Akamai Exhibits Live Broadcast-Quality Internet Streaming Using Its Hybrid Delivery Network

Live Broadcast Showcased In Akamai's Booth At Real Conference 2000

26-May-00

Akamai Technologies, Inc. announced that live broadcast-quality Internet streaming capabilities are being showcased in its booth at Real Conference 2000 over a hybrid satellite and terrestrial network. The live streaming media delivery broadcast showcases the first example of unparalleled, high quality commercial use of RealNetworks RealSystem G2 Internet Media Solution across Akamai's hybrid delivery FreeFlow Streaming network infrastructure. To achieve this live streaming event, Akamai is leveraging its own media services and globally distributed network in addition to Loral CyberStar's global IP satellite services to broadcast live streaming media from a beachfront in San Diego, California over both satellite and terrestrial Internet connections. This live streaming broadcast reinforces the fact that video and audio streams can best be delivered seamlessly over the Internet using a hybrid satellite and terrestrial delivery network with real-time decision and performance monitoring. ""True broadband streaming can only be achieved by a hybrid implementation of terrestrial and satellite delivery. This is evidenced by the high quality, reliable streams that can be seen in Akamai's booth this week,"" said Dan Fraisl, Vice President and General Manager, Streaming Media Group, Akamai. ""Akamai's unique hybrid delivery capability is essential to achieving the promise of the Internet as the next broadcast medium."" Akamai's end-to-end streaming media delivery and services, delivered from its EdgeAdvantage platform, were instrumental in this live broadcast. Each stream was captured and encoded by Akamai's production crew in San Diego, California and then sent to an entry point in Akamai's FreeFlow Streaming network. Once at an entry point, Akamai's proprietary SteadyStream technology split the signal into multiple streams and sent them across the Akamai network by dynamically determining the optimal route using any combination of both (or either) the terrestrial Internet and Loral CyberStar's global satellite network. Akamai's advanced algorithms calculate the optimal route as often as necessary to deliver the cleanest stream possible. Akamai's SteadyStream technology can enable any number of satellites to be used simultaneously. The streams are recombined into their original high-quality format at an Akamai streaming server at the edge of the Internet. Using Akamai's FreeFlow Streaming service, the broadband-quality streams are delivered with virtually no packet loss across Akamai's globally distributed network. Akamai's intelligent routing technology then maps each Web viewer to the optimal server for that broadcast content. Akamai intends to use this world-class streaming technology to support all major formats. Akamai supports Apple QuickTime, Microsoft Windows Media Technologies, and RealNetworks RealSystem G2. Akamai conducted a similar broadcast at the recent National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Conference in April 2000. About Loral CyberStar Loral CyberStar, a Loral company, is based in Rockville, Maryland. Loral CyberStar is a leading global Internet and infomedia business providing Internet Protocol (IP) broadband data, Internet and multimedia services, business television and private managed networks to businesses and Internet Service Providers throughout the world. Applications include virtual multicast networks, data networking, high-speed file transfer, distance learning, and audio and video streaming services. Loral CyberStar delivers service to Internet Service Providers serving over seven million people worldwide and recently announced its plan to introduce broadband-by-satellite Internet and streaming media services direct to the desktop starting in late 2000. For more information, visit Loral CyberStar's Web site at http://www.cyberstar.com. About Akamai Akamai is the foremost provider of distributed content, streaming media, and applications delivery services and serves over 1,000 customers. Akamai has the broadest deployment of servers for content, streaming media, and applications delivery with more than 4,000 servers in over 45 countries directly connected to more than 160 different telecommunications networks. Akamai (pronounced AH kuh my) is Hawaiian for intelligent, clever and cool.

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