Television has evolved significantly over recent decades. The availability of the internet has suddenly changed the dynamics, making the world a smaller and more connected place. The advent of digital TV technology has led to the development of online video platforms, HDTV, web TV, video-on-demand, and TV streaming. Accessing content at will today is not a far-fetched thought. It has been made possible by Internet Protocol Television, or IPTV. It is predicted that by 2026, the global IPTV market will reach USD 115.2 billion!
In this post, we’ll explore the workings of IPTV and the rise of its services in the modern era.
What Is IPTV and How Does It Work?
IPTV delivers streamed content over a managed network. It can be a VAN, a LAN, or a privately managed service provider network. All these managed networks are based on the internet protocol or IP and have a majority of their content on servers.
IPTV leverages technology that delivers live TV programs over the web in real time. You can access video-on-demand content using IPTV’s subscription-based model. These points highlight the content delivery process of IPTV.
- You request to view a specific program. This request is received by the IPTV TV provider.
- The provider processes your request and transmits a video stream from the server to you.
- The stream goes through the secure private network. It reaches the gateway on your end.
- The content is transferred in packets to the playback device. It is delivered through the RTSP, or real-time streaming protocol.
- This happens before the packets are compressed and optimized for playback.
Joining a network provided by one of the IPTV service providers is essential to accessing IPTV services. These providers offer many packages and a variety of TV channels, providing an array of content.
Factors Behind the Growth of IPTV
Today, almost everyone uses IPTV. To be more precise, over 100 million people globally use IPTV. The main reason behind its rise is that it streams video-on-demand and live TV. So, it essentially gives you content whenever you desire.
Here are some key reasons behind the increased usage of IPTV services.
1. Access content anytime
An IPTV subscription gives people access to on-demand content. It does away with the need to wait for a specific time to watch a show. People no longer have to schedule their days around the timing of their favorite content.
IPTV makes it possible to stream content of your choice. You don’t have to endure watching long advertisements as you can fast forward or skip them. All you need to do is pick one from the playlist offered. IPTV makes streaming easier and more convenient, which accounts for its immense popularity.
2. Unlimited availability of content
Traditional television plans only provide a specific set of channels. So, the content available is quite limited. This is not the case with an IPTV subscription. It gives you access to a diverse variety of content, which you can watch at your convenience.
You don’t have to limit yourself to watching the fixed set of channels provided by conventional TV plans. Moreover, you can stream content from all around the world.
3. IPTV can be used on multiple devices
IPTV is compatible with various devices. It includes smart TVs, set-top boxes, computers, smartphones, and tablets, streaming devices, Mag boxes, internet-enabled Blu-ray players, and media players. Moreover, purchasing a family IPTV package lets the entire family stream content on various devices without lag. Thus, you can watch content on several devices at the same time with a structure that allows a primary device, sub-device, and the like.
4. Flexible subscription plans
If you are an IPTV user, you will only pay for what you watch. This is very different from local cable network providers, who usually have extremely lengthy contracts. Moreover, with IPTV subscriptions, you can save hundreds of dollars every single year and still be able to watch your favorite content.
There are plenty of flexible subscription plans on this network. Users can also tailor the plan in any way, mostly because you can stream content on various devices. The subscription fee is also not as high as those of local cable network providers.
Some Good IPTV Services
There are many good IPTV services for devices like Fire Stick, Chromecast, and the like. Providers like Yeah! IPTV, Voodoo Streams, and HD Streamz are the top names in the list of IPTV services to explore. Other good names are Apollo Group TV, King IPTV, Hypersonic TV, and Super Pro IPTV.
These services support various platforms, such as Fire Stick, Android, and iOS. You can use a variety of payment options, such as PayPal, Amex, Visa, MasterCard, and debit or credit cards for the subscription. They also support VPN and EPG.
Concluding Words
The rise of IPTV majorly boils down to its ability to provide varied on-demand content and flexible subscriptions. These reasons are mainly responsible for making IPTV outshine conventional television and being considered the future of TV. In the next few decades, we can expect a greater increase in the growth of subscription-based IPTVs.
