Company snapshot
| Category | Highwinds | Orange (France) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | defunct | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Highwinds Network Group, Inc., founded in 2002, provided content delivery network (CDN) services, cloud storage, IP transit, and colocation, serving clients like Blip.TV, Hudl, Valve, and CCP Games. Its RollingThunder network supported video streaming and gaming content delivery. Acquired by StackPath in 2017, Highwinds CDN was integrated into StackPath’s offerings but was discontinued in November 2023 as StackPath exited the CDN business. The service is now defunct, with no active operations.
Orange (France), through its Orange Business Services division, offers a telecom-based CDN focused on delivering content and security services to enterprises. The service leverages Orange’s extensive global network infrastructure, primarily targeting customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). It serves industries such as media, e-commerce, and finance, providing solutions for content delivery, DDoS protection, and application performance. The CDN is integrated into Orange’s broader portfolio of connectivity and cloud services.
Network & Architecture
—
Orange operates a global network with over 40 points of presence (POPs) across EMEA, North America, and Asia-Pacific, built on its telecom backbone. Its peering agreements with major ISPs enhance delivery in Europe, particularly in France and surrounding regions. The CDN is optimized for enterprise-grade reliability but has a smaller footprint in APAC and LATAM compared to global leaders like Cloudflare or Akamai. Regional strengths include low-latency delivery in EMEA.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Highwinds | Orange (France) |
|---|---|---|
waf | ✗ | ✗ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ | ✗ |
ddos | ✗ | ✓ |
rate_limit | ✗ | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✗ | ✗ |
tls13 | ✗ | ✗ |
tiered_cache | ✗ | ✗ |
origin_shield | ✗ | ✗ |
instant_purge | ✓ | ✓ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✗ | ✗ |
stale_if_error | ✗ | ✗ |
image_optimization | ✗ | ✗ |
video_vod | ✓ | ✗ |
video_live | ✓ | ✗ |
drm | ✗ | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ | ✗ |
websockets | ✗ | ✗ |
signed_urls | ✗ | ✗ |
edge_compute | ✗ | ✗ |
functions | ✗ | ✗ |
kv_storage | ✗ | ✗ |
api_first | ✓ | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ | ✓ |
log_push | ✗ | ✗ |
terraform | ✗ | ✗ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported, — = Not listed
Pricing
—
Orange’s CDN operates on an enterprise-only model with custom pricing based on committed contracts. No public per-GB pricing is available, and there is no free tier or PAYG option. For detailed pricing, see https://www.orange-business.com/en/solutions/content-delivery-network.
Integrations & DevEx
—
Orange supports API-driven management for provisioning and monitoring, with real-time logs available. Documentation is accessible but lacks support for Terraform or modern IaC tools. SDKs are limited, and there are no specific CI/CD integrations or migration tools mentioned in public resources.
When it fits
—
- Enterprises in EMEA needing a telecom-backed CDN with strong regional performance.
- Businesses already using Orange’s connectivity or cloud services for integrated solutions.
- Organizations prioritizing DDoS protection and reliable content delivery over advanced features.
When it doesn’t
—
- Small businesses or startups looking for PAYG or free-tier options.
- Users needing global coverage with extensive POPs in APAC or LATAM.
- Developers requiring advanced edge compute, WAF, or image optimization features.
History & Notes
Highwinds operated a global network with over 70 points of presence across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, known as RollingThunder. It secured significant funding, including $55 million in 2008 and $205 million in 2013, to expand its CDN infrastructure. After its 2017 acquisition by StackPath, Highwinds’ services were merged but faced integration challenges. Customer feedback on StackPath’s CDN, including Highwinds, highlighted declining support and price increases. Akamai acquired approximately 100 enterprise accounts from StackPath in 2023, but smaller customers needed to find alternatives independently.
—