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Yesterday, 21 November, was World Television Day, which according to the United Nations<\/a> has been established:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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A discussion on some of the factors that might be hindering take up of some of the newer television technologies, such as Digital TV and IPTV, in the Caribbean<\/em><\/p>\n
Yesterday, 21 November, was World Television Day, which according to the United Nations<\/a> has been established:<\/p>\n
Due to the significant technological developments that have occurred over the past 20 or so years, currently there is a global shift from analogue TV to digital TV, and a changing emphasis on Internet Protocol TV (IPTV). According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)<\/a> in its latest output, Measuring the information Society (2013)<\/i>, some key findings, as of 2012 included:<\/p>\n
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- globally, about 1.4 billion households had at least one TV set<\/span><\/li>\n
- approximately 98% of households in developed countries and 72% in developing countries had a TV<\/span><\/li>\n
- over 55% of households globally have a TV receiving a digital signal<\/span><\/li>\n
- approximately 81% of total households in developed countries, and 42% of total households in developing countries, have a TV that receives a digital signal<\/span><\/li>\n
- traditional multichannel TV platforms, such as cable and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite, are facing increasing competition from IPTV service providers and even digital terrestrial TV (DTT) channels<\/span><\/li>\n
- TV delivery over the Internet is becoming increasingly popular, and especially content providers such as YouTube and Netflix.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Digital TV broadcasting trends-1 (Source: ITU)<\/p><\/div>\n
\u00a0As part of the developing world, the Caribbean, generally, would still be behind in the take up and use of digital TV, IPTV and some of the other newer TV\/video technologies. Below are four factors that are contributing to the limited use of those technologies in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
Policy and implementation challenges<\/h3>\n
To varying degrees, countries across the region have been readying themselves to undertake the switch over from analogue to digital TV. Although most of the large TV content providers already have digital TV capabilities, implementation of national plans to realise a complete switch over to digital TV \u2013 and an abandonment of analogue systems \u2013 is yet to occur in many countries. Issues that might still need to be resolved include determining who would, and perhaps also, to what extent to, pay for the transitioning costs on the consumer side.<\/p>\n
Broadband transmission speeds<\/h3>\n
Broadband bandwidth, or transmission speed, becomes critical when attempting to view content over the Internet, in order to reduce the amount of buffering that might be needed and improve the overall viewing experience. According to Netflix, it recommends an Internet download speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps for general viewing and at least 5 Mbps to view High Definition content.<\/p>\n
Based on our Snapshot: Internet speeds and pricing update 2013<\/i><\/b><\/a>, many countries across the region offer data plans with advertised download speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps. However, in practice, the transmission channel is shared by a number of users, hence the actual download speed experienced might be up to a half or two-thirds of that advertised, and could be lower depending on how congested the channel is. As a result, in order to have a reasonable download speed to ensure a favourable viewing experience, household viewers may need to subscribe to plans with a much higher download speeds, e.g. 6 or 8 Mbps, to increase their chances of consistently having adequate bandwidth to successful stream the desired video content.<\/p>\n
Broadband transmission costs<\/h3>\n
In tandem with securing adequate broadband transmissions speeds, consumers must also consider the associated subscriptions prices, which according to our most recent Snapshot: How affordable is Internet service in 2013?<\/i><\/b><\/a>, might be beyond what most people can afford. Into the foreseeable future and considering current economic stresses, it is unlikely that incomes in the Caribbean will increase appreciably thus improving consumers\u2019 ability to afford what is increasingly becoming a basic service.<\/p>\n
Content restrictions<\/h3>\n
Finally, there are still restrictions on the video content that can be viewed in the Caribbean. As was noted in How could Netflix affect TV and movie watching in the region?<\/i><\/b><\/a>, although the English-speaking Caribbean might have an affinity for North American programming, the content that can be accessed is frequently geared towards Latin American markets. This factor could be contributing to limited take up of Netflix in the region, along with other IPTV channels that might be prohibited from sharing content, for North America, with the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
Image credits:\u00a0 Jonas\u2019 Design<\/a> (flickr)<\/em><\/p>\n
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