Southern Cloud to Rely on Level 3 CDN to Distribute Streamed Media Services

Southern Cloud, an over-the-top (OTT) platform provider specializing in premium diaspora content, has selected Level 3 to provide Content Delivery Network (CDN) services. The Level 3 CDN will distribute high-quality, paid content via Southern Cloud’s International TV platform, Cloudio TV, over multiple devices such as set-top boxes, Connected Smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

The combination of the Level 3 CDN with its global Internet Protocol (IP) and fibre network enables Southern Cloud to migrate satellite subscribers to an IP-based delivery model. This provides a combination of quality enhancements and cost savings, allowing broadcasters to offer an improved subscriber package for consumers in targeted diaspora communities around the world to view popular content from their native countries. These new capabilities will allow broadcasters to improve their overall cost structure, which can translate into lower entry points for end-users.

“We are looking forward to building a strong working relationship with Level 3. Its global CDN allows us to offer broadcasters a significantly larger reach than national OTT players, connecting them to their target diaspora groups around the world,” said David Vargas-Racero, CEO at Southern Cloud and Cloudio TV. “Our shift to IP-based content delivery provides our broadcast customers with access to locations where traditional satellite distribution is not available. It ensures improved quality and increased cost efficiencies of up to 50 percent.”

“Level 3 offers a global communications network to address the complex technology demands of enterprises worldwide,” said Andrew Crouch, Regional President, EMEA, Level 3 Communications. “Our network reaches more than 500 markets in 60 countries, and will allow Southern Cloud’s customers to securely and efficiently deliver video content, regardless of location.”

In 2013, Level 3’s CDN delivered 10 Exabytes of data – equivalent to more than 12 billion movie downloads per year or approximately 33 million per day (assuming 4 Gigabytes per movie).