Updated List Of Stand Alone CDNs and Telcos/Carriers Offering CDN Services

While I have been keeping a running list of CDNs for some time, back in January I had to add a section to the list just for all of the carriers and telcos who have started offering CDN services in the market. With the sudden surge of non pure-play CDNs now offering CDN services on top of their core business offerings, the list of non pure-play CDNs only continues to grow.

Here's an updated list of CDNs in the market, broken down between pure-play CDNs versus non pure-play vendors like carriers and telcos. (To make the list easier to find on my blog, all you have to do is go to www.cdnlist.com for the latest update)

Non Pure-Play CDNs

• Alcatel-Lucent (acquired Velocix 7/09)
• AT&T
• Bell (working with Limelight)
• Broadmedia
• BT (will launch by year's end)
• Deutsche Telekom (partnered with EdgeCast)
• Global Crossing (reselling Limelight and EdgeCast)
• Internap (acquired VitalStream)
• Level 3 (acquired CDN assets of SAVVIS, acquired Servecast)
• NaviSite (reselling EdgeCast)
• NTT Communications
• Pacnet (partnered with Internap)
  
• PCCW
• Reliance Globalcom (partnered with Internap)
• SingTel
• Tata Communications (partnered and invested in BitGravity)
• TeliaSonera
• Telecom Italia Sparkle (reselling CDNetworks)

Pure-Play CDNs

• Accelia
• Abacast
• Advection.net
• Akamai
• Amazon Web Services
• BitGravity
• BitTorrent
• CacheFly
• ChinaCache
• CDNetworks
• Cotendo
  
• Conviva
• Digital Fountain (acquired by Qualcomm 2/09)
• EdgeCast
• EdgeStream
• Grid Networks (merged with GMS 4/09)
• Highwinds
• Itiva
• Limelight Networks
• Mirror Image
• Move Networks
• Pando Networks
• Panther Express (acquired by CDNetworks 2/09)
• PEER1
• Real Broadcast Network
  
• Technicolor
• Velocix (acquired by Alcaltel-Lucent 7/09)
• Voxel.net
• Vusion (went out of business 5/09)

Before anyone starts saying it's not fair to put all these folks on a list, please read my disclaimer in my last CDN post which explains many of the differences between the CDN vendors in the market.

Related Post:

- Video CDN Pricing Drops Slightly In Q1, Other Contract Trends Noticed

Comments

[Ross]

Hi there,

I am working for a client evaluating whether to use a CDN for their upcoming website.

The site is going to have 10-15 pages that have background movies playing.

It is a pure Silverlight site, (eg just one web page hosting the plug in), so my understanding is that I am limited to accessing a CDN that hosts IIS7 - media services 2.0 smooth streaming.

Akamai has been suggested to us, but I am bit wary that it wont be cost effective (we expect to server about 5000 video views a day).

Any suggestions how one could go about evaluating the alternatives - cost / performance / reliability?

[Michel]

You can add KPN to the Non Pure-Play CDNs (VideoExchange powered)

[ses]

Silverlight isn't limited to Smooth Streaming; progressive download and Windows Media streaming should also work, and most CDNs can handle that.

Whether you even need a CDN at all depends on the geographical distribution of your visitors, how critical performance is, etc.

[Daniel Albe]

I'm not seeing SimpleCDN.

dani at www.rivo.com.ar

[Dan Rayburn]

@Daniel - Why would you expect to see SimpleCDN on this list? Just because they have the word "CDN" in their name, does not make them one. They would be a "regional service provider".

[Erik Herz]

I wonder which besides Mirror Image support WowzaMedia. I ask because I am looking for a CDN that can support our live H264 encoder with RTSP/RTP/M2T protocol as a way to stream live Flash (RTMP). Mirror Images looks like the best bet so far.

Also, I am wondering if any CDN (again besides Mirror Image) has any solution for preparing live iPhone video data. I know that all can host the chunks via HTTP but so far only Mirror Image has provided me with any guidance on how to generate the content.

I am happy to continue to recommend business to Mirror Image for this but I like to have choice in the marketplace.

Erik

(feel free to email me offline with a sales pitch at erikh@vbrick.com)

[Dan Rayburn]

Hi Erik,

This sounds like a sales pitch for Mirror Image, mentioning them 5x in one post.

A quick look on the Wowza website shows many CDNs who support Wowza starting back in 2007 or earlier. Interoute, Astream, Advection.net etc... quite a few of them. Wowza would be happy to give you a list of the CDNs who support their system and they have a bunch of press releases on their website with many of these CDNs/service providers.

As for the iPhone question, I'm sure you are aware of the work Akamai is doing with that (akamai.iphone.com) as well as all the partners they worked with to enable content owners to prep their content for the iPhone. All of this info is widely out in the open unless we are not understanding your request.

[Ari Abramson]

From what I have heard at CTIA and MWC, Real Broadcast Network has evolved to become more like Quickplay and MobiTV since they handle the mobile video for Verizon VCAST and AT&T CV beyond just streaming. I am not sure if they are a pure-play CDN, though. Don't they do both live and on demand on apps and web now?

