-->

Mobile Operators Are Being Crushed By the Demand for HD Video

Article Featured Image

The demand for video is taking over mobile networks, reveals the spring 2019 Mobile Video Index created by Openwave Mobility and the Mobile Video Industry Council. While video made up 42% of mobile video traffic in November 2013, it was estimated to be 64% in November 2019.

Did that increase come from more people watching video on mobile devices or people watching higher-resolution video? While there were new consumers in that time period, higher resolutions get most of the credit (or blame). In developed countries half of all mobile video is 720p or 1080p. By 2025, 78% of mobile data will come from video and 40% of that will be 4K video. That will be a difficulty for operators already straining under the demands of HD.

The index also looked at video quality issues. Operators need to pay attention to quality of picture and quality of delivery. To viewers, quality of delivery is by far the more important area. Mobile viewers will only give a video six seconds to stop buffering and then many will turn away. Sadly, the average buffer time for mobile video is seven seconds, the index says. When buffering occurs, viewers usually blame the operator.

For more, download the full Mobile Video Index for free (registration required).

Streaming Covers
Free
for qualified subscribers
Subscribe Now Current Issue Past Issues
Related Articles

Quibi Sells $100M in Ad Inventory Well Ahead of April 2020 Launch

The mobile-only short form video network announced it has already taken in $100 million in upfront ad sales by selling category exclusives to major advertisers.

Mobile Video Frustrations Are on the Rise: 88% Report Issues

A report from Penthera shows that people expect instant start up and no buffering from mobile video. If they experience problems, most of them will leave.

Video Will Make Up 79% of All Mobile Traffic By 2022, Says Cisco

In 2022, 71% of the world's population will have a mobile device and the internet of things will increase mobile traffic greatly.

Verizon Offers Best Mobile Video Performance: OpenSignal Report

Surprise: AT&T, didn't take second place, it took fourth. AT&T has been building up its content portfolio, not its back end.

Ooyala Sees Strong Increase in Video Plays on Mobile Devices

With video plays above 60 percent and phone plays above 50 percent for the first time, Ooyala sees a commitment to multi-screen streaming.