Verizon Digital Media Services announced that it’s bringing its global enterprise-grade streaming platform to Microsoft Azure.

Offering a full array of Azure services, the VDMS product will enable broadcasters, content owners and streaming platform operators a cloud-based tool for delivering personalized streaming services to customers.

Microsoft’s Azure customers already have access to Verizon’s Edgecast CDN. Now, new and current customers will be able to use the full VDMS streaming platform running natively in the cloud.

Microsoft will market the VDMS platform through its own sales force. The announcement was made ahead of next week’s NAB show in Las Vegas.

“Cloud, edge and AI technologies will play a fundamental role in the future of video content delivery and workflows,” said Scott Guthrie, executive VP of Microsoft’s Cloud + AI Group. “Our work with Verizon will give our mutual customers unparalleled access to one of the world’s leading streaming products, with pre-integrated AI for actionable insights by key business stakeholders.”

Related: Verizon Digital Media Services Expands Network Capacity, Debuts 4K, Multi-CDN and QOS Capabilities

Added Ralf Jacob, president Verizon Digital Media Services: “Paired with Azure’s global scale we can now deliver high performing, simplified video workflows to content creators anywhere. Our partnership will create new opportunities for Verizon, Microsoft and our joint customers to shape the future of media.”

Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS) is announcing major upgrades to its platform ahead of next week’s NAB Show in Las Vegas.

To enhance the reliability of its platform for its video streaming clients, VDMS said it has increased its network capacity from 8 Tbps in 2014 to a current level of 70 Tbps

With expanded bandwidth capacity and advanced caching now in place, multi-CDN functionality is now built directly into the VDMS platform.

“With significant increases in not only the volume, but resolution of global video consumption, relying on a single CDN to deliver content to a fragmented audience is no longer enough. We have invested in building a great network for the delivery of media experiences, and multi-CDN gives our customers assurances that viewing experience is protected against most eventualities,” Ralf Jacob, president of Verizon Digital Media Services, in a statement.

VDMS also said its optimized encoder settings simplifies workflow, allowing it to handle 4K’s increases in encoding complexity and processor utilization requirements.

“Traditional TV broadcasters have set the standard in high-quality video delivery but on the VDMS platform, uninterrupted streams with high-fidelity audio mean that any content owner or service provider can deliver the best big screen experience online, even in 4k,” Jacobs said.

Meanwhile, QOS assures total visibility into the streaming workflow, including ingest and encoding, dynamic ad insertion, and delivery.

Verizon Digital Media Services, Verizon’s multiscreen cloud video unit that’s part of Oath, said it has deployed Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC) transport protocol across its content delivery network.

The adoption of the Google-developed technology across 125 points of presence around the world will boost web page load and transaction speeds and general web performance across Chrome and Opera browsers and “select connected devices,” VDMS said.

The use of QUIC will also continue to deliver an active stream, uninterrupted, when an end user changes IP addresses by continuing to use the old connection ID from the new IP address.

VDMS added that its customers can enable QUIC through a “simple rules engine change” that takes effect within minutes. VDMS is adding the feature at no added cost.

Bluekiri, a VDMS partner, has implemented QUIC across several of its sites, including Logitravel, a pan-European online travel agency.

“We are always working to improve our network performance for our customers, who are in the business of providing digital media to their end users as quickly, securely and cost-efficiently as possible,” Frank Orozco, chief technology officer at VDMS said in a statement. “Whether it’s streaming a widely watched sports event or accelerating a shopping cart transaction, every millisecond counts.”

Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS), Verizon’s multiscreen cloud video unit that’s part of Oath, said it has been selected by Tennis Channel to power the programmer’s app’s video delivery, including streaming support for both live and on-demand in 2018.

Financial terms were not announced, but Tennis Channel’s streaming of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells earlier this month is linked to the new agreement, which includes VDMS’s new Live Event Operations managed service, they said.

VDMS said it’s in position to help Tennis Channel’s app deliver more than 700 live tennis matches and more than 1,500 VOD assets throughout this year. That includes the French Open from Roland Garros in May. As the primary rights holder for that Grand Slam tournament, Tennis Channel plans to offer a stream from every court, and up to 16 simultaneous live streams.

The Tennis Channel app, which includes support for Tennis Channel Plus, is supported on several platforms, including iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire.

It was not immediately clear how this new agreement between Tennis Channel and VDMS affects the programmer’s relationship with NeuLion. In 2015, NeuLion and Tennis Channel announced multi-year deal for live and VOD streaming, with NeuLion handling elements such as content ingestion, encoding, content security and monitoring.

NeuLion’s site currently lists partners that includes Poker Central, NFL, NBA, EFL, UFC, Big Ten Network, Univision and Eleven Sports. NeuLion, VDMS and Tennis Channel have been asked for further comment, though a statement from the network notes that VDMS has been integrated with its legacy systems.

“As we grow Tennis Channel’s app, Verizon Digital Media Services lets us deliver the exceptional streaming experiences our users have come to expect,” Adam Ware, senior vice president, head of digital and business development, Tennis Channel, said in a statement. “They’ve been flexible enough to integrate with our existing systems, with a 24-hour support team and Live Event Operations managed service that have helped us scale significantly.”

VDMS noted that its Uplynk Video Streaming service has been integrated with Tennis Channel's proprietary in-house scheduling and content management system, called Storyline, which enables game highlights to be published as VOD assets.

