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What is 4K TV?

Ultra HD or ‘4K’ TV is the next generation of video and programming content. With four times the resolution of today’s most advance HD televisions, incredibly sharp and vivid colours, and higher frame rates, it is set to rewrite the rulebook when it comes to image quality.

This innovative technology will allow the viewer to move from ‘viewing content’ to ‘truly experiencing it’, and not just on TV and in cinema but also across a variety of other platforms. As consumers choose to stream more video content and watch it online, and screen resolutions increase, the viewing experience on devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras and computer monitors will also be part of the ‘4K revolution’ and 111 million Ultra HD displays are expected to be in homes by 2025.

In today’s converged society, 4K brings with it a challenge for policymakers to overcome as they look to develop an eco-system where users can experience such services anytime, anywhere and on any device. When streamed, the higher quality 4K signals are incredibly bandwidth-hungry, requiring far more capacity than current high-definition broadcasts. This will put an increasing strain on mobile and fixed networks, and these alone will not be able to sustainably meet this demand; hybrid solutions are essential. Today, only satellites stream these signals, taking advantage of the enormous bandwidth and wide coverage areas that they offer, enabling consumers to receive the same high quality signal, wherever they are located.

4K TV is already becoming a must-have technology for those who can afford it, and as prices come down and the amount of ultra high-definition content increases, it is truly set to become a game-changer.