
Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2019. Read them in this 11th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed by Ian Watterson and Brice Clinton of CSG
Connectivity in the Age of Streaming and 5G
The way that humans
connect and consume content is set for a revolution in 2019. With companies
like Apple
and Intel
making major moves in the 5G space, the reality of next generation connectivity
will be here sooner than we think. This will enable even more streaming
platforms- from Walmart, ESPN+, Disney+, Fox, NBC, to existing giants like
Netflix, and Hulu, to expand, innovate and disrupt the ways consumers view and
engage.
As companies prepare
to maximize consumer offerings around this new technology, it's important to
look at how consumer expectations, technical capabilities and even society, will
evolve. Here are 2019 predictions from CSG on what to expect next:
Ian Watterson, 5G expert and Head of Americas and
Asia-Pacific at CSG:
The realization of 5G connectivity
In 2019, 5G connectivity will become an entity in our
society, with more and more providers announcing offerings and IoT products
that take advantage of this accelerated connectivity. This coming year
consumers will be able to interact with the technology and begin to
conceptualize its potential impact on our society.
The impact of connectivity
Looking beyond 2019 alone, in
the long-term 5G and the bandwidth it enables will help decrease
poverty by providing the rural population with increased access to data and
education.
Launch of the first Smart City
The proliferation of the IoT and the impending development
of 5G connectivity in 2019 will open the floodgates for the first truly smart
city. The major impediment to moving the smart city from the theoretical to the
practical was the sheer speed and bandwidth to handle the amount of data
generated by the IoT and process it in real time. From public transit to law
enforcement, 2019 will see the first truly smart city, powered by building
blocks laid this last year.
Brice Clinton, Senior Engineer at CSG and
OTT industry expert
5G Becomes Operational
While there has been much talk around 5G networks 2019 will
see those network utilized and marketed. This increased network bandwidth and
speed with lowering latency will continue to create efficiencies which will be
most exacerbated in the mobile space - where video is growing at its highest
rate. This improved speed (especially on mobile devices) provides an
opportunity to create more compelling, immersive content specifically tailored
for mobile devices.
Blockchain for Content
Most people immediately associated Blockchain technology
with cryptocurrency, specifically bitcoin. These virtual, decentralized
currencies are the most prevalent (and obvious) use, but in 2019 Blockchain
technology will continue to permeate other industries. As where people get
their content becomes less centralized the ability for content creators to go
directly to their consumers and monetize in new ways continues to grow. Those
content creators are starting to use the Blockchain to monetize their content
either through the community of fans upvoting their content and being rewarded
for popularity or via direct payments using proprietary coins built on the
blockchain.
Technology and content consumption
Streaming options and personalized content have begun to
revolutionize how viewers experience live programming, but in 2019, consumers
will see an integration of next-generation technologies into the live viewing
experience. This will include VR, AR and blockchain, which will provide a new
level of in-the-moment information and context to viewers. The impact of this
will be noticeable specifically within sports broadcasting (many leagues
already provide games in VR). In 2019 we'll see more available programming,
which when combined with lower cost of hardware will drive wider
adoption.
Consumer Ethics
This year countless stories brought to light the amount of
data collected about consumers and the mishandling of much of that data. It was
also a year that saw GDPR become law in the EU and in my estimation, 2019 will
see more countries (and companies on their own) move to a privacy by design
model and attempt to get to a level of radical transparency.
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About the Authors
Brice Clinton is a Senior Engineer at CSG where he builds
the strategies and solutions that power digital media services, content
delivery, digital service monetization and cutting-edge consumer experiences.
Brice also serves an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern
University where he leads a course devoted to technology in sports.
Ian Watterson is Head of Americas and Asia-Pacific, guiding
growth strategy and customer success initiatives across North and South America
and the Asia-Pacific region.
Ian has 18 years of experience in technology and
telecommunications management across operational management, corporate
strategy, finance, and marketing disciplines.