COVID-19 outbreak creating a huge user base for video streaming and conferencing services
By MYBRANDBOOK
Quarantines and work-from-home policies have triggered a spike in demand for video streaming and conferencing, creating a huge base of new users of over-the-top (OTT) services while usage by existing users has also gone up, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “For the foreseeable future, entertainment services such as Netflix, Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime will rack up millions of subscribers as self-isolation and stay at home orders will fuel the demand for in home entertainment. Newer apps such as Peacock, Quibi and HBO Max have also been given the perfect opportunity to showcase their offerings, as viewers tend to relish novel content.
“Telecom and internet service providers have asked most OTT companies to reduce streaming in HD content and offer only standard definition content. Google search trends for Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix and Hulu rose by more than 60% in March 2020 when compared to February 2020, and with several sporting events being called off, customers only have the option of streaming TV shows and movies. There has been such a huge rise in demand that OTT companies have decided to reduce bandwidth to mitigate network load.”
GlobalData’s news database found that Netflix and Disney were among the first companies to reduce bit rates or bandwidth.
Amazon’s game streaming app Twitch has also gained traction during the outbreak with total amount of hours watched growing rapidly. YouTube game streams have also substantially gained viewers.
Another area benefitting from the lockdowns is video conferencing apps such as Zoom, which have rapidly gained traction with surging downloads on app stores. According to Zoom, daily users rose to 200 million in March 2020 when compared to ten million in December 2019.
Another Zoom alternative that has seen a significant rise in downloads is Houseparty. In mid-February, the app had around 25,000 downloads per day, and in mid-March, the number of downloads surpassed half a million per day. According to AT&T, WiFi calling has increased by 100% on its network, while mobile data usage is up 40%.
Bose concludes: “The demand for these systems is likely to continue growing while also putting strain on bandwidth. With entertainment services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Youtube voluntarily reducing bandwidth, office tool giant Microsoft has also announced a reduction in the bandwidth of 365 services and cloud migration. Due to the rise in WFH related services, governments have prioritized network usage for apps such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Slack.
“Despite Zoom growing rapidly, customers have been skeptical in its usage due to reports of security issues. Following this trend usage of alternate apps such as Google Hangouts have also risen.”
BREAKING NEWS
TECHNO TRENDS
Legal Battle Over IT Act Intensifies Amid Musk’s India Plans
The outcome of the legal dispute between X Corp and the Indian government c...
Wipro inks 10-year deal with Phoenix Group's ReAssure UK worth
The agreement, executed through Wipro and its 100% subsidiary,...
Centre announces that DPDP Rules nearing Finalisation by April
The government seeks to refine the rules for robust data protection, ensuri...
Home Ministry cracks down on PoS agents in digital arrest scam
Digital arrest scams are a growing cybercrime where victims are coerced or ...
E-Magazine
TECHNOTAINMENT
Hrithik Roshan to endorse RuPay as Brand Ambassador
RuPay is reportedly planning to feature Bollywood superstar Hrithik Rosha
India Today Group launches – AI Pop Stars
Staying true to our industry leadership position in using cutting-edge tech
MOVERS & SHAKERS
TelioLabs ropes in Phaniraj V A as the Group CEO
TelioLabs has announced the onboarding of Phaniraj V A as its new Group CE
Wipro Appoints Amit Kumar as Managing Partner and Global Head
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading technology s
OPEN YOUR EYES
INTERVIEWS
Delivering Critical Business Communication Solutions to Enterp
Arya Omnitalk and Syntel’s comprehensive suite of solutions and more than
Bolstering its commitment to help build a truly self-reliant B
CP PLUS is dedicated to spreading a sense of security to every corner of In
HOT PICK
MSI Announces the availability of RTX 50 series of laptops in
MSI, the innovative computing manufacturer in gaming, creator
Nothing Phone (3a) goes on sale today, starting at Rs 19,999
The phone was launched on March 4, featuring a 50MP main, ultra-wide, and t
MAKE IN INDIA BRANDS
STERLITE TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
BPE INDIA PVT. LTD.
TVS ELECTRONICS LTD.
SAMRIDDHI AUTOMATIONS PVT. LTD.
EMINENT CIO'S OF INDIA
ICONS OF INDIA
Icons Of India : Dilip Asbe
At present, Dilip Asbe is heading National Payments Corporation of Ind...
Icons Of India : Dr. Sanjay Bahl
Dr. Sanjay Bahl has around four decades of experience in the ICT indus...
Icons Of India : Debjani Ghosh
Debjani Ghosh is the President of the National Association of Software...
PARTNER SPEAKERS
PSU
TCIL - Telecommunications Consultants India Limited
TCIL is a government-owned engineering and consultancy company...
EESL - Energy Efficiency Services Limited
EESL is uniquely positioned in India’s energy sector to address ener...
IFFCO - Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative
IFFCO operates as a cooperative society owned and controlled by its fa...
VIDEOS
Top 25 Brands
Global Indian industry
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - NEAL MOHAN, CEO - Youtube
Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, has a bold vision for the platform’s...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Steve Sanghi, Executive Chair, Microchip
Steve Sanghi, the Executive Chair of Microchip Technology, has been a ...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO- Microsoft
Satya Nadella, the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, recently emphasized ...
ITFORUM 2025
CMO of the Year
WOMEN LEADERSHIP
IMAGE GALLERY
TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY
MORE VIDEOS
ADVERTISEMENTS
TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION
UNICORNS REVOLUTIONISING
of images belongs to the respective copyright holders
