BBC Chooses MRV Optical Wireless Solution To Transport High-Definition Video Of 2010 FIFA World Cup
July 11th, 2010
TereScope® 5000/G Delivered Gigabit FSO Connectivity
for Temporary Studios in South Africa
CHATSWORTH, CA - July 11, 2010 - MRV COMMUNICATIONS, INC., today announced that the BBC, the largest broadcasting organization in the world, selected its TereScope® 5000/G (TS5000/G) as the basis for transporting high-definition video between temporary studio locations for its coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. MRV Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of optical communication and IT infrastructure management solutions to service providers and enterprises around the world.
Throughout the World Cup, the BBC delivered its viewers with comprehensive, in-depth coverage with 32 live games, more than 20 highlight programs and approximately 110 hours of domestic World Cup coverage across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three. BBC News provided coverage from 5 a.m. until at least midnight each day across all of its outlets and platforms. The BBC HD Channel showed extensive coverage of the World Cup - including re-runs of some of the biggest games in the tournament - bringing viewers high definition images of all the action from South Africa.
In order to provide high-quality programming to its World Cup viewers, the BBC implemented MRV TS5000/G units where fiber was not available in order to connect its temporary video production sites in Cape Town, South Africa. The TS5000/G units provided the BBC a Gigabit connection for Ethernet-based transport of its high-definition video between production sites, which is then distributed over satellite.
"Setting up a temporary network with the bandwidth necessary for transporting HD video is complex, and we are please that BBC chose our proven commercial solution, the TereScope 5000/G, with more than 7,000 links deployed," said Dilip Singh, chief executive officer of MRV. "MRV was delighted to be offered the opportunity to assist BBC in providing its coverage of the biggest sporting event in the world. This application is a testament to the flexibility and reliability of our free-space optics solutions."
The World Cup is the world's most widely viewed sporting event and this year's final match is expected to have the largest audience of any sporting final in history, even more than the 715 million viewers of the final match of the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.
About MRV TereScope®
The TereScope® family of free-space optics (FSO) products provides cost-effective, high-speed wireless connectivity for a variety of last-mile applications. The TereScope product family includes the first-ever wireless 10G product, the TS-10GE. Operating at data rates of 1.5 Mbps to 10 Gbps, TereScope systems do not require right-of-way or government permits for installation and are deployable in a day, providing communication links for service providers or enterprises in hours instead of weeks or months. With more than 7,000 links deployed worldwide, MRV has the most experience in the market at selling, installing and servicing FSO equipment.
About MRV Communications, Inc.
The Optical Communications Systems division of MRV Communications is a global provider of Carrier Ethernet, WDM transport and IT infrastructure management solutions since 1988. MRV products enable the delivery of next-generation optical transport and Carrier Ethernet services over any fiber infrastructure. Since its inception, MRV has demonstrated expertise and experience offering innovative products that address future challenges while reducing network complexity and costs. Delivering optical communication solutions to service providers and enterprise around the world, MRV operates R&D centers in North America, Europe and Asia, along with 50 support centers, and 21 sales offices around the world.
Media Relations
MRV Communications, Inc.
David Rodewald
(805) 494-9508
pr@mrv.com