Qwilt Takes Live Streaming, VR to the Edge

Qwilt has taken the wraps of an upgraded edge computing platform that aims to enable low-latency and boost the performance of bandwidth-intensive 4K live streaming and virtual/augmented reality apps and services.

Its Open Edge Cloud platform also comes with a set of APIs for publishers and commercial content delivery networks that work with service providers.

Qwilt is launching the upgraded software-powered platform as service operators continue to establish edge computing capacities for fixed and mobile services, Dan Sahar, a co-founder of Qwilt and the company’s VP of product marketing, said.

The new platform is made up of an edge cloud node that can site deep in the operator’s network, or even reside in a residential form-factor like a home gateway, and complement and extend centralized cloud infrastructures. That element connects to a management system that maps the nodes, and can also create a global API for the publisher ecosystem.

He said Qwilt’s new platform ties into a new “Open Caching” specification/architecture developed by the Streaming Video Alliance. Qwilt, along with fellow SVA members Charter Communications, Limelight Networks, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, Verizon, Viacom, ViaSat and Yahoo are among the first that will try out a range of use cases of the specs. 

RELATED: Charter, Verizon Among Group to Trial New ‘Open Caching’ Architecture

Qwilt has been offering the new capabilities via an upgrade that is being distributed to its deployment partners, which number more than 100. Announced Qwilt partners include Mediacom, Communications,  Telecom Italia, Choice Cable, On Telecom, Toyama (Japan), the Natioal Cable Television Cooperative (customer/reseller),  Conway Corp., Orcon, CallPlus, KBRO, Wananchi, Afrihost, and Digicell.