PBS replaces satellite distribution with LTN IP network across 330 stations

This deal represents one of the largest single-network satellite-to-IP migrations in US broadcasting, covering 330 stations and replacing Ku-band distribution that has served as PBS's primary interconnection backbone. It comes amid an industry-wide C-band spectrum reallocation forcing broadcasters toward terrestrial alternatives, with LTN positioning itself as a primary infrastructure provider through partnerships with Harmonic, MediaKind, and Ateme. Watch whether LTN can maintain its near-100% uptime claims across rural and underserved PBS markets where last-mile IP reliability has historically been a concern.

The PBS-LTN deal lands amid accelerating satellite-to-IP transitions across US broadcasting, driven by the FCC's ongoing C-band spectrum reallocation. At NAB Show 2026, a packed Hive Group session highlighted the stakes: the FCC is mandated to auction at least 100MHz of remaining upper C-band spectrum by 2027, potentially leaving broadcasters with as little as 20MHz (per decodeTV, April 2026). Fox SVP of Distribution Engineering Alistair Hamilton warned the industry will need every minute of the five years until the transition deadline, noting that converting affiliates from C-band to Ku-band alone takes 9 to 12 months.

LTN has been building toward this moment. The company reported a 200% surge in its IP distribution footprint during 2025 and now powers over 80 million hours of live video annually, including prior satellite-to-IP migrations for Scripps, Tennis Channel, and TelevisaUnivision (per LTN press release, April 2026). At NAB 2026, LTN unveiled edge device integrations with MediaKind, Harmonic, and Ateme, positioning its managed network as an end-to-end replacement for legacy satellite infrastructure.

PBS itself has been on a phased migration path. The network previously collaborated with Ateme on IP-based distribution using the TITAN platform, initially driven by the wind-down of the SES AMC-21 satellite and a goal of reducing space-segment costs by approximately 50% (per Digital Media World). That earlier phase connected over 170 stations via MPLS circuits with satellite life-line backup. The LTN agreement extends that effort to all 330 member stations with a fully managed approach. The broader trend extends beyond the US: Brazil's Globo completed its primary distribution migration to IP using SRT in early 2026 (per CSI Magazine, April 2026), and Reuters began a phased satellite-to-IP migration with TVU Networks (per TVBEurope, 2026).