ABI Research Study Highlights Role of Edge-Cloud Computing, Video Codec Improvement in Support of VR, AR, and Next-Gen Stream...
December 18 2019 - 5:00AM
InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDCC), a mobile and video technology
research and development company, today released a study revealing
new use cases, and network challenges, in the next-generation video
streaming ecosystem. The Streaming Media Report, a new report from
ABI Research and commissioned by InterDigital, outlines how the
advent of streaming media use cases like virtual reality (VR),
augmented reality (AR), and cloud gaming is increasingly pushing
data boundaries, while edge computing, multicasting, and more
efficient codecs present vital solutions to this video-driven
future.
According to the report, media will represent
over 70% of all internet traffic within the next few years. In
addition to data-intensive video streaming, networks will also have
to contend with media services beyond OTT video, including VR, AR
and cloud gaming. As video’s capabilities evolve from HD on a
device to next-generation VR headsets, the data requirements will
grow a staggering 700%, calling into question the existing network
capacity to handle video. The report found that simply doubling the
number of users engaging with high-quality video content in a
single cell network may push the network to its theoretical limit,
driving the need for new solutions to address the capacity
crunch.
“Today the demand for video is insatiable. We
are seeing new smartphones come to market, with larger screens and
even foldable screens to enhance the mobile viewing experience; we
are seeing VR gain more traction and become mainstream; and eSports
is a phenomenon that continues to grow by the minute. Combine that
with the ever-increasing number of OTT and streaming services that
are hitting the market, and it is clear that the appetite for video
content shows no signs of slowing down,” said Laurent Depersin,
R&I Senior Lab Director at InterDigital. “4G networks simply
cannot handle the sheer volume of internet traffic these streaming
use cases bring. With the mainstream deployment of 5G not expected
for some years, we need technologies that are able to bridge this
gap and support the bandwidth and low latency demands in the
short-term. Edge computing, multicasting and more efficient codecs
all have a valuable role to play, enabling consumers to enjoy these
services now, rather than in years to come.”
The large volume of data required for future
media applications, coupled with growing user bases and the demand
for low latency, will give rise to network issues, particularly as
users move between 4G and 5G networks. The report identifies the
following technologies as instrumental to the implementation of VR,
AR, cloud gaming, and other streaming use cases in the
near-term:
- Edge computing enables the distribution of processing
capabilities throughout a network to allow mobile service providers
to process data locally, break out traffic, and cache traffic more
efficiently. Edge computing can reduce latencies, as well as reduce
unnecessary backhaul and core network inefficiencies by
‘frontloading’ content to sites where content is consumed, rather
than transmitting content from the distant cloud.
- More efficient codecs may not eliminate potential bottlenecks
and congestion from high peak demands, but they will help reduce
the bandwidth requirements and the overall network load across
larger volumes of streaming and cloud services.
- Multicasting enables the distribution of content to a group of
devices streaming immersive video in a way that greatly reduces the
data demands on the network.
- Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology, one
of the major improvements to 5G NR, can spatially separate groups
of users and effectively double the spectral efficiency of a
system, a paramount improvement for new streaming media use
cases.
In addition to the report release, InterDigital
will host a webinar on Wednesday, December 18th at 11:00am ET
titled “Visual Technologies: Can the Current Approach Deliver on
the User Experience of the Future?” The webinar will feature
perspectives from ABI researcher and report co-author Dimitris
Mavrakis, as well as InterDigital’s Senior Lab Director Laurent
Depersin and Blacknut CEO Olivier Avaro, as they debate our current
network capacity to support the growing demand, changing data and
latency requirements, and ever-increasing quality and quantity for
future streaming video. To join the webinar, please click here.
The ABI Research Streaming Media Report is
available to download here.
About InterDigital®
InterDigital develops mobile and video technologies that are at the
core of devices, networks, and services worldwide. We solve many of
the industry’s most critical and complex technical challenges,
inventing solutions for more efficient broadband networks, better
video delivery, and richer multimedia experiences years ahead of
market deployment. InterDigital has licenses and strategic
relationships with many of the world’s leading technology
companies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on NASDAQ and is
included in the S&P MidCap 400® index. InterDigital is a
registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc. For more information,
visit: www.interdigital.com.
InterDigital Contact: Patrick
Van de Wille Email: patrick.vandewille@interdigital.com +1 (858)
210-4814
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