Companies Published IP Broadcast Distribution Framework

The new framework outlines a shift from satellite to IP and cloud infrastructure for television broadcasters.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Data Centers

Isometric editorial illustration showing a monolithic server rack and a parabolic antenna dish, representing the shift to cloud broadcasting. — Zixi, Grass Valley, Uplynk, and BroadView Software have released an IP Convergence Framework to facilitate the transition of television content distribution from satellite to cloud infrastructure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is transitioning broadcast and media infrastructure to the cloud necessary for long-term industry reliability?

Zixi, Grass Valley, Uplynk, and BroadView Software have released an IP Convergence Framework to assist broadcasters in moving content distribution to the cloud. This model serves as an alternative to existing satellite infrastructure.

Why it matters

The US FCC plans to reclaim 100-180 MHz of spectrum currently utilized by broadcasters for content delivery. This move forces the industry to find new, reliable ways to transport video without losing signal quality.

The framework utilizes four independent, swappable layers to manage cloud master control, IP transport, orchestration, and streaming. This architecture allows broadcasters to scale components individually rather than rebuilding entire systems.

The players

Grass Valley

This company specializes in broadcast operations and cloud-based playout technology.

Zixi

This organization enables broadcast-grade live video delivery over IP networks.

BroadView Software

This company manages complex broadcast orchestration tasks through its BroadView Nexus platform.

Uplynk

This service handles the distribution of video content to streaming, FAST, and affiliate endpoints.

Federal Communications Commission

The agency is responsible for the regulation of interstate and international communications and is planning to reclaim specific spectrum bands.

The details

Developed based on a real-world deployment for a global broadcaster, the model integrates cloud playout from Grass Valley, delivery from Zixi, orchestration via BroadView Nexus, and endpoint distribution from Uplynk. The design aims to provide the flexibility of cloud operations while maintaining broadcast-grade reliability.

The four companies published their IP framework white paper on October 7, 2026.

The Tech Race

This framework marks a significant shift away from legacy satellite distribution toward cloud-native broadcast models. It represents a broader industry trend where traditional hardware-heavy transmission is being replaced by scalable IP and software-defined architectures.

Broadcasters implementing this framework can maintain consistent service for viewers even as physical spectrum availability diminishes. This ensures that television audiences experience fewer signal disruptions as stations migrate their backend operations to the cloud.

The takeaway

As spectrum bandwidth becomes limited, the broadcast industry is increasingly looking to cloud and IP solutions to maintain content delivery. Broadcasters that adopt modular, swappable frameworks gain the flexibility to upgrade their systems incrementally without costly total rebuilds.