Though it might seem almost trivial, “changing TV channels” is one of the important values to be provided by ultra-low-latency 5G mobile networks, working in tandem with edge computing centers.
As more entertainment video is provided using a live streaming format, how fast video appears on the screen when a channel is changed becomes a major driver of experienced quality.
Significantly, the biggest contributor to perceived streaming quality already is “startup time,” the lag between selecting a channel and seeing the desired content displayed on the screen. Some 76 percent of respondents to a survey published by Akamai said startup time was an important quality issue.
That has some implications for 5G mobile networks and edge computing. As video resolution continues to climb (4K and 8K TV), the amount of instantaneous bandwidth required to support startup times when changing channels becomes even more important.
It might seem trivial, but given the amount of online content being consumed, ultra-low-latency 5G networks, paired with edge computing data centers, will provide value precisely as they enable no-lag display of TV content on streaming services when remote control channel change operations are conducted.
