UniqCast and Castlabs Deliver Integrated Cloud IPTV/OTT and DRM Solution for US Video Service Providers
Quick Summary
Launching secure, flexible and cost-effective IPTV/OTT services faster in the US
For US broadband providers, fiber operators, ISPs and regional telcos, video is becoming a renewed way to add value beyond connectivity. But launching a modern IPTV/OTT service no longer means building every layer from scratch.
Operators need a foundation that can support modern viewing expectations, protect premium content, and keep deployment complexity under control. They also need a model that can work for both new service launches and the replacement of legacy TV systems.
That is where the collaboration between UniqCast and Castlabs comes in.
UniqCast provides the cloud Internet Protocol television (IPTV) and over-the-top (OTT) platform for launching and managing video services, while Castlabs provides DRMtoday, its cloud-based multi-DRM licensing service, across OTT, IPTV, and hybrid PayTV workflows. Digital rights management (DRM) controls access to protected content. Together, they give US service providers a faster, more flexible route to launching, expanding, or modernizing video services with fewer integration barriers.
The opportunity: secure IPTV/OTT without unnecessary integration overhead
US broadband, fiber, ISP, and regional telco operators are well positioned to bring video services into their customer offering. They already have strong subscriber relationships, network reach, and local market presence. With the right technology foundation, IPTV/OTT can become a practical way to add value beyond connectivity.
Modern cloud-based video platforms make this easier than traditional TV infrastructure models. Operators can launch or modernize services with a more flexible architecture, shorter deployment cycles, and less operational overhead. This is especially relevant for providers looking to introduce a new IPTV/OTT offer, expand an existing video service, or replace legacy systems with a cloud-oriented model.
Studio-compliant content protection is a key part of that foundation. Premium video services need scalable DRM capabilities that work reliably across the major device ecosystems subscribers use, whether the service is built around OTT streaming, IPTV delivery, or a hybrid PayTV model. When multi-DRM is already integrated into the platform workflow, operators can reduce technical complexity while still meeting premium content protection requirements for video on demand (VOD) or live streaming use cases.
By integrating Castlabs’ DRMtoday with the UniqCast cloud IPTV/OTT platform, operators gain a clearer path to secure video service deployment. UniqCast provides the platform layer for IPTV/OTT delivery, while DRMtoday provides cloud-based multi-DRM licensing and content protection for protected playback.
What UniqCast brings: the IPTV/OTT service platform
UniqCast’s platform gives operators a ready foundation for launching and managing IPTV/OTT services. It is designed to support the key service components operators need to deliver TV, movie, sports, and other video experiences across devices, while reducing the need to assemble and operate each element separately.
For US operators, this means a faster route from service planning to launch. Instead of starting with a long infrastructure build, providers can work from an established cloud IPTV/OTT platform that can be configured around their commercial, technical, and operational requirements.
This is useful for both new deployments and modernization projects. Operators entering video can launch with a platform designed for today’s IPTV/OTT requirements. Operators replacing legacy systems can move toward a more flexible cloud-based model that is easier to adapt as their service evolves.
Where DRMtoday fits
Premium content protection sits at the licensing and playback authorization layer. DRMtoday is Castlabs’ cloud-based multi-DRM service for secure media delivery across OTT, IPTV, and hybrid PayTV workflows.
For OTT services, DRMtoday supports major DRM technologies including Google Widevine, Apple FairPlay Streaming, and Microsoft PlayReady. This helps operators protect streaming services across the device environments subscribers expect, including mobile devices, web browsers, smart TVs, connected TV platforms, and streaming devices.
DRMtoday also supports IPTV multicast protection using Common Encryption, allowing operators to secure channels at much lower cost than conditional access systems (CAS). Device hardware-secured Widevine and PlayReady DRM is leveraged for protecting premium content, while continuing to use established IPTV delivery models, including RTP/UDP multicast where required. For operators with existing IPTV infrastructure, this creates a more modern path for securing PayTV services without immediately replacing the full delivery architecture.
