streaming market, HOOQ will provide a strong alternative to Netflix and make it more challenging for Netflix to establish itself in the Asian market. This, in turn, could lead to lowering their monthly subscription prices, something which consumers in Singapore would welcome due to the relatively higher price of Netflix’s global pricing plans and offline content viewing restrictions to certain regions. Singtel has also revealed its future plans to create its own sports channel and provide live broadcasts of Barclays Premier League matches at a lower price than current local cable providers. With the increasing trend of internet streaming and access to content offered by local providers such as Starhub and Singtel, this move could potentially change the way in which Singaporeans watch live TV and subscribe to cable TV services. This could lead to a shift from traditional Pay-TV to internet streaming services as there would be added flexibility in sports content as well as a possibility of not being tied down to a contract. According to Goh Seow Eng, Managing Director of Home, Singtel, “We recognize the growing trend of content consumption anytime, anywhere on internet-connected devices and acknowledge that the rights to bring the BPL to customers anytime, anywhere, on any device is something that our customers value” (Lam, 2015).
4.3 Considerations for businesses in Singapore using live video streaming services
One of the primary considerations for businesses in Singapore is the intended target audience or viewership. Singapore is a small country, so businesses have to determine whether they will be targeting a local Singaporean audience or an international one. This will affect the types of events the business will be live streaming, as well as the times of these events. If a business is targeting a local audience, they will have to ensure that their event times do not clash with any major local events, as this will result in a smaller viewership. On the other hand, if the business is targeting an international audience, they have to take into consideration the time zone differences between Singapore and the intended audience. For an audience in Europe, it may be beneficial to live stream events in the early mornings in Singapore, while for an audience in the Americas, events may have to be streamed in the late nights in Singapore. These time differences will greatly affect the viewership of the event. Another consideration is the type of events that will be live streamed. Different businesses may be hosting a variety of events such as workshops, product launches, interviews, etc., and the size and nature of the event are very important. For smaller private events, a business can consider using free social media platforms such as Google Hangouts on Air or Livestream to live stream their events.