Method and apparatus for quick content channel discovery, streaming, and switching

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,
• the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
• buffer a plurality of original content streams from one or more provider sources to generate a plurality of buffered content streams by at least one buffering services;
• determine one or more requests from at least one device;
• generate a list of one or more original content streams based, at least in part, on the one or more requests;
• select at least one of the one or more original content streams from the list to access the at least one of the one or more original content streams;
• and
• initiate, in response to the selection, a streaming of at least one of the plurality of buffered content streams from the at least one buffering service to the at least one device in place of the at least one of the plurality of original content stream,
• wherein the initiation of the streaming of the at least one or more buffered content streams is further based on user preference of a user of the at least one device, network latency, content provider information, or a combination thereof.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform:

• buffering a plurality of original content streams from one or more provider sources to generate a plurality of buffered content streams by at least one buffering services;
• determining one or more requests from at least one device;
• generating a list of one or more original content streams based, at least in part, on the one or more requests;
• selecting at least one of the one or more original content streams from the list to access at least one of the one or more original content streams;
• and
• initiating, in response to the selection, a streaming of at least one of the plurality of buffered content streams from the at least one buffering service to the at least one device in place of the at least one of the plurality of original content stream,
• wherein the initiation of the streaming of the at least one or more buffered content streams is further based on user preference of a user of the at least one device, network latency, content provider information, or a combination thereof.