ITV uses Akamai TrafficPeak to optimize World Cup streaming

ITV, the largest commercial broadcaster in the United Kingdom, utilized Akamai TrafficPeak, powered by Hydrolix, to manage its live-streaming architecture during the 2026 World Cup. The deployment aimed to eliminate telemetry delays of 5 to 15 minutes that typically threaten live-streaming operations during major sporting events.

By running the service on Akamai Cloud, ITV gained real-time observability across its multi-CDN environment. This allowed engineers to distinguish between core platform health and localized bottlenecks occurring on third-party internet service provider networks. This capability enabled the Network Operations Center to mitigate delivery risks before they impacted viewers.

Additionally, the real-time log ingestion assisted security teams in detecting unauthorized access clusters to protect exclusive broadcasting rights. Mark Ison, ITV’s Director of Engineering, Video, stated that the technology allowed the company to move from a reactive troubleshooting posture to a proactive footing, ensuring a stable viewing experience and protecting advertising revenue throughout the tournament.