MediaCP Powered Global Streaming with Akamai

MediaCP began as a simple control panel in 2006 to help radio broadcasters manage stations online. But over two decades, it has evolved into a powerful cloud-based video streaming platform that serves TV networks, service providers, and religious organizations worldwide. Today, MediaCP offers a robust platform for 24/7 linear broadcasting, flexible media management, and scalable cloud streaming — all made possible by its use of Akamai Cloud.

By 2021, MediaCP launched its full cloud video platform built on Kubernetes. The goal: Offer more value and control than commercial alternatives while maintaining a price point that’s accessible even to customers in economically volatile regions.

At the helm is Matthew Lear, Director and Technical Architect of MediaCP. "The streaming industry evolves fast — faster than most of our customers can keep up with. Our job is to make that easier for them," Lear explained.

By initially relying on a mix of cloud providers to reach various geographies, MediaCP faced inconsistent performance and unpredictable pricing, particularly in Latin America and Brazil. His customers were demanding high-volume streaming at a stable cost, so Lear knew a change was needed.

“Our customers used to install our software on low-cost virtual machines. So, to shift them to the cloud, our pricing and performance had to be just as competitive,” he said.

MediaCP had long used Linode for its simplicity and transparent pricing. After Akamai’s acquisition of Linode in 2022, Akamai provided something few competitors could match: global network reach, reliability, and cost control.

“Akamai gave us the reach we needed, which is especially important in challenging regions like Latin America. We tried a competitor in Brazil, but performance wasn’t stable. With Akamai, we get consistency and scale,” said Lear.

Today, MediaCP runs more than 100 Akamai cloud instances and several hundred terabytes of data across a Kubernetes-based architecture. The core platform is a bespoke streaming engine running across multiple Kubernetes clusters and more than a dozen nodes.

This engine handles everything from HLS generation to automated failover logic, enabling features like uninterrupted 24/7 live broadcasting. MediaCP’s cloud video workflow is built on Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE), with workloads split by region. Each replica within the cluster processes incoming streams, manages scheduling, and publishes to external destinations. Edge Relay and CDN clusters distribute live encoder connections and HLS content via Akamai Cloud, ensuring consistent global delivery.

“We consider this setup a streamlined solution for delivering end-to-end video globally, empowering users with advanced features such as linear 24/7 broadcast channels that can be launched in under five minutes. This capability has transformed broadcasting for clients like TVCARiB, even across remote island territories with frequent outages,” Lear continued.

A customer can upload content, schedule it, and go live. If their encoder drops out, the platform switches seamlessly to on-demand content. “That’s real resilience,” explained Lear.

Akamai’s pricing model delivered immediate and dramatic savings. MediaCP’s bandwidth and storage costs dropped by more than 50% — a critical factor when streaming volumes reach tens or hundreds of terabytes per customer.

At the same time, MediaCP knows what to expect with bandwidth and storage pricing. “That enables accurate forecasting and the ability to offer our customers predictability and transparency,” explained Lear.

That’s not all: These lower costs make MediaCP’s cloud business model viable. “Our platform wouldn’t be possible without these cost efficiencies,” continued Lear. “We can offer premium services at a price point that works, even in regions where others can’t operate.”

With a lean team, MediaCP needed more than just performance — it needed efficiency. Akamai’s infrastructure enabled the video hosting platform to build an innovative testing pipeline that spins up isolated environments on demand. This shift not only improved stability but also empowered faster release cycles and better QA, setting a strong foundation for future scaling.

"Previously, developers tested on the same machine. Changes would overlap, bugs would sneak through. Now, each feature gets deployed in its own environment automatically, and when testing is done, that environment is automatically destroyed. That’s a game changer for us, keeping costs low and increasing productivity," said Lear.

While MediaCP still uses AWS for front-end services and analytics, it has shifted most compute workloads to Akamai. The company’s long-term strategy includes further consolidation.

“We’d love to bring more in-house, especially as we take advantage of additional Akamai offerings, like its VPUs in the cloud. We’re already autoscaling LKE clusters without a huge up-front spend. Once we switch over to Akamai’s VPUs, it will be even more cost-effective,” said Lear.

Portability and vendor flexibility remain key. "We’ve been with Akamai’s cloud computing services for years and have no plans to leave. But we need the flexibility to adapt if pricing changes. Akamai gives us that comfort."

MediaCP has carved out a unique niche, offering service providers a customizable, cost-effective video platform with a simplicity-first mindset. With Akamai as its backbone, the company has turned cloud complexity into a competitive edge.

For growing SaaS companies, Lear offers simple advice: “Akamai Cloud is a great platform for launching and scaling. We even recommend it to our on-prem customers because it works simply and as promised.”

Delivering audio and video streaming solutions to broadcasters and service providers since 2006, MediaCP (Media Control Panel) is powered by a passionate team and offers both self-hosted and cloud-hosted platforms for professional streaming management.

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