Company snapshot
| Category | Lumen Technologies | Section IO |
|---|---|---|
| Status | defunct | defunct |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Lumen Technologies, formerly CenturyLink, was a telecommunications company that provided content delivery network (CDN) services until October 2023, when it sold select CDN customer contracts to Akamai. The company has since exited the CDN business to focus on enterprise connectivity, fiber infrastructure, and AI-driven network solutions. Its CDN services were used by enterprises and media companies, notably for events like the NFL Wild Card game on Peacock.
Section IO was a cloud-native hosting provider specializing in edge computing and content delivery network (CDN) services, founded in 2012 in Australia and later headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. It offered a Kubernetes-based platform to optimize application delivery with a focus on developer-centric features like real-time logs and instant cache purging. The company was acquired by Webscale in October 2023 to launch CloudFlow, an AI-driven Kubernetes orchestration platform. As of 2025, Section IO no longer operates as an independent CDN provider, and its services have been integrated into Webscale’s offerings.
Network & Architecture
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Feature comparison
| Feature | Lumen Technologies | Section IO |
|---|---|---|
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
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Integrations & DevEx
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When it fits
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When it doesn’t
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History & Notes
Lumen’s CDN operations were part of its broader telecommunications portfolio, leveraging its global fiber network. The decision to sell its CDN contracts to Akamai aligned with a strategic shift toward enterprise fiber, AI infrastructure, and network-as-a-service offerings. The transition was completed smoothly under a 90-day agreement, with no reported service disruptions during the handoff. For further details, see the official press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lumen-announces-sale-of-select-cdn-customer-contracts-to-akamai-301951303.html[](https://ir.lumen.com/news/news-details/2023/Lumen-announces-sale-of-select-CDN-customer-contracts-to-Akamai/default.aspx)
Section IO initially operated as a CDN provider before pivoting to edge-native computing, emphasizing Kubernetes orchestration and developer tools. Its acquisition by Webscale in 2023 shifted its technology toward CloudFlow, focusing on AI-driven resource allocation and multi-cloud integration. The transition left some customers, particularly in Australia, seeking new providers. No conflicting reports suggest a revival of Section IO’s standalone services. For more details on Webscale’s current offerings, see https://www.webscale.com.