-->
Save your FREE seat for Streaming Media Connect this August. Register Now!

Akamai Intros Media Acceleration for OTT, Video Game Publishers

Article Featured Image

Even the most die-hard over-the-top (OTT) video streamers know that broadcast and cable provide consistently better delivery. Hoping to improve OTT quality, content delivery network (CDN) Akamai is launching Akamai Media Acceleration to improve performance for OTT viewers and video gamers, bringing broadcast quality to broadband, it says. The feature is available to customers starting this week, and will be in beta until April 28.

Today's viewing issues come from network congestion, explains Scott Brown, Akamai's vice president of product management for media. As viewing shifts online, congestion grows and quality suffers. Akamai's approach prior to this was to optimize the parts of the network it controls, adding servers and moving them closer to end-viewers. However, this still leaves areas between the edge server and the viewers where Akamai has no control.

The idea behind Media Acceleration is to flip the problem and tackle last mile issues from a user-centric view.

“By integrating Akamai technologies directly into consumer applications we extend the opportunity to optimize the connection between the viewer and Akamai," Brown explains. "The technologies are designed to optimize quality during congestion, but also can reduce congestion on the network to improve the viewing experience, extend the life of operator capital investments, and ultimately contribute to sustainable economic models.”

Viewers using Akamai Media Acceleration can expect better viewing quality, reduced buffering, and less bitrate switching, Brown says. This last-mile solution uses the quick UDP internet connections (QUIC) framework as it provides secure transmissions over UDP while letting Akamai use its own congestion control mechanisms.

Vimeo has been testing Akamai Media Acceleration since December 2016, and notes that immediately after putting it in place it saw a significant increase in demand for HD-quality playback. Over 10 other companies have been testing the feature, but Akamai doesn't have permission to name them.

Besides improving OTT delivery issues, Media Acceleration helps video game publishers speed the delivery of games and other software. Media Acceleration will be added to Akamai's Adaptive Media Delivery and Download Delivery Products at no additional cost. To use the feature, customers will need to integrate the SDK into their app or browser environment.

Those interested can get an in-person look at Akamai Media Acceleration during next month's NAB conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Streaming Covers
Free
for qualified subscribers
Subscribe Now Current Issue Past Issues
Related Articles

Agora.io and Unity Make Video Chat Simple for Game Developers

Live video chat is part of the gaming experience, so Agora.io and Unity Technologies are making it easier for game developers to add chats directly into their software.

Low-Quality Streaming Reduces OTT Viewer Loyalty, Finds Akamai

Using biometric tests, Akamai learned exactly how disengaged and unhappy viewers become after experiencing even minor streaming issues.

Akamai Announces Broadcast-Quality Live Linear Streaming Solution

With LiveOrigin, Akamai hopes to make live linear streams as reliable as broadcast, with low latency and an emphasis on content ingestion.

Akamai Announces CMAF Support to Simplify Transcoding, Storage

Could there actually be one format to rule them all? Akamai becomes an early endorser of the Common Media Application Format, which is still a draft.

Akamai Creates Broadcast Operations Center to Support OTT Video

With a dedicated team working around the clock, Akamai aims to monitor OTT delivery and squash problems the moment they arise.

Akamai Wins Over Limelight in $45M Patent Infringement Ruling

A unanimous appeals court ruling found that Limelight was responsible for infringement, even if customers performed the final step.