Unicast

Mar 12, 2024

Source: BT BT Group has confirmed it is working with CDN technology specialist Broadpeak to deliver its previously announced Multicast-Assisted Unicast Delivery (MAUD) multicast-assisted adaptive bit-rate streaming solution. MAUD features Broadpeak’s nanoCDN multicast ABR (mABR) technology. Broadpeak said it was providing BT Group with components to create what it described as the world’s first MAUD-enabled network, including its nanoCDN mABR, which will integrate into BT Group’s consumer smart hub routers and leverage multicast capabilities to group individual streams together in the network core, before converting them back to unicast at the edge for consumption by player applications on end-user devices. Broadpeak said MAUD’s architecture takes mABR a step further by integrating with content provider player applications, eliminating the need to modify customers’ apps. Using up to 50% less bandwidth during peak events, MAUD reduces energy usage through the reduction of the number of deployed caches, it said. BT unveiled MAUD – Multicast-Assisted Unicast Delivery – in December , saying that broadcasters including the BBC, will be involved in evaluating and potentially trialling the technology to support a range of live content. “As more live events move online – or to online only – we are seeing a big increase in traffic. MAUD is a revolutionary development in how live video is delivered over the internet. It will improve video streaming experiences for viewers, delivering a more reliable, consistent picture and increases content delivery efficiency for broadcasters and video service providers. We’re excited to partner with Broadpeak, a technology provider with a successful track record for multicast ABR innovation and deployments, to leverage their technology as part of the MAUD solution,” said Howard Watson, chief security and networks officer at BT Group. “We are very excited to support BT Group with the launch of such an impressive live video streaming initiative. MAUD answers the critical requirements for enhanced video quality, simpler content delivery, and increased sustainability, making it a game changer for broadcasters and video service providers,” said Jacques Le Mancq, CEO of Broadpeak.