TEMPE, Ariz. -- Limelight Networks , the leading content delivery network (CDN) for digital media, today introduced LimelightHD, a service for the delivery of high-definition (HD) media and digital content over the Internet. LimelightHD allows media and entertainment companies, global consumer brands, game publishers, and social media sites to deliver HD-quality movies, TV shows, video clips and games directly to their users' Internet-connected televisions, game consoles, and PCs. Leading Internet TV service Brightcove, and key media entities, including Fox Interactive Media, MSN Video and Rajshri.com, India's leading broadband video portal, are among those who announced they will offer HD content via the LimelightHD service. Media technology leaders supporting the LimelightHD initiative include Adobe Systems, Incorporated, Microsoft Corporation, Move Networks and Veoh Networks. LimelightHD will be available immediately on over 700 broadband access networks worldwide.

LimelightHD is designed to meet the rising demand for high-definition content delivered via the Internet, to television set-top boxes, media players, game consoles, and PCs. Consumers are broadly embracing HD-quality programming, with Forrester Research predicting that the majority of U.S. households will have an HD television by 2010.(1) A recent report by eMarketer noted that by 2011, there will be 200 million Internet users in the United States and 183 million online video viewers.(2) As broadcast HD becomes commonplace, consumer demand for Internet HD will grow rapidly, prompting leading media and online companies to expand their Internet programming strategies and begin introducing online HD offerings this year.

The LimelightHD service is specifically designed to provide end-users with a high-fidelity, high-definition media experience by bypassing the often-congested public Internet and delivering content directly to "last-mile" broadband access networks. At the heart of LimelightHD is Limelight's advanced global CDN architecture, consisting of thousands of high-performance content servers distributed worldwide, connected directly to leading broadband access networks, interconnected via a high-speed, dedicated optical network, and built to store and deliver entire content libraries. This global footprint reduces network latency and ensures that every title in every HD content library -- whether the most popular title or the least popular -- will be consistently available to every user, on demand.

LimelightHD will deliver video content of 720p and 1080p resolution supporting popular Internet formats and players including Adobe(R) Flash(R) Player software, Microsoft Windows Media(R), Microsoft Silverlight and Move Media Player(R).

"At Fox Interactive, the delivery of premium HD content on Fox on Demand is a critical element in accelerating the market," said Ron Berryman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Fox Interactive Media. "Limelight's approach to HD content delivery -- fast, reliable and scalable -- will ensure that consumers can enjoy the programming they want to see, on multiple devices and formats."

Limelight Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: LLNW)