NVOD, short for “near video-on-demand,” is a means of delivering videos that lets viewers choose from restricted or subscription-based broadcast video channels. Pay-per-view service providers use NVOD channels to allow subscribers to watch videos following a designated schedule. They typically broadcast videos at staggered intervals (e.g., 20 minutes) on specific channels to let viewers choose the most suitable start time.
You can thus compare NVOD to the way movies are scheduled for showing in theaters. You can choose the start time that works best for you because each film is offered in several theaters at different slots.
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Read More about “Near Video-on-Demand (NVOD)”
Near video-on-demand applies to digital TV broadcasting and works on the premise that viewers are never more than 20 minutes or so away from watching a movie. Letting them choose their preferred start times makes them more likely to purchase a film.
How Does NVOD Differ from VOD?
Video-on-demand (VOD) lets viewers watch any video of their choosing at any time. Near video-on-demand, meanwhile, uses a predetermined schedule, so subscribers need to be in front of their screens at the time they chose to watch a film.
VOD is also more interactive in that it is equivalent to live streaming. If you allow viewers to participate by opening the platform to comments and questions, you can do so on VOD. Unfortunately, you can’t do that on NVOD.
NVOD is only part of VOD, along with PPV, OTT streaming, and other business models.
What Companies Offer NVOD?
By 2020, only two providers continued to offer NVOD services—DirecTV and Dish Network—both are based in the U.S. These companies cater to viewers who live in areas that don’t have access to broadband Internet services. Their subscribers thus get to enjoy high-definition TV access even without the Internet.
Near video-on-demand remains popular in countries that don’t have widespread broadband Internet connectivity, such as in the Maldives, where cable and satellite TV remains more prominent than content streaming.
Does NVOD Differ from OTT Streaming?
Over-the-top (OTT) streaming refers to making predetermined content available to subscribers for viewing anytime within a month, for instance. Examples of OTT streaming providers include Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, which let viewers watch TV series or movies at their leisure. The platform makes different films available for a month or so, then replaces the content with a new batch.
Near video-on-demand can work despite the lack of Internet access. OTT streaming can’t. But in many cases, NVOD content is made available to OTT streaming services at a much later time.
Does NVOD Differ from PPV?
Subscribers pay a monthly fee for NVOD services but only pay once to watch PPV content. If the PPV movie is made available through an NVOD channel, the viewers typically pay a fee on top of their subscription.
What Does the Future of VOD Look Like?
So long as TV series and movies are produced, VOD content will remain available. Industry forecasts predict that the VOD market (including NVOD) revenue will reach US$82.77 billion in 2022. The top players will be led by prominent players like Alphabet, Amazon, Hulu, AT&T, Netflix, Apple, Comcast, Facebook, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, and Verizon Communications.
Will NVOD Continue?
Given the continued advancement in broadband Internet technology, many consumers have shifted toward OTT streaming from NVOD services for their VOD needs. That is probably why only two providers are left in the U.S. It could also be why the top VOD providers are primarily OTT streaming companies.
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While near video-on-demand may no longer be as popular as it once was, we must admit that it paved the way for how we consume video content today. Without the introduction of VOD, including NVOD, with cable and satellite TV services, we may find the concept behind Netflix, AppleTV, and Disney+, among others, odd.
