As part of Akamai’s commitment to providing world-class delivery and security solutions, we are informing you of an important update regarding our China CDN services. Effective June 30, 2026, all China CDN services will reach their decommission date. After this date, any remaining content requests will be automatically served from neighboring countries, unless a country-specific partner solution is activated.
To ensure a smooth and efficient transition, we are pleased to announce our partnerships with Tencent Cloud and Wangsu Science & Technology (“Partners”), offering solutions designed for high-performance content delivery and enhanced security within mainland China.
What this means for you:
Seamless delivery and security. As the cloud company that powers and protects life online, Akamai is strongly committed to ongoing innovation and delivering the best solutions to our customers globally. Our trusted Partners operate robust footprints in mainland China with a focus on maintaining a competitive and reliable service. These Partner solutions are backed by stringent SLAs and offer the high-quality experience you expect from Akamai.
Akamai as reseller. Akamai is acting as a reseller of our Partners’ delivery and security solutions within mainland China. You can purchase these solutions directly from Akamai today, ensuring seamless integration with your existing services.
Available today: Tencent migration services and support. For the Tencent solution, Akamai will provide comprehensive migration services and global support to assist you in transitioning smoothly to the new solution. Our team is ready to help you assess the best options for your business and ensure compliance with China’s evolving regulations.
Coming soon: Wangsu migration services and support. Akamai is actively collaborating with Wangsu to develop comprehensive migration and ongoing support offerings. We are committed to providing you with the best possible solutions and will update you as soon as these offerings are finalized. In the interim, Akamai can connect you with Wangsu to procure any immediate migration assistance or support requirements, directly from Wangsu. This direct interaction will ensure that your current needs are met while we work on enhancing our joint offerings.
Next steps. All current China CDN customers must complete the transition to our Partners’ solution by June 30, 2026, to maintain uninterrupted service. Please check if any of your clients will be impacted by this announcement, and reach out to your Partner Account Executive to discuss the best options for your clients’ needs and to start planning their transitions.
For a detailed list of impacted products and further information, please refer to TechDocs.
We understand that change can be challenging, but we are committed to making this process as smooth as possible for you. Thank you for trusting Akamai to deliver and secure your digital experiences, and we look forward to continuing to serve you with our innovative solutions.
Here’s a breakdown of the thinking process to generate the analysis of the Akamai China CDN shutdown:
Understand the Core Announcement: The first step is to grasp the fundamental change: Akamai is decommissioning its direct China CDN services by June 30, 2026. Instead, they’re partnering with Tencent Cloud and Wangsu, acting as a reseller for their China-based CDN solutions. Content will be served from neighboring countries by default after the deadline unless a partner solution is in place.
Identify Key Stakeholders: The request specifically asks about two groups:
Users of the international version of M365 in mainland China.
Domestic game players in mainland China.
Analyze the Impact on M365 International Users:
Initial Thought: M365 relies heavily on content delivery for updates, application downloads, and possibly some web-based features. Akamai likely plays a role in this.
Impact of the Change: If M365 (international version) relies on Akamai’s direct China CDN, the shutdown means traffic will route through neighboring countries. This immediately suggests potential issues.
Specific Problems:
Increased Latency: Serving from outside China will inherently increase the time it takes for data to travel.
Reduced Download/Upload Speeds: The longer distance and potential network congestion along the way can slow down transfers.
Potential Instability/Packet Loss: Cross-border connections are often less reliable than domestic ones.
Regulatory Compliance: This is a significant concern. While not explicitly stated in the Akamai announcement, data sovereignty and regulations in China are strict. Relying on servers outside China might create compliance issues for some M365 functionalities or data. Self-correction: The email mentions partner solutions for within China, indicating Akamai understands the need for in-country service.
Mitigation Strategies (for M365 users): The key takeaway from the Akamai announcement is the availability of partner solutions. The ideal solution is for Microsoft (or their designated partners) to utilize Tencent Cloud or Wangsu’s CDN. Users individually can’t do much.
Analyze the Impact on Domestic Game Players:
Initial Thought: Online games are extremely sensitive to latency. CDN is crucial for delivering game assets (downloads, updates) and potentially for real-time game data (though game servers themselves might be separate).
Impact of the Change: Similar to M365, relying on neighboring countries means higher latency.
Specific Problems:
Increased Ping: This directly affects the responsiveness of the game. High ping leads to lag, making games unplayable.
Download/Update Issues: Slower speeds for downloading game clients and patches.
Connection Instability: Cross-border connections can lead to disconnections and interruptions.
Key Difference from M365: Game companies are likely already using CDNs within China for a better experience. The question is whether they were using Akamai’s direct China CDN.
Mitigation Strategies (for game companies): The most obvious solution is to transition to Tencent Cloud or Wangsu’s CDN, which Akamai is facilitating. If they weren’t using Akamai China CDN before, the direct impact is lower.
Structure the Analysis: Organize the findings clearly for each stakeholder group. Use headings and bullet points to make it easy to read.
Add Nuance and Context:
Transition Period: Emphasize that there’s a transition period until June 2026.
Partner Solutions: Highlight the importance of the partner solutions being offered.
Akamai’s Role: Clarify that Akamai is facilitating the transition, not abandoning the Chinese market entirely.
Complexity: Acknowledge that the actual impact depends on the specific configurations and services used.
Review and Refine: Check for clarity, accuracy, and completeness. Ensure the analysis directly addresses the user’s request. Make sure to translate the initial thoughts and points into clear, concise language. For example, instead of just saying “latency will increase,” explain why it will increase (serving from neighboring countries).
By following these steps, we can construct a comprehensive and helpful analysis of the Akamai China CDN decommissioning and its potential impact on the specified user groups.好的，让我们来分析一下 Akamai 停止在中国大陆 CDN 服务对 M365 国际版用户和国内游戏玩家的影响。
