Globally, the overall consumption of online video is trending up while television watch time is trending down. In a study of 4,500 consumers from 9 major countries, online video viewing grew 85% between 2016 and 2020. Meanwhile, television view time fell 10%. Previously, the onus of live stream testing and success was on networks and cable providers. But with OTT (over-the-top) streaming on the rise, media organizations face increased demand to deliver high video quality experience.

Live stream testing comes with unique challenges that sets it apart from mobile app or web application testing. When you offer a live stream of a national sporting event or political debate, millions of viewers flock to utilize your TV app, mobile app, or web app (or all three). Not only is performance at stake, but there can also be API, syndication, and CDN issues that threaten to derail the live stream. When a live stream goes down, it creates enormous frustration.