Distractions and Objectionable Links

Free or low cost streaming suppliers usually have banner ads or links to other media within their network alongside your webcast, often both. During your church services you most likely seek to remove distractions, so it makes sense to remove them from your live webcast.

The enemy knows how to distract and tempt away from the simplicity of the Gospel, even down the road to addictive behavior contrary to the will of God.

Overage Charges

There are a group of live webcasting solutions that offer unlimited or a number of simultaneous connections for your online services. There is always a clause concerning the total amount of bandwidth transferred each month or the maximum data transferred during a specific time. In almost all cases you have no way to control either issue and the very real potential of exceeding your normal usage.

This amounts to a blank check and removes your prayerful consideration the investment the Lord would lead to for this ministry. Make sure you have the ability to control the expenditure for this ministry.

Long-term Contracts

When there is a fee, often it is a monthly fee involving a one-year, or longer, contract that can only be terminated during a small window of time. This is often during the last month of the contract and then only by a very specific written method. This can be especially costly when coupled with any overage charges or any penalties should you choose to terminate the contract early.

Support for Pornography

Be certain that your fees are not helping to support pornography carried by your streaming provider or that your provider's low cost is not subsidized by pornography. Ask what types of content are carried by their servers and whether they can assure you that their bandwidth is not used to host adult content.

Distribution Network

It is helpful if your streaming provider has peered network arrangements outside your immediate area if you anticipate or hope for significant ministry outside your local community. This is accomplished with edge servers or direct peering agreements. Without these, there could be degradation particularly with high bandwidth video.