Globo's IP Leap: A New Era for Latin American Broadcast Delivery

LONDON and ATLANTA – April 02, 2026 – In a landmark move signaling a new era for broadcast distribution, Globo, Latin America's largest commercial media group, has completed a comprehensive transition of its primary content delivery to a fully IP-based infrastructure. The massive undertaking, executed in partnership with video software provider Synamedia and systems integrator Convergint, replaces traditional distribution methods with a sophisticated network built on Synamedia's advanced solutions and the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol.

A Monumental Shift for a Media Behemoth

The scale of this transition cannot be overstated. Globo is not merely a regional player; it is a global media powerhouse. Its flagship free-to-air network, TV Globo, reaches an astonishing 99.5% of potential viewers across Brazil, broadcasting to over 183 million people through a vast network of owned and affiliate stations. The company produces thousands of hours of original content annually, including its world-famous telenovelas, which are distributed to over 190 countries.

This strategic overhaul is a core component of the company's "Uma Só Globo" (One Globo) initiative, a long-term project aimed at unifying its diverse media assets—from broadcast and pay-TV to streaming and digital—into a cohesive, technology-driven "mediatech" entity. By moving its primary distribution, the very heart of its linear broadcast operation, to an IP backbone, Globo is future-proofing its ability to deliver content with unprecedented agility and reliability. This isn't an experiment with secondary feeds; it's a fundamental re-architecting of how Brazil's most dominant media voice reaches its audience.

The Technology Powering the Future

At the core of this transformation are Synamedia's Quortex PowerVu and virtualized Digital Content Manager (vDCM). Quortex PowerVu provides Globo with a centralized platform for managing its entire distribution network, offering proactive endpoint monitoring, automated alarms, and real-time operational dashboards. This ensures that the high quality and reliability viewers have come to expect are maintained, and even enhanced, in the new IP environment.

Synamedia’s vDCM acts as a flexible, software-based IP gateway with native SRT support, creating a highly resilient distribution ecosystem. The deployment also included crucial software updates to Globo's existing fleet of PowerVu D9800 receivers, increasing their capacity to handle more video feeds and bolstering both operational performance and scalability for future growth.

Orchestrating this complex integration was lead systems integrator Convergint. The role of a systems integrator is critical in projects of this magnitude, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and the stringent demands of a 24/7 broadcast environment. Convergint's expertise ensured that the myriad hardware and software components worked in concert, managing the project from design and delivery through to providing ongoing support, guaranteeing a seamless transition that upheld Globo's strict latency and quality standards.

The Rise of SRT: A New Standard for Broadcast

A cornerstone of the new architecture is the adoption of the Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol. Developed to overcome the challenges of sending high-quality video over unpredictable networks like the public internet, SRT is rapidly becoming the industry's go-to solution for reliable, low-latency streaming. Industry data underscores this shift, with recent reports showing that 77% of broadcast professionals now prefer SRT over older protocols like RTMP.

SRT combines the speed of UDP-based transmission with the reliability of TCP, offering advanced packet recovery and selective retransmission mechanisms. This allows it to maintain pristine signal integrity even with up to 10% packet loss, a common issue on congested internet links. For Globo, this means secure, stable, and consistent performance across its vast, managed IP backbone in Brazil, even in adverse network conditions. Furthermore, its built-in AES 128/256-bit encryption ensures content is protected from source to destination.

By leveraging SRT, Globo can move away from the high costs and rigidity of traditional satellite uplinks or dedicated fiber circuits, instead using a more flexible and cost-effective IP network without sacrificing the broadcast-grade quality its brand is built on.

Redefining Broadcast Economics and Operations

This transition is about more than just technology; it represents a fundamental shift in broadcast economics and operational strategy. Moving to an IP-based workflow promises significant reductions in both capital and operational expenditures. The agility of the new system allows Globo to accelerate its time-to-air for new content, scale services on demand, and adapt quickly to evolving market dynamics.

The operational flexibility extends to production, paving the way for more efficient remote production workflows where teams can collaborate from different locations without compromising quality. This not only cuts down on travel and on-site costs but also broadens the talent pool available for productions.

"The scale of this project – with Quortex PowerVu at the core – proves that IP-based distribution has reached the maturity required for primary distribution, bringing operational flexibility while ensuring the reliability and image quality that audiences expect," said Edward Allfrey, EVP of Video Network at Synamedia. "For decades, TV Globo has set the standard for broadcast innovation in Latin America. This deployment demonstrates its continued dedication to pushing boundaries and delivering the highest standards of quality and reliability. It has been a privilege to collaborate with Globo and Convergint on this landmark achievement."

This successful, large-scale deployment by a broadcaster of Globo's stature serves as a powerful validation for the entire industry. It demonstrates that IP-based primary distribution is no longer a future concept but a present-day reality, capable of meeting the demands of the world's most prominent media organizations. For Synamedia, the project solidifies its position as a leader in a competitive market that includes major players like Harmonic and MediaKind. As broadcasters globally continue to navigate the transition from traditional to digital-first workflows, Globo's bold step provides a compelling blueprint for a more agile, resilient, and efficient future.