Live streaming services for schools remain critically important. Are you happy with the live streaming services you’re using? Would you like to offer more to your students and fans?
Are you concerned about how much upgrading your school live streaming services will cost?
Several factors contribute to the cost of a live stream. Balancing your needs with your budget can help you get the best value.
Learn more about the cost of school live streaming so you can make the best choice for your institution.
What to Expect from School Live Streaming Services
Live streaming services host your video content. Some platforms host on-demand video as well as live streams. Professional-grade streaming platforms let you embed a video player in your own app or website. You can archive your streamed videos for future use.
You can use a quality school live streaming service to stream many types of content including:
- Sporting events
- Plays and concerts
- Graduation and other special events
- School board and PTO meetings
- Pep rallies and assemblies
You can reach students, parents and family members, and members of the community.
Are Free Live Video Streaming Services Really Free?
When you start considering the cost of live streaming services for schools, you’ve probably come across free platforms. YouTube and Facebook Live let you stream events for free. Some professional service providers offer free introductory packages.
However, free streaming isn’t always free. Introductory packages often require revenue sharing. You may also face hidden, unexpected costs.
The biggest downsides of free platforms are the restrictions and lower quality of their services. If you use Facebook or YouTube, they own your content. You may face content rejections for supposed violations of their community standards.
Free platforms have little to no customer support. If anything goes wrong, you’re on your own. You may have poor streaming quality or limited bandwidth.
What Determines the Cost of Live Streaming for Schools
The cost of school live streaming can vary widely from provider to provider. Your price typically depends on several factors including:
- Number of events you plan to live stream
- Size of your expected audience
- Bandwidth
The cost of hardware is another factor that contributes to your total cost.
Number of Events
Most live streaming services for schools use a subscription pricing model. You pay a flat rate on a monthly or yearly basis. You often get a discount when you pay for the entire year.
You’ll typically pay more the more events you stream. Some providers offer packages with unlimited streaming.
Some platforms offer a pay-as-you-go option. It’s ideal if you only live stream a few events each year. You can stream your event without committing to a monthly bill.
Audience Size and Viewing Platforms
The cost of a school live stream will often be higher when the audience is larger. Some services base pricing on the number of simultaneous viewers you can have.
Additional charges for mobile device support can apply. Making your stream compatible with more viewing platforms, like AppleTV, Roku, and Chromecast, may increase the cost.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth affects several aspects of your live stream. It refers to the data transfer rate of the network connection. The more bandwidth you have, the more data the connection can send and receive at a time.
The cost of live streaming services for schools is higher with more bandwidth. Higher bandwidth lets more people watch your live stream. Your video will have higher quality.
More bandwidth lets you use a higher bitrate. This gives you a better image quality in your video stream. You’ll usually see bitrate measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
If you don’t have enough bandwidth, your viewers will experience buffering when watching your live stream.
More bandwidth lets you stream video with a higher frame rate. A higher frame rate is especially important for high-action content like sports.
Finally, you’ll need more bandwidth to stream videos with better resolution.
Live Streaming Equipment
The cost of buying and maintaining your live streaming equipment can vary widely. Some providers offer you preset equipment packages to buy as part of your contract. Others will recommend equipment to purchase on your own.
You’ll need equipment like:
- Camera and tripod
- Microphones
- Computer hardware and software
In many cases, you have to handle the maintenance and upgrades of your devices yourself.
Equipment with more capabilities will be more expensive. Evaluating the needs of your school will help you find the right balance between device features and budget.
Budget with Plan Levels
Many live streaming service providers offer tiered service plans. Higher-level plans offer more bandwidth, storage, and support.
You get additional services like analytics, privacy and security features, and white-label capabilities. White-label streaming lets you use a custom video player without logos or links back to the provider.
You can choose a plan level with the features you need. This helps ensure you only pay for what you’re going to use.
Get the Best Value for School Live Streaming Services with WSN Live
The cost of school live streaming is more than the number on a price quote. When you consider what you get for your money, you’ll see that a lower price can cost more over the long run.
Working with WSN Live gives your school the best value for your budget. We’ll help you get professional quality live streaming that your students, families, and fans love.
We’ll custom-build a package for your unique situation. Our packages start with quality equipment. Then, you can choose the level of data, support, and web (DSN) you need.
Our gear has a full warranty and service included. Our support team goes live whenever you do. We can help you troubleshoot in real-time when necessary.
Your viewers see your live stream at the highest quality their devices allow. You get simulcasting, multiple channels, and multi-bitrate streaming with plans from WSN Live. You don’t get any startup fees or other hidden fees.
Get a Better Live Streaming Experience
The cost of school live streaming services is an important consideration. Several factors contribute to your total cost. Evaluating the quality and services you need will help you find a plan that meets your needs and budget.
Book a call with us to discuss your school live streaming needs. We look forward to helping you get the best for your school.