Fibre optic network delivers Premiership
football
Our 21st Century fibre optic network delivers Premiership
football broadcast channels through ADI Group
We're currently working with the ADI Group, a specialist in
integrated broadcast and communication solutions, to provide
always-on broadcasting of football content across the globe.
ADI is deploying a 100 Megabit-per-second (Mbps) National Ethernet
service from ntl:Telewest Business to connect its headquarters in
Preston to locations within London, enabling content for ADI
customers to be fed directly to a global distribution point. The
move will directly benefit ADI’s growing Premiership football
broadcasting business, reducing costs and increasing flexibility
for all football clubs when broadcasting worldwide.
ADI currently has contracts to provide weekly global programming
for three Premiership clubs: Aston Villa FC, Everton FC and
Portsmouth FC. Each club’s three hour programme - which features
full coverage from that week’s matches as well as club news,
interviews and archive material - is produced at ADI’s headquarters
before being transmitted to London for global distribution.
The fibre link will end ADI’s reliance on satellite technology to
transmit programming content. Although satellite transmission has
no fixed structural and running costs for ADI, it incurs high costs
for each transmission as a satellite unit and satellite space needs
to be booked in advance to transmit within the set slot.
The new infrastructure allows a different cost model to be
introduced, with always-on use of the network meaning ADI can make
use of the connection whenever required and benefit from lower
long-term usage costs. It also facilitates a better flow of
information and content between customers and ADI, enabling shorter
turn around times for programme production and distribution.
“This is a major milestone in ADI’s development, putting us on a
par with the major players in the broadcasting world as well as
demonstrating our long-term commitment and dedication to the
football market. For our partner clubs, the new network will mean
far faster and more efficient content turnaround times and also
better access to their archive material,” said Ken Jones, Technical
Manager, ADI. “ntl:Telewest Business has proved to be the ideal
partner for this venture because of its speed of delivery and
ability to work closely with us to iron out potential teething
problems.”
“The football market operates under demanding timescales. To avoid
disruption it was vital all services were implemented in the off
season, leaving us with only a small window of opportunity to get
infrastructure in place,” said Dave Porter, Business Sales Manager,
ntl:Telewest Business. “Working closely with ADI it was possible to
enable the company to go live with this new network in an
exceptionally short time period and our UK-wide fibre reach was
pivotal in achieving this.”
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