Brightcove Adds Akamai as CDN Provider

Online media platform Brightcove is adding Akamai (AKAM) as a content delivery network provider, the company said this week. Brightcove and Akamai are neighbors on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

End to end platform
The agreement between companies will merge two of the most widely used cloud-based platforms for professional online video. Brightcove will provide the Akamai HD Network as a bundled component of the Brightcove online video platform service and is now  part of the Akamai HD Network partner ecosystem.  Brightcove supplies the tools for video content management, encoding, publishing, monetization and analytics, while Akamai provides the global HD network with full adaptive bit rate streaming.

"Online video has become as ubiquitous as text on the Web, creating increased demand for high quality video experiences across all screens," said Jeremy Allaire, Brightcove Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Brightcove and Akamai share a strong commitment to online video quality and providing the best user experience possible, and together we expect to set the standard for innovation in the industry and accelerate the adoption of new technologies throughout the world."

The partnership will bring the possibility for advanced features and capabilities for Brightcove by taking advantage of Akamai's adaptive bit-rate streaming and DVR-like features for live or interactive streams. Akamai gains immediate access to Brightcove's major media customers as well as many small and medium sized businesses.

Akamai announced its new HD Video Network last year and price cuts in January of this year. The bundled Akamai/Brightcove package is expected to be rolled out this fall.

NOTE: An earlier version of this story reported that Akamai had replaced Limelight Networks as Brightcove's content delivery provider. That is not correct. Brightcove will continue to use Limelight, and has added Akamai.