The rise of Internet Protocol (IP) as a distribution path is unquestionable and is changing the game in the media industry. It is driven primarily by the explosion of streaming services (OTT), which have become the dominant way for many audiences to consume content, supported by the scalability of cloud technologies. IP networks offer the flexibility to target content to specific demographics and enable interactivity such as personalized advertising or on-demand content. For smaller channels or for distributing highly specialized content with limited audiences, IP distribution can be significantly more cost-effective than renting satellite capacity.
Examples of transition and the role of hybrids
Specific examples of this transition are already actively emerging in the marketplace and signal a broader trend in the content distribution industry. The recent, strategically significant decision by Tennis Channel, which can be tuned into the Hotbird satellite in the Czech Republic, to completely abandon long-standing satellite distribution in favour of a modern, pure IP model is proof of this. This move demonstrates the growing confidence of broadcasters in the technical robustness, operational reliability and overall cost-effectiveness of solutions built on IP networks.
On the other hand, the continued success and relevance of hybrid models, which cleverly combine traditional and new technologies, can by no means be overlooked. Technologies such as HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) exemplify the power of combining both worlds of distribution. They combine an efficient and widely available traditional signal (distributed by satellite or terrestrial) with interactive services, applications and additional content. The massive spread of the HbbTV standard across Europe, where it has already successfully reached more than 100 million households, demonstrates that IP does not necessarily have to replace satellite.
The power of satellite and its new face
Satellite distribution still holds firmly to its key and in many scenarios insurmountable advantages, ensuring its continued relevance, even though from the perspective of a Czech or Slovak reader it may seem that the exact opposite is true. For mass distribution of television signals in DTH (Direct-to-Home) mode over large geographical areas, including areas with insufficient terrestrial infrastructure, satellite often remains the most indispensable and efficient technology.
Its ability to deliver the same, high-quality content to millions of viewers simultaneously, regardless of their local connectivity, similar to the future of 5G Broadcast on mobile devices, is cost-effective for large broadcasters. Global satellite operators such as SES therefore continue to enter into long-term contracts with the world's leading broadcasters, ensuring coverage and continuity for mass audiences.
Moreover, the satellite industry itself has not stagnated and is undergoing its own dynamic transformation and wave of technological innovation. Alongside the stable but no longer growing traditional video, the importance and volume of data services provided over satellite links is growing massively. This includes providing critical, high-speed connectivity for air transport, the maritime sector, government and security forces, as well as providing mobile backup for operators expanding 5G networks or connectivity for businesses in remote locations.
The future is hybrid
So the future of media content distribution is unlikely to belong exclusively to one dominant technology, but rather to the coexistence of several of them. Indeed, the power and effectiveness of hybrid networks, which can effectively combine the specific advantages of both IP technologies and satellite systems, is increasingly becoming apparent. Here, satellite can provide global reach, transmission reliability and instantaneous coverage of large areas, while IP brings flexibility, personalisation and interactive capabilities.
So the question of "head-to-head" in the IP versus satellite battle doesn't really have a simple, unambiguous answer in terms of winner and loser. IP clearly dominates in personalized streaming, on-demand content and interactive applications, while satellite continues to hold its strong position in efficient mass distribution of linear content, providing reliability for key transmissions, and finding new applications in data transmission and supporting global IP connectivity where other options fail.
Source: mediaguru.cz