Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Fastly (NASDAQ: FSLY) are running Fastly's content delivery software directly on Comcast's distributed U.S. network to support live sports and other high-demand streaming on NBCUniversal's Peacock platform, according to a joint press release.

The arrangement places content delivery closer to viewers by operating from more than 200 edge compute centers that Comcast maintains across the country. The companies say the setup reduces the distance content must travel before reaching viewers and limits duplicate traffic on the network. Covered sports include the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

Traditionally, content delivery platforms operate outside an internet service provider's network, requiring identical content to travel from centralized locations across long network paths. The new model runs Fastly's software within Comcast's network, using distributed computing and storage resources to manage and deliver Peacock content.

"By working with Comcast and Fastly to move high-demand content closer to viewers, we can add capacity where it matters most, reduce the amount of duplicate traffic and unnecessary distance in the delivery path," said David Bohunek, Senior Vice President of Global Video Engineering at NBCUniversal Media Group.

Elad Nafshi, Chief Network Officer at Comcast, described the arrangement as "an important first step in creating a blueprint to redefine what live event delivery can become."

Fastly CEO Kip Compton said the integration enables Peacock to "intelligently scale live streams, critical APIs, security, and application performance closer to its audience when demand is at its highest."

Comcast said it is exploring additional uses for its distributed computing infrastructure beyond live streaming, including gaming, cybersecurity, AI inference, and enterprise cloud services.