Qwilt and Comcast
The Partnership
Comcast is leveraging edge compute technology to put more computing power closer to consumers to deliver a better Internet experience for applications like streaming and gaming and to develop a standardized platform for providers to distribute their content across Comcast’s network. The company will deploy Qwilt’s Open Edge platform, creating the most distributed content delivery network (CDN) in the U.S.
Delivery Architecture
Open Edge Architecture and Comcast Deployment Overview
The national deployment of Qwilt’s Open Edge in Comcast’s network will comprise hundreds of edge delivery nodes deeply embedded and highly distributed in Comcast’s network. These nodes, all connected to Qwilt’s cloud-based control plane (QC in the graphic below) will be federated with the rest of Qwilt’s global service provider partner networks to create a single, unified delivery platform, all based on the SVTA’s Open Caching specifications. The nodes in the Comcast network will be used to deliver Over-the-Top (OTT) content from Qwilt’s well established ecosystem of streaming content providers which includes many of the largest streaming platforms in the world. Comcast will own and operate the related edge computing hardware while Qwilt monitors and manages the entire Open Edge solution in Comcast’s network.
Qwilt’s Open Edge
Benefits for Comcast
Comcast benefits directly and immediately from Qwilt’s Open Edge solution because of the vastly improved optimization of OTT traffic across the Comcast network.
As one example of the benefit, during a mass live events such as one of Peacock’s recent exclusively-streamed NFL games, the Qwilt solution ingests live seed streams from the event and then, deep inside the Comcast network, at each edge node, fans out the seed stream with thousands of unicast live streams to consumers near the edge node who want to watch the game. The result, as depicted in the graphic below, is a 99+% reduction in streaming traffic across the core of Comcast’s network and across peering and exchange points used by Comcast to distribute Internet traffic.
Without the Open Edge, all of these millions of redundant unicast streams would otherwise be sent by traditional Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), from their PoPs outside the Comcast network, straining Comcast networks resources and risking congestion in exchange/peering points and the core.
Qwilt’s Open Edge
Benefits for Comcast Subscribers
Comcast subscribers will enjoy the immediate and measurable benefit of improved streaming quality and better digital experiences whether it is watching live or on-demand video from their favorite services or downloading software updates or apps to devices in their home.
As shown above, delivery from Qwilt nodes within the Comcast network will have unmatched proximity to Comcast subscribers, and, simply put, closer is better.
Closer delivery means lower latency, reduced buffering, reduced error rates and improved time to first frame. We have the data that proves Qwilt’s Open Edge consistently and reliably delivers better quality streaming services than traditional CDNs.
Qwilt’s Open Edge
How the model works
Qwilt’s Open Edge model, a proven commercial success deployed with over 180 service providers worldwide including BT, Telefonica, Verizon and Vodafone, elevates each service provider, such as Comcast, into the streaming content delivery value chain by giving them a direct operational role in content delivery as well as a share of revenue charged by Qwilt to the content publishers using the Open Edge platform.
This model finally aligns and harmonizes the content delivery value chain such that all participants – content publishers, service providers, subscribers – have incentives and benefits that reward their participation and efforts.
“We’re tapping into the incredible power of edge compute to build a leading content delivery network that provides incredible benefits to our customers and to the providers who distribute content across our network.”
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