In December 2023, BT Group introduced their network load assistance solution and announced the successful transition of their Multicast-Assisted Unicast Delivery (MAUD) technology from proof of concept to a live content delivery network (CDN) deployment with Edgio.
MAUD aims to improve the efficiency of content delivery for live and on-demand services, allowing for a better viewing experience for viewers. This technology addresses the increasing demand for live content and the challenges that come with managing high traffic loads. Unlike traditional unicast delivery, MAUD uses multicast to group single streams into one shared stream, making content delivery more efficient and reducing environmental impact and overall costs for broadcasters, internet providers, and CDNs like Edgio.
By removing the need to select and serve millions of individual streams, MAUD enables CDN operators to deliver live content at higher quality without being impacted by other internet traffic. This technology also offers cost savings for CDN operators as it allows for seamless scalability without the need to expand hardware caches. MAUD has been evaluated by major broadcasters, including BBC, and has the potential to revolutionize content delivery for large-scale events like the World Cup.
Edgio and BT plan to trial the delivery of content from the EE TV service on some set-top boxes in the live network in the coming months, showcasing the benefits of MAUD and paving the way for other CDNs to follow suit. By embracing Open Caching standards and partnering with CDNs like Edgio, BT Group aims to establish an efficient live streaming solution that meets the evolving needs of content providers. Emma Whitmore, Edgio’s group vice-president for EMEA, expressed excitement about being the first CDN to serve content through MAUD, emphasizing the improved quality and consistency of the viewing experience for clients. Howard Watson, BT Group’s chief security and networks officer, highlighted the partnership with Edgio as a pioneering effort to integrate effective content delivery systems seamlessly with CDNs for external content providers.