Unified Delivery Network ecosystem gets new partner additions
Following the introduction of its Unified Delivery Network (UDN) during Mobile World Congress in February 2016, Ericsson has announced that additional content and service provider companies have joined the global content delivery ecosystem. It also stated that it is working with Twentieth Century Fox’s research and development centre, Fox Innovation Lab, on a proof of concept for delivering a wide variety of Fox content using UDN.
UDN is a global content distribution network (G-CDN) ecosystem that enables and aggregates network capabilities into the public domain, allowing services to be optimised and scaling the delivery of over the top (OTT) services and high quality video content.
China Telecom, Chunghwa Telecom, Dolby Laboratories, Far EasTone Telecommunications, Globe Telecom, Mavshack, Paramount Pictures, Singtel, SK Broadband, XL Axiata, Vubiquity and Twentieth Century Fox represent the latest additions to an expanding list of companies that are uniting to significantly advance the traditional content delivery network model.
Previously announced partners include Hutchison Global Communications, Telstra, AIS, Vodafone, Brightcove, DailyMotion, EchoStar, Deluxe, LeTV and QuickPlay. Ericsson will be working with all of these partners, as well as Ericsson’s own platforms; Ericsson Managed Player and MediaFirst.
Per Borgklint, senior vice president and head of business unit support solutions at Ericsson, comented: “UDN’s disruptive business model has struck a chord with service and content providers that want more flexibility, visibility and control over the delivery of high quality OTT services. Ericsson, along with its partners, have successfully created a win-win content delivery play that drastically improves how a broad range of services are delivered to customers around the world.”
With Fox Innovation Lab, the proof of concept collaboration includes new release and library movies, 360° audio and video, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), and 4K Ultra-HD with High Dynamic Range content over any platform, device or network. This breakthrough innovation enables seamless, optimised and latency-free entertainment experiences that can support all current and anticipated playback devices, platforms, and networks.
Hanno Basse, CTO at 20th Century Fox, and managing director, Fox Innovation Lab, commented: “4K Ultra-HD with High Dynamic Range, as well as virtual and augmented reality and other innovative forms of content, have gathered momentum with the promise of unique, immersive user experiences. Working closely with Ericsson’s technical experts, we will offer our first proof of concept to showcase core technologies that overcome the constraints of network and bandwidth limitations. We will demonstrate a viable direction for the creation of new, breakthrough content services that expand our ability to deliver high-value, engaging content to consumers.”
Ericsson and its global service provider partners will work collaboratively to deliver enhanced business and customer values by harnessing the following agile services and capabilities enabled by UDN, including: last mile edge delivery, so content providers are equipped to optimise services and scale the delivery of high quality content and advanced services including 4K, Ultra High Definition, gaming and virtual reality; with a content peering partnership, the collective members of the UDN have a full global reach for content delivery and value-add services to keep pace with the number of growing viewers, gamers and data surge with the rise of broadband connectivity and mobility; plus insights into drivers of revenue such as campaign performance and user engagement from operators enable the UDN to offer hyper-targeted content offerings and advertising, leading to highly personalised viewing experiences and greater business opportunities.
