The rise of online streaming video
I don’t know about you but I spend a lot of time on the Internet, and I have noticed that over the years my Internet useage has changed from reading blogs and looking at images on Pinterest and Tumblr, to watching and downloading more and more videos.
This trend is global. Every day people spend hours watching video and although TV is still the number one source, user statistics show that TV’s viewership numbers are rapidly declining. In the meantime online video viewing is growing at rates of over 50% per year.
The growth of online video consumption
In fact it is estimated that by 2017 global consumer video activity will make up nearly 70% of all consumer Internet traffic. It is also expected that online video services such as Netflix, ShowMax and YouTube will double in usage to reach more than 80% of all Internet users worldwide according to the recent white paper published by Cisco.
This is great news for us in South Africa as the launch of online streaming services will allow us to have access to great video content and view it on demand. Companies like Vidi, MTN FrontRow , ShowMax and the recently launched ONTAPtv offer a great variety of movies and shows with monthly rates from between R99 to R149 per month.
Even the global leader NetFlix, have said that they plan to become available in South Africa within the next two years.
The need for super-fast Internet
But to fully enjoy these video services we need one thing; super-fast and reliable Internet. Streaming video is not enjoyable if you constantly have to wait for buffering or are being forced to watch staggered or frozen screens. As noted in a MyBroadband article; “It is recommended that ShowMax users have at least a 2Mbps Internet connection, while the company suggests a 4Mbps uncapped account or faster for an improved viewing experience.”
So how do you get incredibly fast Internet in your home?
RSAWEB is installing Fibre Optic cable all over South Africa and it’s not just for businesses. Already over 100 suburbs around South Africa have access to Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and this reach is growing every day. These packages rival standard ADSL offerings while providing enhanced speeds, and as the installation and uptake spreads, the costs will inevitably go down. With speeds of up to 100 Mbps, you will now be able to download files and stream as much video as you want virtually instantly.
Lightning-fast Internet speeds mean no buffering, so you can have access to all your favourite movies and the latest shows on demand, as well as easily viewing kids programs, news, documentaries, educational shows and other streaming content.
FTTH from RSAWEB is available in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Northern Cape. To find out if it is available in your area visit our website or give us a call on 087 470 000.
Read more about our FTTH offering:
Getting Fibre installed: What you need to know.
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