Virtual Reality (VR) Peripherals Are Taking Off This Year

With such developments, virtual reality data usage is also predicted to soar. The increase in the demand for virtual reality (VR) peripherals has been attributed to the growing gaming industry. According to market research firm IDC, sales will reach $2.3 billion worldwide in 2016.  As such, companies are racing to position themselves in this exciting field as it moves from gaming to live improving applications.

While gaming will be the primary driver of sales for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or PlayStation VR this year, this burgeoning technology faces other hurdles for a successful impact in society. VR will eventually need massive broadband to reach its potential. Bold Impacts will be limited if broadband capacity is not addressed.

John Donovan, Chief Strategy Officer, and Group President-AT&T Technology and Operations at a recent Open Network Summit (ONS) stated the demand for a 1-minute connection of a VR video is 100 mg.  This compares to a typical video of today that requires 4 mg of broadband for the same minute.  That is a 25X capacity requirement increase!

Telecom mergers are a sign that the industry is preparing for the next internet bandwidth explosion.

Forbes recently published a piece highlighting this issue titled “Why the Internet Pipes will Burst When Virtual Reality Takes Off.”