Limelight Launches New Website; Focus on Enterprise and Government

Cruising some websites on Sunday I noticed that Limelight Networks (LLNW) launched a new website over the weekend. The new site contains a lot of video and has a lot more defined message around Limelight's core product offerings as well as their new slogan "deliver brilliance". The biggest piece of new content is the focus Limelight is placing on the ecosystem. A new section on their site talks to all of their partners for web development, transcoding, content management, ad insertion and various other solutions in the stack.

I've mentioned before that to me, Limelight was not previously doing a good job of really letting customers and the market know that they deliver more than just video. The new website address this by giving details on the types of content they deliver and how it applies to specific business problems for specific verticals. They also talk a lot more to object delivery, website acceleration, document distribution, online software fulfillment and online game distribution.

Additionally, Limelight has added new verticals on their site including corporate (enterprise) and government. Previously, Limelight had only focused on the media and entertainment market so the addition of enterprise and government is a new focus and potentially a new revenue stream for the company, if they can show some traction with customers in those new industries. It will be interesting to hear if Limelight has newly dedicated account managers to focus solely on government business, a segment of the market that Akamai (AKAM) has ruled to date, and whether or not Limelight is currently or will soon be a certified GSA vendor.

It's good to see Limelight begin to deliver a lot more messaging to the industry and I expect they will soon follow this up with specific messaging and new data for Wall Street. They know it is desperately needed and I expect they will address the need shortly. With most of the trial motions expected to be over within the next few weeks, I think we'll begin to hear a lot more from the company in regards to customers and product announcements. In addition, it makes the acquisition talks that are taking place more relevant since some of the questions around Limelight's appeal will be clearer. While I'd still like to see Level 3 (LVLT) make the acquisition, if Limelight gets acquired at all it's going to come from a telco like AT&T (T) or BT (BT). I'd be willing to bet anyone a steak dinner it won't be Akamai or Microsoft (MSFT).

Comments

[Prognostic]

I am confused.

If LLNW is going to be shut down what is the point in talking about all that they are doing? I heard from a source that LLNW is telling their shareholders and customers that there is no way that AKAM can win an injunction against them. Can the author (or someone) please shed light on the topic of LLNW's network continuing to exist after the patent suit loss to AKAM?

Thanks!

[Prognostic]

Also I fail to understand the logic why anyone would buy LLNW. In the other referenced article you (the author) states that AKAM will come after you only if you gain traction. So you are saying Level 3 should acquire LLNW and start getting traction such that AKAM will come and shut them down? That is a brilliant business move! What am I missing here?