WATERLOO, ON. -- Sandvine, (TSX:SVC) a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, today released a Global Internet Phenomena Spotlight focusing on the “fully-loaded” Kodi ecosystem in North America. The report is based on data collected from multiple tier-1 fixed access networks in North America and examines the mechanics and economics of using Kodi to access what many content owners believe to be unlicensed live and on-demand video content.

Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) is an open source media player that allows users to view local and remote videos on PCs, set-top boxes, smartphones, and tablets. Recently, the Kodi name has become increasingly associated with streaming of unlicensed content thanks to the availability of “fully-loaded” Kodi set-top boxes. These set-top boxes are sold online and in retail stores with versions of Kodi that contain unofficial “Add-ons” and modifications designed to drastically lower the technical know-how required to access unlicensed live and on-demand video content.

The report also seeks to correct the misconception that Kodi and its developers, the XBMC Foundation, are the primary beneficiaries in an ecosystem of streaming unlicensed content. The major beneficiaries of this new form of piracy appear to be parties in the ecosystem that are selling the “fully-loaded” hardware, unlicensed streaming services, and hosting services for monetary gain. Even absent the Kodi software, this ecosystem would still be in place and unlicensed video content still accessible via web browsers and other media players.

Sandvine Inc.