## Customer Story # Cumberland Connect saves $3,000 monthly in upstream provider costs with Netskrt ## Summary - US-based ISP [Cumberland Connect](https://cumberlandconnect.org/) saves $3,000 monthly in estimated upstream service provider costs with the Netskrt CDN. - Using Netskrt, Cumberland Connect offloads over 10% of its uplink traffic during peak streaming. - Netskrt’s multi-tenant cache and fully managed caching service were key factors in Cumberland Connect’s decision to try Netskrt. - Deploying Netskrt’s CDN in their network has added virtually zero additional tasks to the Cumberland Connect team’s to-do list. ## The ISP: Cumberland Connect Tennessee-based internet service provider Cumberland Connect covers approximately 40,000 subscribers across the Nashville suburbs and surrounding rural communities. As a local electric cooperative subsidiary, Cumberland Connect provides a 100% symmetrical fiber-based service, offering up-down speeds of up to 3Gbps to every customer – no matter how far they are off the road or away from the city. “I don’t know of any competitor doing full turnkey, multi-tenant hardware like this. Netskrt was a slam dunk for me.” ## Live Streaming Challenges Michael Neverdusky, Network Operations Manager at Cumberland Connect, has been in the internet business for over 18 years. To help frame Cumberland Connect’s current business challenges, he recalls when networks delivered linear video using CATV or IPTV technologies, long before the streaming services we know today became widely available. With linear video, networks could transmit a single data stream and send it to anyone requesting it. The downside for consumers, however, was that TV programs were only available at specific timeslots. Then, the rise of streaming platforms changed everything. Now, every stream must travel from an upstream IX or peering point; if 1000 subscribers request the same live stream, Cumberland Connect pushes 1000 streams through their network. To make matters more challenging, Cumberland Connect didn’t have direct access to a peering data center. Like many rural ISPs who face a similar challenge, Cumberland Connect had little choice but to pay upstream providers for 20Gbps or more of traffic at peak – a cost incurred with increasing regularity, especially during football season. “Our major cost for internet, after we build it, is paying upstream providers for connectivity – and that’s where CDNs come in.” ## The Goal: Bringing Content Closer to the ISP Network Between the added costs of live streaming traffic and the more expensive option of building pipes to big data centers, Cumberland Connect was eager for a better solution. Neverdusky says, “Our goal has always been to get the content into our network. The closer we get [content] to our network, the less money we have to pay upstream providers.” Cumberland Connect was keen to use CDNs in their network to achieve this goal. “For smaller regional ISPs that don’t have good connectivity, having CDNs in your network is like being in a data center and doing the peering, except much more cost-effective and efficient,” says Neverdusky. Although Cumberland Connect was happy to place caches for different providers in its network, the ultimate dream scenario was to find a multi-tenant cache with contracts already in place. ## Choosing Netskrt’s CDN Before trying Netskrt, Cumberland Connect paid for upstream capacity, often at peak rates, to accommodate live sports streaming events scheduled during peak hours. Thankfully, [Netskrt](/content/edge-caching-for-isps/index.html) presented an even better and more cost-effective way to address their needs. Recalling the days of linear video, Cumberland Connect loved the idea of sending a single stream to the Netskrt appliance and replicating streams on-site. Moreover, the business advantage was immediately apparent. “I was already familiar with caches and knew the benefits of offloading our peak,” says Neverdusky. Not only could Netskrt’s solution simplify their data transmission, but it could also significantly reduce one of their biggest recurring costs. Netskrt’s multi-tenant approach was another major selling point. “I also liked that Netskrt continues to bring other [streaming] providers into the fold,” Neverdusky continues. Lastly, Netskrt’s fully managed, turnkey solution was an excellent fit for their small, busy team. Neverdusky admits that initially, he hadn’t heard about Netskrt or even much like it on the market. For Neverdusky, taking a chance on Netskrt’s specialized, full-scale CDN was savvy, “Netskrt does it right. We give them connectivity; they manage the box and save us bandwidth. That’s the relationship we’re looking for.” ## The Result Since deploying Netskrt’s CDN in their network, Cumberland Connect has enjoyed watching their bandwidth improve continuously. Within the first year of using Netskrt, Cumberland Connect saved $3,000 a month in upstream provider expenses by offloading 10% of their uplink traffic. What’s more, these savings directly impact their longer-term network planning. “Netskrt is extending the life of our existing bandwidth. The more we can offload our peak traffic, the longer we can delay our operational expense of adding more bandwidth.” Beyond cost savings, the Cumberland Connect team says the key benefit of Netskrt’s CDN is that it hasn’t added anything to their list of responsibilities. “Other than the one-time setup, there’s no monthly task to manage or anything like that. It’s hands-off.” When asked whether they’d recommend Netskrt to other service providers, Neverdusky’s message is clear: “I don’t know why anybody would say no. Do you like paying for bandwidth? Or do you want to save money? Netskrt should be a slam dunk.”