[Drew Robertson]

Thanks (for the memories)

[John]

Any CDN that supports Origin Pulling of HTTP could support Smooth Streaming (if you have your origin as an IIS server).

To do Apple Adaptive Bit Rate live, you need an encoder that supports that. As I know right now, the Apple Media Encoder/Quick Time Broadcaster DOES NOT support this LIVE yet.

As far as I know there are 2 encoders out there. One by Inlet and one by Envivio that do Apple and Smooth Stream live encoding. They're in the $25K range to purchase.

I would wait until Apple comes out with a software encoder for it. I would wait until MS updates Expression to support it.

[John]

Update on Live Apple Adaptive Bit Rate. This is from the Apple Media Segmenter Instructions:

The Media Stream Segmenter is a command-line tool that segments media for deployment using HTTP Live Streaming. The Segmenter receives an MPEG-2 transport stream over UDP and divides it into a series of small media files of equal duration. The Segmenter also creates an index file containing references to the individual media files. The index file and media files can then be deployed using common web server infrastructure.

The Media Stream Segmenter can produce either live or video-on-demand (VOD) streams. For live streams, the transport stream from the media encoder is ingested, new media files are created and the index file is periodically updated. This type of stream is suitable for continuous broadcasts. With VOD streams, small media files representing the entire duration of the presentation are created by the Segmenter and the complete index list is generated. This kind of stream allows the client access to the entire program at once.

The Media Stream Segmenter can encrypt the segments using AES-128 encryption.

[Nick Nelson]

Should add NetDNA to that list - CDN based on Mzima.net's network. By the way that's http://www.netdna.com

[Dan Rayburn]

Hi Nick, NetDNA is not a CDN in my eyes. They don't even support any kind of streaming.

[Markell]

I think you may have overlooked StreamtheWorld Dan.

www.streamtheworld.com

[Dan Rayburn]

Hi Markell, streamtheworld.com would be a regional service provider, as opposed to a CDN, at least in my eyes. Also, I don't see anyplace on the streamtheworld.com website where they call themselves a CDN either.

[Ben and Chris... go away]

I wouldn't touch netdna if I were serious about my data or service. These jokers are the same guys that ran Globat. The owners are cheap, they don't invest in real infrastructure, and they have a history for providing subpar service and in many cases ripping people off.

You don't go from unlimited space and bandwidth budget web host to CDN overnight. Buyer beware. I would look to companies that have operated in the space for awhile like Akamai, Amazon, limelight, edgecast, etc...

You've been warned.

[Kevin]

I am looking to add live video and on demand video to my site. I am looking at both using Bandcon that would work through limelight and Global Data Link that works through Edgecast. Any comments or suggestions?

[Paul]

We are in the cellular industry providing accessory solutions to cell carriers. I have not been able to identify which if any carriers are showing interest in media streaming products. It seems to me to be a obvious revenue stream (like netbooks).

[Tom]

Nice post and info. Would you please also list smaller CDN players as well?

[David Nickles]

you only include your sponsors... streamtheworld.com is a CDN, not a regional carrier, total biased crap. How about, internap (oh wait they don't sponsor you) or even simplecdn?

[Dan Rayburn]

David, Internap is on the list, always has been, not to mention, Internap has been one of StreamingMedia.com's largest sponsors. So you don't have a valid argument.

And no, SimpleCDN is NOT a real CDN. StreamTheWorld does not even call themselves a CDN, they say they are a "streaming technology and services company". Show me one article, blog or publication that has ever listed them as a CDN along side Akamai, Limelight, Level 3, Internap etc... nothing against them, but they are a regional service provider who lately, has been moving more towards a CDN model.

[Dan Rayburn]

I will also add, to "David" even though that is not your real name that:

I don't allow foul language on my blog and all comments with it get removed. In your case, I edited out the language just to keep your comment there so I could reply to it.

The email address you posted with you comment bounced back.

[David Nickles]

I am sorry about the bad language, I am just very disappointed at the poor quality of site you folks run, you only list your sponsors. You are nothing bunch of profiteering hacks. There are so many more real world class CDN's that you've excluded from your list. Shame on you.

[Dan Rayburn]

David, you say "There are so many more real world class CDN's that you've excluded from your list." Who are they? I don't see you sharing a link to your list of CDNs. Where is it? Where are all of these "real world class" CDNs not on my list that you are taking about? Why aren't you listing them? Your beef is that the list is missing names, ok then what are they? The fact you're not even listing them says a lot.

And why are you saying Internap is not on my list when it is?

And by the way, SimpleCDN and StreamTheWorld have been sponsors of StreamingMedia.com, which you can easily verify by going to various sections on the StreamingMedia.com website. So if your claim that we "only list our sponsors" was accurate, then why aren't they listed since they are sponsors? You have no valid argument. You can make the claim, but anyone can prove to themselves, via facts, that you are wrong.

Your making "claims", which are not accurate and can easily be shown to be false, while not even posting with your own name, not using a valid email address or even saying who you work for, which is probably a company you feel is should be on my list.

[Ryan Malayter]

I ran across MaxCDN a while ago. They seem to be similar to SimpleCDN, although I have no experience with them. http://maxcdn.com