How streaming changed the way we watch TV forever

While the trend for streaming services has altered our traditional viewing habits, TV is still very much in favour at home in our sitting rooms and, most importantly, in our hotel rooms. Who for? Why? How? Wifirst sets out an update of TV service offerings, in tune with the new viewing habits of hotel guests.

The streaming revolution and the age of BYOC 

In recent years, we have already seen SVoD platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Hulo, Paramount, AppleTV, Disney+) gaining a significant share of the viewing audience from so-called linear TV. Whilst it’s true that the explosion of video streaming services has changed consumer attitudes to TV viewing, it in no way heralds the end of television itself.

Indeed, a recent study conducted by the Streaming Video Alliance shows that although viewing figures for online video content are on the increase compared to traditional TV viewing habits, watching "telly" still rates as a key social activity. As many as 60% of those surveyed do indeed watch online content on a TV screen at least once a day. This change has led hospitality and tourism providers to reevaluate their services to keep pace with how guests now consume video content

Wifirst, which now operates the WiFi network for almost 1500 hotels and apart-hotels, is positioned at the forefront of this revolution: 

The TV challenge in the hotel industry 

Hotel industry professionals have long understood the value of in-room TVs, often dedicating a significant portion of their budget to them. Larger screens, sleeker designs, ultra-high resolutions—TVs have long been seen as technological showpieces. But today, that alone is no longer enough.

Haven’t most of us found ourselves in a hotel room, watching our favourite shows on a smartphone or tablet—while a perfectly good 55” TV sits unused in the background?

In June 2019, to help hotel operators meet the challenges of modernisation, we launched our ‘Stream & Cast’ solution. Built on our proprietary Room Area Network technology and Google’s standard Chromecast device, this innovative service allows guests to stream their own content directly to the in-room TV. It bridged the gap between guest expectations and the traditional hotel TV experience—delivering an immediate boost in satisfaction scores. 

To further enhance the Chromecast experience, we partnered with Otrum to develop an IPTV portal featuring a clean, intuitive design. Upon entering their room, guests are greeted by a user-friendly interface that allows them to connect to the room’s WiFi and access their own content with a single click. With this, Wifirst has progressively addressed every stage of a hotel TV project—from channel reception to the management and distribution of channels over IP or coaxial networks, TV installation, and the deployment of an interactive IPTV portal.

High-speed connections are now as critical as the content itself 

While the explosion of video streaming has changed our relationship with television as users, it has also redefined various aspects of the TV offering for industry professionals. The main issue within the hotel industry is not to provide guests with an endless list of TV channels, but rather to deliver the fast connection speeds they need to stream their own content. And this is precisely where Wifirst comes in.

Thanks to our ongoing investment in WiFi technology, we are able to provide the go-to WiFi solution: a robust, high-performance technical platform, capable of delivering the multitude of digital services that hotel guests have come to expect, through a seamless and fully accessible user experience.