The streaming and broadcasting industry has exploded in popularity over the past decade. In August 2022, viewership of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ overtook television viewing in the United States for the first time at 34.8%1. This represents a major shift away from traditional cable TV and has given rise to a new set of challenges for the industry, particularly when it comes to uptime and reliability.
Cables and Switches
In order to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for content, streaming and broadcasting companies must prioritize uptime and ensure that their services are always available to customers. This requires a robust and reliable power infrastructure that includes quality power cables and transfer switches.
Power cables are the unsung heroes of the streaming and broadcasting industry. They provide the crucial link between the power source and the equipment, allowing broadcasters to transmit content to viewers around the world. However, not all power cables are created equal. Cheap, poorly made cables can lead to signal loss, interference, and downtime. Investing in high-quality power cables can help ensure that your broadcasts are always clear, and that downtime is minimized.
Transfer switches are another essential component of a reliable power infrastructure. These devices are designed to automatically switch from one power source to another in the event of an outage or other power interruption. This can be a lifesaver for streaming and broadcasting companies, as it allows them to quickly switch to a backup power source and keep their broadcasts up and running.
Industry Data Center Use
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- Netflix: Netflix uses a combination of its own data centers and cloud-based solutions provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). They have over 200 server racks distributed across dozens of data centers around the world.
- Amazon Prime Video: Amazon Prime Video uses AWS data centers to store and deliver their content to customers around the world. They have over 99 Availability Zones in more than 31 geographic regions.
- Hulu: Hulu also uses a combination of its own data centers provided by AWS and Switch. They also announced a new 100 percent renewable energy facility in Las Vegas that spans 2.4 million square feet across 12 buildings.
- Disney+: Disney+ uses a combination of its own data centers and those provided by AWS to store and deliver its content.
Power Issues
In fact, a survey by the Uptime Institute found power was the primary cause of the respondents’ most recent impactful incident or outage at 44% in 2022. Power was also the leading cause of significant outages in 2021 (cited by 43%) and 2020 (37%)2, making transfer switches an essential tool for ensuring uptime and reliability.
The importance of uptime and reliability in the streaming and broadcasting industry cannot be overstated. Downtime can lead to:
- Lost revenue
- Lost viewership
- And a damaged reputation
Statista found video abandonment rate was 6.6% for glitchy and low quality videos3 and Akamai Technologies found a 5.8% abandon rate if the video doesn’t start within 2 seconds4. If you’re curious, you can check out the last 24 hours of disruptions experienced by your favorite streaming provider on sites like downdetector.com (Visit: http://www.downdetector.com).
Steps You Can Take to Minimize Downtime
Fortunately, there are steps that streaming and broadcasting companies can take to minimize downtime and ensure that their services are always available to customers. Investing in quality power cables and transfer switches is a great place to start. Additionally, regular maintenance and testing of your power infrastructure can help identify potential issues before they become major problems.
It’s also worth noting that the streaming and broadcasting industry is not the only one that can benefit from a reliable power infrastructure. Nearly every industry today relies on technology to some extent, and downtime can be a major headache regardless of the industry you’re in. By investing in high-quality infrastructure, power cables, transfer switches, and other essential components, all industries – including streaming and broadcasting companies – can ensure that their services are always available to customers and that downtime is minimized.
The streaming and broadcasting industry is facing new challenges as it continues to grow and evolve. Uptime and reliability are more important than ever, and a robust and reliable power infrastructure is essential for meeting these challenges head-on.
1 Streaming viewership overtakes cable TV for the first time nbcews.com
2 10 things to know about data-center outages networkworld.com
3 Abandonment rate of low quality streamed video content on connected TVs and vMVPDs in the United States in 2017 and 2018 statista.com
4 Video Stream Quality Impacts Viewer Behavior: Inferring Causality Using Quasi-Experimental Designs –akamai.com
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