Thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices and the sophistication of networks, today’s consumers are growing increasingly accustomed to having access to the information and content they want the moment they want it—and from any Internet-connected device.

Consumers generally prefer, for example, to use their already-paid-for Internet connection rather than their smartphone’s data plan to watch their favorite TV shows. As such, many providers are seeing the rise of TV Everywhere (TVE) and over-the-top (OTT) content as a boon to one of their best assets: broadband.

In a recent survey of the industry, more than 38 percent of respondents indicated that the rise of TVE and OTT has increased the value of their broadband product. Specific results are as follows:

• 28.75 percent said TVE allows their companies to compete against major OTT players
• 22 percent said TVE helps reduce customer churn
• 12.5 percent said TVE increases average revenue per user

Still, providers feel as though TVE isn’t without its challenges. In fact, 36.25 percent of respondents indicated that their customers’ lack of education on the technology is difficult to overcome. Other providers surveyed said it can be hard to offer a comprehensive TVE library due to ongoing negotiations between distributors and programmers (23.13 percent). And even other providers said that they needed to work hard to improve the authentication experience (18.75 percent).

According to the survey, nearly half of regular TVE viewers consume content on their tablets. Therefore, since customers are already used to digesting this content in new formats, providers should work to expand their broadband footprint. That way, customers can access the content they want whenever and wherever they want.

And that’s a win for broadband providers and consumers alike.