VDMS’s other known customers include Stadium Digital, Newsy, ABC/Disney, Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Vice, Hearth Media Group, and go90, Verizon’s free, ad-supported OTT service.

It may be hard to admit, but it’s true. Online TV has disrupted the way we do television. The TV viewing landscape is clearly not the same anymore; younger viewers are increasingly watching content on all of their various devices. And although TV as we know it won’t be going away anytime soon, studies do show a decline in traditional TV viewing among every age group except those over the age of 65. So, what does this mean for you as a content owner or provider? It’s about time you delivered more content online!

But before you launch your over-the-top (OTT) service, it’s important to understand what you need to do differently to succeed online. After all, OTT video doesn’t play by the same rules as traditional TV. From encoding across different devices to delivering over the Internet to the way you advertise and the user experience you provide, your new OTT service will need to act and look much differently than anything you do over-the-air. And yes, your current workflow may be impacted too. Here are a few things you should know to really stand out from other emerging OTT service providers.

Unlike the TV experience, which has always relied on linear channels to entertain, online video is built for on-demand viewing. Your new OTT service doesn’t have to fit neatly into a broadcast schedule; instead your online content needs to adapt to fit every screen. This might seem more complicated, but it’s actually great news for you as an emerging OTT content provider. Today’s viewers are busy, so allowing them to access your content when and where they want just makes sense. And that’s the beauty of OTT service. You’re giving your viewers what they want.

Consumers are also shifting away from communal viewing. They want to watch their favorite shows anywhere and on multiple devices, and not necessarily always huddled together on the living-room couch. For OTT providers, here’s your chance to personalize the experience for each and every viewer with targeted ads and bonus content. Opportunities like this are unique only to the OTT market, and emerging content providers who embrace them all are sure to experience success!

If nothing else, creating unique, intuitive and engaging experiences should be the focus for every emerging OTT provider. Mobile devices have revamped the way consumers think a user interface should look and act. Clunky set-top box grid guides are quickly replaced by data-rich swipe and search apps. Apps can be heavily personalized and updated every hour, every day consistently to keep users engaged.

Another way pay-TV differs from OTT delivery is how each model generates revenue. Pay-TV operators have to lock consumers into long subscription contracts because of the equipment that’s rented out. OTT customers don’t rent equipment. They own their devices, which means no more unnecessary contracts. That’s yet another win for the world of OTT!

Emerging OTT providers can also experiment with a dual revenue model that combines advertising and subscriptions. Hulu is a good example of this. The bottom line is there are plenty of revenue opportunities in the world of OTT delivery. All you need is an online video platform that’s robust and flexible enough to keep up with your audience.

Ready for some good news? There’s no need to launch your OTT service alone. An experienced online video partner can help you launch faster and more efficiently than anyone else.  And with a trusted partner, you can bypass all the complexities and uncertainties involved with delivering online.

Selecting the right online video partner though can be just as complex as it is to deliver content across the fragmented world of devices. Unfortunately, some vendors have to piece together a solution with several outside partners to deliver your experience, which further complicates workflows.

But why go through all that guesswork?  Launching a successful OTT delivery service requires getting it done right the first time around. That means working with the power of one partner that can offer you one end-to-end solution, which includes:

• One format to encode high-quality live, linear or on-demand video to every device
• One place to secure and store all your digital video files
• One framework to quickly develop multi-platform apps on mobile, tablet, game consoles and browsers
• One robust engine for monetization through advertising, subscriptions and pay per view
• One set of analytics that helps you track and improve video performance
• One digital rights management offering to protect content on any device
• One worldwide content delivery network to stream high-quality video to viewers everywhere

With the power of one partner and one solution, you can finally focus on your content and on delivering compelling experiences rather than dealing with multiple partners and logistics. It’s time to get started and let the power of one help you launch your OTT service today!

Discover how to leverage the power of one partner and solution to launch your OTT service. Download our white paper: It’s About Time You Launched Your Over-the-Top Service.

Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS), the video cloud unit of Verizon Communications, said it is powering LiveXLive, Loton Corp.’s new premium, live music-streaming network.

Verizon Digital Media Services said its platform is handling the ingest, delivery and distribution LiveXLive’s streaming of global music festivals, concerts and other performances in high definition. VDMS said it will also enable LiveXLive to create clips from live events and publish them to social platforms and “syndicated outlets” via a unified workflow.

Working with VDMS, LiveXLive plans to broadcast three day-long music festivals across multiple stages this fall, reaching across multiple devices including mobile, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles and connected TVs.  The plan also covers live and on-demand “virtual reality experiences,” the companies said.

“We’ve been watching Verizon Digital Media Services expand its network while adding to and enhancing its suite of services, and we’re completely blown away by the turnkey, scalable offering of their video platform,” said John Petrocelli, president of LiveXLive, in a statement.

“Verizon Digital Media Services allows LiveXLive to give music fans everywhere an immersive experience to see their favorite festivals, concerts and backstage experiences on any screen, any platform and any device in HD,” added Ralf Jacob, chief revenue officer of Verizon Digital Media Services.

In April 2014, Loton acquired a 50% interest in KOKO, a one of London’s major live music venues.  The LiveXLive advisory board includes Andy Schuon, co-founder of REVOLT and former head of programming at MTV and VH1; Jason Flom, CEO of Lava Records; Chris McGurk, former COO of MGM and CEO of Cinedigm;  and Steve Bornstein, former CEO of ESPN and the NFL Network, among others.