Next year the mobile Internet will continue to evolve with new services, new 5G deployments and growing concerns about how all the new technology will impact the environment and network neutrality. With mobile video available anytime, anywhere, parents will demand better ways to protect the web’s most vulnerable audiences.
Here is a wrap up of what we see as the top five trends for 2020.
#1: Mobile video explosion
More content providers will continue to provide VOD across devices to meet subscribers’ insatiable appetite for their favorite content, anytime, anywhere using any device. In addition to the increase in user generated video and the total number of video sessions, viewing time will rise, continuing the trend where this year the average person watched 84 minutes of online video, up from 67 minutes last year. Mobile gaming will drive the rise in mobile traffic not just with the hours played, but also time spent viewing play-action to pick up tips. In addition to subscription-based VOD services such as Epic, Disney+ and Apple TV+, transaction video on demand (TVOD), and advertising video on demand (AVOD) data volumes will increase.
#2: Mobile carriers compete on speed
Independent benchmarks will continue, from OpenSignal, Tom’s Guide, Ookla, PC Magazine and others. Mobile operators will scramble to achieve top rankings and then publicize positive results for brand building due to increased competition. With Verizon and AT&T providing 5G services in select cities in the US, and US Cellular planning to launch 5G in the first quarter of 2020, there will be a high level of interest in how 5G performance compares with 4G. Those networks that have 5G deployed will most likely leave 4G in the dust when it comes to game play, downloads, and video streaming, but since 5G is not available everywhere operators will still need to invest in improving speeds for 4G networks in parellel.
Dror Shlomo,
CTO,
Flash Networks
#3: THE Network neutrality debate is here to stay
Although in 2018, the repeal of the FCC's rules took effect, ending network neutrality regulation in the United States, twenty-nine states have introduced net neutrality legislation in 2019, meaning that the attempt to legislate network neutrality will continue in 2020. There is still rampant publicity about unfair treatment from carriers including a huge global study run by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Northeastern University that reported that 30 of more than 2,700 carriers - including all the major U.S. services - were selectively slowing down major video services from Amazon, YouTube and Netflix.
#4: ”Not in my backyard” for 5G
With all the hype for new 5G deployments there are serious hurdles to implementations on the ground. The Global Mobile Suppliers Association, issued a report early this summer claiming that this year 280 operators in 94 countries are investing in 5G networks in the form of tests, trials, pilots, and planned and actual deployments. However, to hook up the “small cells” that power 5G grids, wireless providers have to install thick wires and poles, and an antennae on nearly every block they want to cover, which can get ugly. The “not in my backyard syndrome” can limit the ability for mobile networks to get permits from various local government units (LGUs), homeowner associations (HOAs), and other stakeholders, causing considerable delay in the construction of facilities.
#5: Regulations to protect youth
In 2020 content filtering will become even more of a regulatory issue requiring ISPs to install tools to protect vulnerable viewers. At least 27 states in the US and other countries worldwide have Internet filtering laws that require publicly funded schools, libraries and institutions to prevent minors from gaining access to explicit, obscene or harmful materials, including installing content filtering software on terminals and computers. In addition to fears about their children accessing inappropriate content, parents are concerned about excessive screen time which has resulted in more carriers providing content control as a service to their subscribers.
In 2020 mobile networks will be infused with new video services that are faster, smoother and available on a larger variety of devices. Along with the new opportunities to view content there will be new ways to verify the way these services are delivered and to legislate the ways they are deployed to protect subscribers, their children and the environment.
