Say time travel was possible and you go back to 2007. Someone takes out their first iPhone, and you notice something missing. They can't watch that big game live because the WatchESPN app hasn’t been invented yet. There’s no HBO GO, no Hulu, in fact, almost no TV Everywhere technology at all. This means fans of Mad Men back then had to miss the latest episode while they were away on business or simply on the go.
Fast forward 11 years later, and TV viewers can breathe easy. It's now almost impossible to keep track of the number of TV Everywhere apps, new streaming devices, and the billions of minutes that are streamed by millions of viewers every day.
Cable programmers and operators strive to give viewers what they want--which is to watch TV on the go, anytime, anywhere--and the demand for live streaming will only increase as our fast-paced media culture continues to evolve. As Will Marks, Ovation TV's vice president of business development and digital recently told NCTA, "You always have to be looking ahead and not be afraid of all the new platforms, all the new tech. That's the only way you will keep the consumer excited and happy and have great new products and services for them in this space."
Critical to this new and exciting way of watching video and live programming are the robust internet networks that deliver faster connections than ever before. The speed and capacity of these connections have allowed consumers to take advantage of the technology advancements in phones, tablets, TV-connected devices like Roku and Apple TV, and the debut of streaming services, and to watch TV whenever, wherever and however they want.
Check out how the innovations of the past decade have completely transformed the way people watch TV:
