
Verizon Is Acquiring Content Delivery Network EdgeCast For More Than $350M - luckychild305
http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/07/verizon-edgecast/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29
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MBCook
Could this have anything to do with the fact they partnered with Redbox to
provide a streaming service? Seems like it would be a very useful thing if
they wanted to make a bigger push.

[http://thenextweb.com/media/2012/02/06/verizon-and-redbox-
en...](http://thenextweb.com/media/2012/02/06/verizon-and-redbox-enter-joint-
venture-to-create-new-netflix-rival/)

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dbarlett
I see it more as a way to stop relying on Akamai [1] for Terremark [2]
Application Acceleration Services.

[1] [http://www.terremark.com/services/infrastructure-cloud-
servi...](http://www.terremark.com/services/infrastructure-cloud-
services/application-services/application-acceleration.aspx)

[2] acquired in 2011 [http://www.terremark.com/about/news-
events/news/2011/0127201...](http://www.terremark.com/about/news-
events/news/2011/01272011.aspx)

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contingencies
I would have thought CDNs are a dead model today... being fundamentally more
useful for static content, and with software service architecture moving
fundamentally but steadily toward arbitrary infrastructure/cloud friendliness,
they'd be a poor long term investment.

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untog
No way. CDNs do a lot more than mirror static content (which is valuable
anyway), Edge locations for streaming video are incredibly valuable for one.

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contingencies
Heh, funny you mention that. Video has this _wow_ factor that's undeserved:
it's really nothing special, just some higher processing, storage and
bandwidth requirements.

Funnily enough, three years ago I actually visited Edgecast's main office in
LA on behalf of a former employer, a well known global video solutions
provider. We discussed global partnership for them offering our streaming
solutions but didn't wind up partnering with them as there was little
commercial justification in handing them our technology, effectively
commodifying our admittedly few but still important USPs.

As for Edgecast, I seem to recall that their delivery speed to Asia was
particularly weak. US companies should think twice before trusting other US
companies to deliver their content to the rest of the world. It's a strangely
routed internet out there...

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leeoniya
let the cross-domain surveillance continue!

[EDIT] since i'm getting downvoted, maybe someone can tell me how a CDN is not
a perfect tool for cross-domain tracking. and also how it's not convenient
that Verizon can track the browsing habits of users coming from their
competitors' IP address blocks

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jrockway
What incentive does Verizon have to spend money to track users across domains?
Ultimately, Verizon exists to make money for their shareholders. ISPs do have
to do things HN readers don't like to make the government happy (like comply
with secret warrants), but they are not legally required to buy CDNs to make
some sort of user tracking easier. The NSA can wiretap a CDN as easily as they
can wiretap Verizon.

Perhaps Verizon thinks the business is underpriced for the value it offers, or
they want to deliver a better user experience to their customers?

Nahh... it must be some conspiracy!!!11!

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leeoniya
i'm not implying that's the reason they bought them - of course it isn't -
just pointing out what they can do with their new superpowers.

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nl
Given Verizon's high penetration of the ISP market in the US, they have much
better sources of traffic patterns anyway, and can link that with direct
billing information.

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brianbreslin
This makes me think we will see cloud flare get acquired in the next 12
months.

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chatmasta
The CloudFlare board is young, ambitious, and well-credentialed. I'm sure a
few of its members are looking toward the next big goal.

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marknadal
I know some awesome guys at EdgeCast. Great job, congrats.

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jdorfman
Did not see that coming. Congrats to my friends at EC.

