LTN Rolls Out Changes To Ease Satellite-To-IP Transition

LTN today introduced a range of enhancements to its purpose-built IP video network as the broadcast industry approaches a major inflection point in the shift from satellite distribution. The new advances, the company says, “enable broadcasters, station groups and networks to further simplify the migration from satellite to IP, delivering live content with satellite-grade reliability while reducing costs, expanding reach and accelerating deployment times.”

As legislative momentum grows to reallocate satellite spectrum for 5G and wireless connectivity, U.S. broadcasters face mounting pressure on the shrinking C-Band capacity remaining for content distribution — with 280 MHz of the original 500 MHz already repurposed and further auctions mandated within two years. With a 45% annual growth rate in channel count over the last nine years, LTN says it now delivers almost 8,000 channels and millions of live events over its network and has driven nearly 40% annual growth in gateway locations, across 4,000 MVPDs, stations and digital destinations. “Proven scale, reach and performance reinforce LTN’s leadership as the trusted partner driving the broadcast industry’s accelerated shift from satellite to IP.”

LTN says it has now delivered successful satellite to IP migrations for nearly 2,000Tier 1 broadcasters, MVPD/vMVPD headends and content owner sites, including MSG Networks, TelevisaUnivision, Scripps and Tennis Channel.

Rick Young, LTN SVP, global products, said: “What surprises me most is how little people are talking about what new legislation means for spectrum auctions and the broadcasters that rely on satellite distribution. It’s a huge shift that’s going to affect so many networks, and yet there’s still a sense of ‘wait and see’ that’s a bit risky. We’re seeing huge demand from networks wanting to get off satellite entirely, or in a hybrid manner, before new capacity crunches to avoid disruption, and make smarter moves now rather than later when migrating becomes more complicated.

“There’s definitely a sense of uncertainty in the industry. Customers know this is on the horizon, and they’re asking us to demonstrate trust, cost predictability, and a clear migration path. And, we can do just that. They want to know that IP is available across large-scale footprints and that there are proven alternatives out there. That’s why we’re doubling down and expanding our headends and gateway locations to ensure we’ll give access to 100% of U.S. and Canadian MVPD households by next year. The pressure is real, but there’s also a massive opportunity for our industry to modernize with future-ready distribution models that deliver better long-term revenue and flexibility gains. We’re committed to making the transition as easy, cost-efficient, and operationally seamless as possible. We’re expecting a busy couple of years ahead – lots of companies are starting to realize they need to bring forward their migration plans and start earlier than they first anticipated.”

Del Parks, president of technology, Sinclair, Tennis Channel’s parent company, said: “Broadcasters looking for satellite alternatives need to prioritize reliability, transition management and trust. This is a huge moment for our industry with lots of uncertainties, but LTN is a clear choice for the IP shift. LTN exceeds the reliability of satellite and protocol-only options, and they’re not just a network — they partner with us at every step to simplify complex migrations.”

“Since moving to IP with LTN, we’ve achieved new levels of flexibility, efficiency, and cost benefits while bringing mission-critical live sports to audiences across platforms,” added David Schafer, MSG Networks SVP product, technology network operations. “Choosing an intelligent, purpose-built network is fundamental. It means we can manage multiple channels easily and distribute to all takers without added costs or complexity.”

In 2025 alone, LTN said its distribution footprint to MVPDs surged by 200%, “demonstrating explosive, market-wide demand for a more agile, cost-efficient, and future-ready distribution model. Fueled by deep MVPD integration, LTN gives channels instant access to over 98% of pay TV households across the U.S. and Canada, with a commitment to expand to 100% in 2026.”

Malik Khan, LTN co-founder and executive chairman, said: “We’re reaching a tipping point. Broadcasters are seeking certainty in uncertain times. LTN is the proven purpose-built alternative already delivering at scale, with zero compromise on reach, quality or reliability. Our growth enables us to harness scale-based cost reduction, which we will pass along as significant savings to our customers as they look for ways to make the transition from satellite easier and drive long-term revenue benefits.”

New capabilities enhancing visibility and control, simplifying distribution and maximizing reach on LTN’s IP network include:

• Advanced monitoring: Real-time monitoring of signal video quality, SCTE-35 ad markers, transport stream structure integrity and more – delivered through a simple browser-based interface built within the LTN client portal.
• Low-latency video multi-viewer: Integrated multiviewer functionality simplifies the distribution process, delivering real-time visibility and greater control for content owners distributing high channel volumes across wide receiver and affiliate footprints.
• Simplified group management: Streamlined tools eliminate the inefficiencies of legacy satellite – unlocking faster, large-scale channel launches with greater flexibility, while providing predictable, cost-efficient workflows.
• Channel customization for maximum reach: Real-timechannel versioning enables broadcasters to deliver tailored content to any destination, supporting any protocol or format, including IPTS, SDI, ASI, MPEG2, MPEG4, AVC, H.264, HEVC, H.264, UHD, HD, and SD.

Providing an industry-leading SLA of 99.9999% reliability and <250ms global latency, LTN offers superior performance, fully-managed support levels, and flat-rate pricing for real-time mission-critical video workflows over the world’s only IP-first network built exclusively for live video. Today, LTN powers over 80 million hours of live video content annually – including nearly 5 million hours of live news, over 1 million live sporting events, and billions of ad avails.

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