Method and apparatus for managing bandwidth requirements for video on demand services

A method for managing bandwidth for transmitting the content of a video to users requesting the content. The total time duration T of the video is divided into N consecutive sessions. A unicast or multicast connection in normal play mode may be created for each session only at discrete times separated by a time increment DeltaT equal to T/N. An overall bandwidth B is established for transmitting the content of the video to the users. The overall bandwidth B is divided into a first part B1 and a second part B2. The first part B1 is allocated to a normal play mode of the video during the N sessions such that B1=N*R, where R is the bit transmission rate of the video. The second part B2 is allocated to unicast sessions dedicated to implementation of at least one non-normal streaming mode of the video.