TVU Networks Slashed Cloud Costs

TVU Networks, a leading company in live IP video production, faced escalating cloud egress costs and challenges scaling workflows for global live video distribution. By harnessing Akamai’s cloud computing services, it optimized operations and decreased costs while expanding globally.

Founded 25 years ago, TVU Networks began as a hardware-based solution provider for live video signal contribution. Over the past decade, it reinvented itself, moving to a software as a service (SaaS) model and gaining traction in sports and news broadcasting, serving major clients like Fox, ABC, and ESPN. More recently, it made a pivotal transition to a cloud-based approach with APIs and microservices that adapt to diverse infrastructures worldwide — empowering its customers and partners to seamlessly leverage TVU Networks’ offerings.

Before engaging Akamai, TVU Networks grappled with the prohibitive costs of traditional hyperscalers. “Contribution is easy. Distribution is pricey when you have high egress costs. We needed a backup for our distribution-intensive workflows,” explained John Wastcoat, Senior Director, Business Development at TVU Networks. 

This realization set the stage for exploring alternatives offering better pricing models while addressing the company’s vast production needs The driving force was clear: find reliable cloud services that ensured efficient global distribution of TVU Networks’ platform and solutions. “We needed a solution that would help us maintain a competitive edge,” said Wastcoat.

Customer demands spurred the initial decision to partner with Akamai. When TVU Networks’ customer requested the streaming provider run its software on Akamai, the company kicked off an assessment. 

The financial benefits made the choice clear. TVU Networks analyzed potential scenarios — such as two sources delivered to 80 destinations — to understand egress and compute costs with Akamai. “The answers revealed significant cost reductions that resonated across all our teams, from sales and product management to engineering,” explained Wastcoat.

Initially, the company moved its TVU Grid solution to Akamai, laying the groundwork for broader adoption across its product suite. Akamai’s dedicated teams played a crucial role during the migration process. “Their support was invaluable, confirming our confidence in them from the outset,” he continued. 

Akamai’s expansive network and multipath distribution give TVU Networks the reliability it needs to serve live video across borders, with a consistency it can trust in high-demand regions. “This network reliability empowers us to deliver high-quality live video content across the globe, no matter the location,” noted Wastcoat.

TVU Networks found that Akamai’s comprehensive suite of cloud computing services was an ideal match for its needs. With solutions like Block Storage enabling efficient data management and CPU and LKE: Managed Kubernetes Engine supporting robust workload processes, the company was able to streamline its operations significantly.

“Akamai provides everything necessary for complex deployments, allowing us to scale effortlessly. It feels like a cloud router, supporting countless inputs and outputs with complex signaling at scale, all while easing transport and egress cost concerns,” Wastcoat explained.

Looking ahead, TVU Networks sees Akamai as a key partner in its ongoing growth. With the migration of mission-critical platforms to Akamai complete, it’s ready to leverage the companies’ combined strengths, attracting new customers and elevating service offerings. “Akamai has proven to be an invaluable partner in our journey. Together, we are positioned for even greater success in delivering superior live video experiences,” Wastcoat concluded.