- Peak bandwidth
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- Monthly transfer
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- With INOVANEX, transfer is included: those GB are not billed separately.
- Suggested INOVANEX plan
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Rule of thumb: the peak is usually 2 to 3 times the average. Choose the plan by the peak: listeners above the limit can't connect.
How it is calculated
- Peak bandwidth = listeners at peak × bitrate. At 128 kbps each listener uses 128 kilobits per second: 1,000 listeners are 128 Mbps leaving the server at that moment. That is why a single server on a single connection runs out as the station grows, and why the delivery network matters.
- Monthly transfer = average listeners × bitrate × seconds on air in the month. At 128 kbps one listener uses 57.6 MB an hour. With 120 average listeners 24 hours a day for 30 days: about 5 TB.
- Estimated average listeners = daily sessions × average length (minutes) ÷ (hours on air × 60). If the player starts 2,500 times a day and each session lasts 45 minutes, there are on average 78 people connected across 24 hours.
- Estimated peak = 2.5 × average. A rule of thumb from real music and talk station statistics; a station with one very strong show can peak higher.
- Suggested plan = the smallest INOVANEX plan whose listener limit is at least the peak, with prices from its public catalog in US dollars.
Examples at 128 kbps, 24 hours on air
| Peak listeners | Average | Peak bandwidth | Monthly transfer | Listener hours a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 40 | 12.8 Mbps | 1.7 TB | 28,800 |
| 300 | 120 | 38.4 Mbps | 5 TB | 86,400 |
| 500 | 200 | 64 Mbps | 8.3 TB | 144,000 |
| 1,000 | 400 | 128 Mbps | 16.6 TB | 288,000 |
| 2,500 | 1,000 | 320 Mbps | 41.5 TB | 720,000 |
| 5,000 | 2,000 | 640 Mbps | 82.9 TB | 1,440,000 |
The first row is a small local or online-only station; the last, a large station with national reach. Between them, the cost of streaming grows far less than the audience: INOVANEX's 5,000-listener plan costs a little more than twice the 500-listener one.
If a provider sells listener hours (TLH)
Some hosts sell total listener hours per month instead of a concurrent limit. One listener for one hour is one listener hour. To compare with a concurrent-listener plan, multiply your average concurrent listeners by the hours on air in a month (the last column above). A station averaging 120 listeners around the clock uses about 86,400 listener hours a month; check what the TLH plan charges beyond its allowance.
Questions about the numbers
What is the difference between concurrent listeners and daily listeners?
Daily (or monthly) listeners count how many different people listened in that period. Concurrent listeners count how many are connected at the same instant. Plans are sold by concurrent listeners: a station with 5,000 daily listeners can peak at 300 concurrent and run perfectly on a 500-listener plan.
Why choose the plan by the peak and not the average?
Because the limit is hard: once it is reached, the next listener cannot connect and gets silence, with no error message. The peak happens exactly when it matters most (the big show, a match, breaking news). The average drives transfer, not the limit.
How do I find my peak without statistics?
The estimator uses daily sessions (player starts) and the average session length, which usually appear in your web analytics or your current provider's panel, and assumes the peak is 2.5 times the average. It is a reasonable starting point; with the new panel's statistics you then adjust the plan up or down.
Is monthly transfer billed?
It depends on the provider. Some include it with no cap (INOVANEX), others set a monthly limit or charge per extra GB. At 128 kbps, 200 average listeners around the clock is about 8 TB a month: if it is billed per GB, you need that number before you sign.