Live Edgecasting Via Satellite

Live Edgecasting is a process that will allow service providers to host live, revenue-generating Web video events via satellite. It will also enable service and content providers to track consumer usage for billing.

by Wayne Kawamoto [June 22, 2000]

InfoLibria and INTELSAT announced a successful demonstration of their Live Edgecasting, a process that will allow service providers to host live, revenue-generating Web video events via satellite.

According to the companies, the demonstration showed how INTELSAT's geostationary satellite system can work with InfoLibria's content distribution systems to deliver live streaming media in near broadcast quality. In addition, the companies claim that their Edgecasting technology supports on-demand requests for archival footage and can track consumer access for billing and accounting.

The companies say that multicasting multimedia over satellites provides an extremely cost-effective and secure content distribution option to content and service providers. Live Edgecasting enables live video and audio to be up-linked to a satellite network to bypass the Internet backbone. By downlinking and serving this content through MediaMall, InfoLibria's media appliance, the companies claim that service providers can serve original-quality streams from locations close to end users, resulting in a premium viewing experience and reduced bandwidth consumption on a network.

Live Edgecasting is supposed to offer several advantages over television broadcasting. Content providers should be able to use Web technologies to track usage for billing purposes and to obtain information on customer behavior. Also, end-users should receive additional control over the viewing experience, including record and playback capabilities; on-screen, supplemental text content; and the ability to select a single camera view of a pay-per-view event.

"INTELSAT and InfoLibria have taken a leadership role in the development of live multicasting technologies that enable large scale events to happen on the Web," said Chris Baugh, analyst at Pioneer Consulting. "The satellite and caching technologies preserve the TV quality of the video and audio by distributing the content, and they eliminate the threat posed by flash crowds by relieving one server from handling the entire event. This accomplishment is a clear indication of how satellite technology and caching technology can work together to improve the Web experience."

"As geostationary satellites become an increasingly important part of the Internet, INTELSAT continues to explore new ways of delivering innovative global telecommunications services," said Anita Pittard, director of marketing at INTELSAT. "Our demonstration with InfoLibria has proven that live, high-quality streaming media can be distributed via satellite for multicast on the Web. It is an accomplishment that will open a wealth of opportunities for both content and service providers striving to improve Web services and accelerate performance."

"With Live Edgecasting via satellite, viewers at home can enjoy additional services that would not be available through televised events," said Kevin Lewis, senior director of marketing for InfoLibria. "Imagine subscribing to a pay-per-view college football game and having 15 different camera angles to choose from instead of just one. By combining InfoLibria's technology with INTELSAT's satellite system, we can make this happen."

Pricing and Availability
The companies would not provide pricing and availability information for this story.

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