Bharti-Limelight link up to deliver multimedia services

India’s largest private telecom company, Bharti Airtel, wants to help international players deliver multimedia content to Indian players, while simultaneously helping local companies to deliver content to foreign ones. It has tied up with Limelight Networks to launch content delivery network (CDN) services in the country. Limelight is the second-largest CDN player globally in terms of revenues.

The combine will set up servers in Chennai and Mumbai, that complement Airtel’s existing network infrastructure that enables it access to undersea cables via international cable landing stations at these two cities, according to Ajay Chitkara, CEO, Global Data Business, Bharti Airtel.

A CDN, according to Frost & Sullivan analysts, basically comprises technology and services that enable the rapid and uninterrupted flow of content from the origin server to the end user. There are over 20 CDN vendors, including big names like Akamai, Internap, Limelight Networks, SyncCast, BitGravity, Velocix and even Amazon. The market for CDN services in Asia is estimated to be $350 milion by 2014, while the CDN market in India is expected to be $100 million (Rs 455 crore).

Limelight Networks and Bharti Airtel will offer their customers “the ability to create a high-quality experience for their end-users — whether they’re watching an HD movie, making an online purchase, listening to music, playing a video game, or downloading a software package”.

“Over the last few years, internet usage has completely changed from using simple text to more of multimedia options (video, games, etc). Today, users expect online video, music, images, and software to behave just like content accessed by turning on a TV, playing a CD or DVD, or loading an application from a hard drive,” reasons Chitkara.

Limelight Networks would get access to one of the fastest growing emerging markets, says George Fraser, its Vice-President (EMEA & Asia).

The company’s architecture includes a dedicated optical network that connects thousands of servers around the world with over 900 last-mile access networks and 25 delivery centres. It has “eight years of experience in successfully delivering some of the largest live and on-demand events in the history of the internet, including the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2009 inauguration speech of US President Obama,” said Fraser.

Worldwide, Limelight Networks’ works with organisations that span various industry segments — Software Delivery (Microsoft), Games and Rich Media Apps (XBox 360, Sony Playstation3), Video & Entertainment (BBC Radio service, MTV, HBO), Digital & Social Media (facebook, myspace). Some of these tie-ups will fructify in India, too, with the Airtel tie-up, said Fraser.