Internet content platform Akamai's head of media said that video streaming "could be better quality than high definition broadcasting within a decade," according to Lucy Battersby of THE AGE. This "poses a threat" to TV and subscription cable networks, which attract viewers for live sports and movies by emphasizing the "quality of their image compared to buffery and delayed digital streams." Some networks have "paid hundreds of millions of dollars for these rights, and sporting codes rely on the income." However a "shake-up is coming," with Akamai rolling out new technology that could make internet-delivered video "just as good as TV or better," according to Akamai Media Division GM William Wheaton. He said, "Our contention is that standard internet is going to be more cost effective to deliver video in the long run than dedicated cable systems." Foxtel broadcasts live sports in 1080i high definition, or 720p for sports from ESPN in the U.S. These numbers "refer to the number of pixels and a higher count indicates a better quality picture." Wheaton said that "delivering this kind of high definition over a video stream will require a 15 Mbps connection, while 4K resolution (4,000 pixels) would need 25 Mbps and 4K high dynamic range about 45 Mbps." Faster streams "are important, particularly in live sports." Optus customers have "complained its English Premier League content is streamed up to a minute behind the broadcast, leaving them exposed to spoilers on social media feeds" (THE AGE, 11/21).
