According to Infonetics Research, multiscreen video providers are moving quickly to network functions virtualization (NFV).
"Service providers want flexibility in the processing platforms they use to encode and play out video content. Network functions virtualization (NFV) moves functions usually embedded in network hardware -- such as encoders and video on demand (VOD) playout servers -- into software that can run in a virtual machine on standard servers, giving operators more flexibility in how they process and distribute video content," wrote Jeff Heynen, principal analyst for broadband access and pay TV at Infonetics.
"Though none of the service providers we interviewed for our latest multiscreen study support virtualized multiscreen video infrastructure in an NFV environment today, this grows to 42% by 2016," Heynen wrote.
Other findings indicate:
- 58% of respondent service providers currently support all three primary multiscreen devices in the home: tablets, PCs/laptops, and mobile phones.
- Nearly half of operators surveyed offer live streaming today.
- Transcoding is becoming more distributed: Only 16% of respondents plan to transcode video content in their headend in 2015.
- Respondents rank Ericsson and Harmonic as the most familiar multiscreen vendors.