Zixi, Verizon Business Partner on 5G Solution for Live IP Video

Zixi, Verizon
(Image credit: Verizon)

WALTHAM, Mass.—Zixi has announced a co-sell agreement with Verizon, coupling their network infrastructure with Zixi's live IP video software-defined solutions to deliver solutions for live linear and live event workflows across the media supply chain.

Zixi's SDVP is an innovative solution for provisioning, orchestrating and managing live video on 5G or any IP network. 

With the agreement, users can now deploy Zixi Broadcasters using Zixi ZEN Master and have access to comprehensive telemetry data on the network, transport, intra-cloud delivery, and associated edge devices in the end-to-end workflow. The powerful ZEN Master control plane enables users to help manage large-scale configurations to orchestrate, analyze, monitor, alert, and report on live video streams and devices across the Zixi Enabled Network of customers, integrated devices, and platforms and service providers standardized on Zixi. Powerful workflows include advanced GPU accelerated live transcoding, Zixi-patented sequenced hitless failover, connection bonding over disparate networks, purpose-built live operations dashboards, enhanced visualization, and centralized management of live channels and live events.

The partnership enables Verizon field sales to deliver to the customer base a software-defined solution set consisting of the Zixi Broadcaster, ZEN Master control plane and Zixi Live Transcoding, allowing Verizon to extend the edge of its network and allow M&E clients to scale at compute, transmission and operational levels, the companies said. 

The companies also reported that the partnership will help the M&E migration to IP and cloud-based workflows and away from satellite and other legacy methods while maintaining or exceeding broadcast levels of Quality of Service (QoS) and performance SLAs with lower latency. This becomes critical as the number of business partners involved in the media supply chain continues to grow exponentially, and content owners compete for audience share and drive new business models that innovate the programming lines of monetization while delivering a high Quality of Experience (QoE), the companies explained. 

Zixi’s software-defined solution, with its high efficiency, reduced infrastructure requirements, bandwidth optimization, and transport stream egress cost reduction, helps open new possibilities for the industry’s growth, innovation and enhanced video streaming experiences. 

“The breadth of Verizon network services and solutions coupled with the Zixi SDVP creates a winning combination of transport services, reliability and ease of use,” said Tim Stevens, global leader, strategic innovation, media & entertainment, Verizon. “By collaborating with a complex, next-generation provider like Zixi we are able to provide complex, next-generation solutions across the ecosystem enabling Verizon to deliver on our mission to help organizations improve performance and realize value faster.”

“Working closely with Verizon, we are bringing the industry an excellent 5G solution for live linear and event-based video use cases,” said Eric Bolten, vice president business development, Zixi. “The Verizon/Zixi solution set is a comprehensive Software-Defined Video Network fabric that coupled with Verizon’s world-class MEC network, allows media and entertainment customers a reliable and scalable offering across the media supply-chain as the live video market continues to rapidly evolve.”

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.