AMP2 combines Akamai’s scale, content delivery and cloud compute with Bitmovin’s player, analytics and stream testing, helping providers like NRJ simplify streaming and enhance QoE.
Video streaming infrastructure provider Bitmovin and Akamai, specialist in cybersecurity, CDN and cloud computing, have formed a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French multimedia company. Bitmovin and Akamai will be supporting migration of NRJ’s mobile and web streaming services to Akamai Adaptive Media Player 2 (AMP2).
This move will help the NRJ Group, who is the first entirely new customer to deploy AMP2, simplify the delivery of high-quality streaming experiences at scale. They will also have the advantage of better visibility into playback performance, helping to resolve issues faster through deeper analytics and CDN-level insights.
The NRJ Group is a major media group in France. It produces, publishes, broadcasts and monetises a wide variety of content, holding a strong position in the private radio sector as well as through its TV channel NRJ Hits, the first music channel on Box TV.
The NRJ Group has developed a digital ecosystem comprising a wide range of content including live digital streams, native podcasts and replays, as well as over 360 themed digital radio stations. To maximize access, this content is can be reached through a variety of platforms ranging from websites and mobile apps, to voice-controlled speakers and third-party platforms.
Focus on the Viewing Experience
Akamai AMP2, powered by Bitmovin’s Player, Observability and Stream Lab technologies, is an enterprise-grade media player that simplifies media delivery through hands-off maintenance, wide device coverage, and modern playback optimisation. By combining player, analytics, testing and CDN infrastructure into a managed end-to-end solution, service providers can manage scale and focus on the quality of their viewing experiences more easily.
Observability integrates with existing workflows using SDKs, APIs and collectors that deliver real-time data and AI-assisted insights across platforms.
Bitmovin's Player has a modular, low-latency architecture with configurable ABR that allows the bit rate to be adapted to fit specific use cases. With dedicated SDKs for each device, providers have a way to guarantee stream quality to subscribers. Subscribers can download, play and manage content to view offline.
Using the Playlist API, playlists can be designed to create invisible transitions between streams, and the Network API supports playback optimisation directly through the manifest or segments within the stream. Advertising content can be delivered as client-side or server-side ads
Stream Lab makes it possible to test streams on physical devices, including Smart TVs. Developed specifically for video streaming, providers test clear or DRM protected streams in real streaming environments on older and newer device models, and see detailed functionality reports and quality of experience metrics
Observability monitors playback quality in real time and proactively identifies issues. Its AI-supported analysis helps users interpret session-level data and surfaces playback issues, delivery trends and viewer experience insights. In particular, providers can retrieve in-depth data on SSAI, CSAI and SGAI ad performance.
Optimising the Delivery Chain
“As our CDN partner for many years, Akamai was central to our decision-making process,” Alain REYES, CTO NRJ AUDIO, NRJ Group commented. The choice of AMP2 was obvious, both technically and strategically – this solution allows us to optimise the entire delivery chain, from the source (CDN) to the final playback. AMP2, emerging from the collaboration between Akamai and Bitmovin, two experts in content delivery, is a working example of synergy between performance and innovation.”
Scott Lerner, SVP Global Services, Akamai, said, “AMP2 is the result of a long-standing partnership with Bitmovin, combining the scale of Akamai’s content delivery capabilities and cloud compute infrastructure with Bitmovin’s player, analytics and stream testing technologies. The goal of this partnership is to help service providers like NRJ simplify streaming while also distributing the best-possible experience for customers.” bitmovin.com