Within a UniqCast deployment, DRMtoday provides the DRM licensing layer needed for protected playback across both OTT and IPTV use cases. Instead of managing separate protection systems for different delivery models, operators can move toward a more unified content protection approach across multicast IPTV, hybrid PayTV, and OTT streaming.
This is especially relevant for operators looking beyond traditional CAS-based security models. By using DRMtoday’s cloud licensing infrastructure, providers can reduce the cost and complexity associated with legacy security systems while gaining a flexible DRM foundation for current and future video services.
DRMtoday also supports advanced protection and service-control use cases, such as multi-key delivery, key rotation, access control, geoblocking, concurrent stream limiting, and integration with common packaging and key-ingest workflows.
For operators, these capabilities are not just security features. They help monetize premium content, support content owner requirements, and create a more flexible foundation for commercial video services across IPTV, hybrid, and OTT environments.
How the integrated workflow supports secure playback
At a high level, the service workflow looks like this:
- The operator’s video service is delivered through the UniqCast IPTV/OTT platform.
- Content is prepared for the relevant delivery model, whether that means OTT streaming, IPTV multicast, or a hybrid PayTV workflow.
- The viewer accesses the service through a supported application, device, or IPTV environment.
- When protected content is played, the relevant DRM license request is handled through DRMtoday.
- DRMtoday delivers the appropriate license using the DRM technology required by the playback environment, such as Widevine, FairPlay Streaming, or PlayReady, using a hardware-security level wherever supported.
- The viewer receives secure playback according to the service and content protection requirements.
This architecture allows the operator to keep the video service experience and the DRM licensing workflow connected without treating DRM as a separate infrastructure project.
The result is not simply “DRM added to a video platform.” It is a more complete IPTV/OTT deployment model where the service platform and the content protection layer are aligned across OTT, IPTV, and hybrid PayTV use cases.
Why this matters for US broadband and fiber operators
Many US broadband and fiber providers are looking for ways to strengthen their customer offering beyond connectivity. Video can help create more differentiated bundles, increase service value, and support stronger customer relationships.
To make that opportunity scalable, the economics and operations of video delivery need to stay manageable. Operators need a platform model that helps control deployment timelines, reduce technical overhead, and support secure content delivery from the beginning.
The UniqCast and DRMtoday integration is designed for that requirement. It gives operators a practical path to launch or modernize IPTV/OTT services with integrated cloud multi-DRM protection, without the need to build and manage DRM infrastructure internally.
For operators with existing IPTV infrastructure, this approach is also relevant to modernization. DRMtoday’s support for IPTV multicast protection gives providers a path to bring standard DRM into multicast and hybrid PayTV workflows, while continuing to support established delivery models where needed. This can help reduce reliance on legacy security systems over time and move operators toward a more unified protection model across IPTV and OTT services.
What operators gain from the integration
For operators evaluating a new launch, expansion, or replacement project, the UniqCast and DRMtoday integration can help support:
- A cloud IPTV/OTT platform with integrated premium content protection
- Faster deployment with less separate DRM integration work
- Secure OTT and IPTV delivery across major DRM ecosystems, including Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay Streaming
- IPTV multicast protection using Common Encryption and hardware-secured Widevine and PlayReady DRM
- A unified protection model across IPTV, hybrid PayTV, and OTT services, with lower operational overhead compared with managing separate or legacy security systems internally
This is especially relevant for operators that want to build a competitive video offer while keeping the technology stack focused and manageable.
A practical path from legacy TV to cloud IPTV/OTT
The partnership between UniqCast and Castlabs is focused on making secure video deployment more practical for operators. For broadband, fiber, ISP, and regional telco operators, that combination can help turn video into a service that reaches market faster and can grow alongside subscriber and business needs.
For more on modernization, explore UniqCast’s legacy TV platform replacement approach.
Planning a secure IPTV/OTT launch or legacy replacement?
Talk to UniqCast and Castlabs about how UniqCast’s cloud IPTV/OTT platform and DRMtoday can support your service architecture.
Talk to UniqCast or contact Castlabs to discuss your project.
