Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley have published a joint white paper outlining a framework for migrating broadcast distribution from satellite to IP and cloud infrastructure. The model, based on a live production deployment, aims to provide a vendor-agnostic approach for broadcasters navigating the FCC's C-band spectrum transition.
The reclamation of up to 180 MHz of C-band spectrum by the FCC creates an urgent technical requirement for broadcasters to find reliable satellite alternatives. This satellite-to-IP transition framework provides a standardized path to cloud-based master control, allowing engineers to maintain precise hardware-style oversight while gaining the cost efficiencies of IP transport. By decoupling distribution from fixed physical facilities, the model enables location-independent operations that can scale channels rapidly without traditional hardware constraints. As the industry moves away from rigid satellite contracts, this collaborative approach establishes a benchmark for interoperability between major infrastructure vendors. Watch for the technical roundtable on October 21 during NAB Show New York for further deployment data.
Zixi has built a track record of satellite-to-IP migrations that predates this joint framework. In March 2023, Estrella Media adopted Zixi to move from satellite to primary IP distribution for live linear channels across the United States, using ZEN Master for orchestration and monitoring at scale. Fox Corp. followed with a larger deployment in August 2023, when the company deployed Zixi Broadcaster, ZEN Master, and Intelligent Data Platform across 190 affiliates for channel delivery to MVPD partners, with Zixi's version 17 software reducing compute requirements by 80% and cutting transport stream egress costs by up to 50%. These production deployments provided the operational evidence base that the new IP Convergence Framework for Distribution codifies into a repeatable model.
The framework's timing aligns with the FCC's upper C-band auction to reclaim 100 to 180 MHz of spectrum currently used by broadcasters for satellite distribution across the United States. The TV Technology coverage of the framework's release noted that the model is based on a real-world deployment for a broadcaster with a global footprint, demonstrating how cloud master control, IP transport, orchestration, and streaming work together in a unified operating model. Each of the four layers can be independently swapped or scaled, allowing operators to adopt in stages rather than committing to a single rebuild.
Zixi's ZEN Master control plane continues to gain traction as the monitoring and orchestration layer for IP distribution at scale. In August 2025, French media distribution platform OKAST selected Zixi SDVP and ZEN Master to deliver more than 180 FAST and linear channels across Europe and Latin America, improving operational reliability and cost-efficiency without re-architecting its delivery model. This deployment pattern, where ZEN Master provides unified visibility across multi-vendor IP chains, mirrors the monitoring role that TAG Video Systems and ZEN Master play within the new framework's architecture.
Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley have launched a vendor-agnostic IP broadcast distribution framework. This model provides a repeatable architecture for moving satellite operations to the cloud, addressing the FCC's C-band spectrum reclamation. It allows broadcasters to scale operations and maintain master control visibility without total infrastructure rebuilds.
The framework provides a standardized, vendor-agnostic roadmap for broadcasters to transition from satellite distribution to cloud-based IP networks, specifically addressing the FCC's C-band spectrum reclamation.
The framework was published by Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley.
The architecture is designed with four independent layers, allowing broadcasters to swap or scale individual components rather than committing to a complete overhaul of their existing systems.
Continuous monitoring is integrated into the framework using TAG Video Systems and Zixi ZEN Master, which provide the visibility required for broadcast-grade delivery.
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