This volume features contributions from a conference held in Lusaka, Zambia, to explore the role and prospects of broadband in Africa as a video platform—with emphasis on the strategies and building blocks for deployment and advancement. While it may seem that such networks and their applications are not a realistic scenario for developing countries, it would be short-sighted and economically dangerous to ignore the emerging trends. The pace of introduction of next-generation networks in industrialized countries is rapid and the developing world will not be able to stand aside. The risks of falling behind are great and in any country there will be elements of business and society who wish to forge ahead. Policymakers and network architects need to be prepared. Media companies and broadcasters, in particular, must be alert to the new developments as should be medical and educational institutions. The availability of advanced high-speed business application tools in a country will affect its participation in international transactions and its economic growth. This volume features contributions from industry leaders, policymakers and scholars, representing a variety of perspectives, including technology and infrastructure management, economic development, marketing, education and health. The authors collectively discuss how broadband deployment as a platform with sufficient speed for video may be encouraged by public policy and regulation and how investment in broadband for this and related purposes can improve the quality of life and experience in Sub Saharan Africa in media and data, while being a financeable, commercially sound business.

This book was prepared as the Final Publication of COST Action IC0703 "Data Traffic Monitoring and Analysis: theory, techniques, tools and applications for the future networks". It contains 14 chapters which demonstrate the results, quality,and the impact of European research in the field of TMA in line with the scientific objective of the Action. The book is structured into three parts: network and topology measurement and modelling, traffic classification and anomaly detection, quality of experience.

Recent years have seen an exponential increase in video and multimedia traffic transported over the Internet and broadband access networks. This timely resource addresses the key challenge facing many service providers today: effective bandwidth management for supporting high-quality video delivery. Written by a recognized expert in the field, this practical book describes ways to optimize video transmission over emerging broadband networks. Moreover, the book explores new wireless access networks that can enable video connectivity both inside and outside the residential premise.

Reviews the new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard and advancements in adaptive streaming technologies for use in broadband networks and the Internet This book describes next-generation video coding and streaming technologies with a comparative assessment of the strengths and weaknesses. Specific emphasis is placed on the H.265/HEVC video coding standard and adaptive bit rate video streaming. In addition to evaluating the impact of different types of video content and powerful feature sets on HEVC coding efficiency, the text provides an in-depth study on the practical performance of popular adaptive streaming platforms and useful tips for streaming optimization. Readers will learn of new over-the-top (OTT) online TV advancements, the direction of the broadband telecommunications industry, and the latest developments that will help keep implementation costs down and maximize return on infrastructure investment. Reviews the emerging High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard and compares its coding performance with the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) and MPEG-2 standards Provides invaluable insights into the intra and inter coding efficiencies of HEVC, such as the impact of hierarchical block partitioning and new prediction modes Evaluates the performance of the Apple and Microsoft adaptive streaming platforms and presents innovative techniques related to aggregate stream bandwidth prediction, duplicate chunk Includes end-of-chapter homework problems and access to instructor slides Next-Generation Video Coding and Streaming is written for students, researchers, and industry professionals working in the field of video communications. Benny Bing has worked in academia for over 20 years. He has published over 80 research papers and 12 books, and has 6 video patents licensed to industry. He has served as a technical editor for several IEEE journals and an IEEE Communications Society Distinguished lecturer. He also received the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Technology Innovation Award for demonstrations of advanced media technologies.

Along with its interrelated companion volume, The Technology, Business, and Economics of Streaming Video, this book examines the next generation of TV—online video. It reviews the elements that lead to online platforms and video clouds and analyzes the software and hardware elements of content creation and interaction, and how these elements lead to different styles of video content.

This book offers a primer on the valuation of startups. Innovative startups are characterized by high growth potential that usually absorbs liquidity. This is unattractive for traditional banks, replaced by other specialized intermediaries such as venture capital or private equity funds, which diversify their portfolio basing their strategies on a multi-year exit. Startups coexist in an evolving ecosystem with established firms, to which they transfer innovativeness, technology, flexibility, and time-to-market speed, contributing to reinvent the business models and receiving from mature firms feedback on the current market features, the existing clients, and their unsatisfied needs. The valuation paradigms represent a central issue for any start-upper seeking external finance, either from family and friends or through a wider professional placement. This book, complemented by practical cases (concerning, for instance, FinTechs, digital platforms, and e-Health applications) offers a guide to practitioners, students, and academics about the trendy valuation patterns of the startups based on their strategic business planning