IBC, THE NETHERLANDS – 12 September 2003 – BBC Technology today announced a five year contract with Globecast, a leading satellite broadcast provider, as its latest Media Communications customer, joining the growing number of broadcast organisations – including BBC News, EBU, Sky, TVNZ and MTV – to use its London Media Gateway.

BBC Technology’s London Media Gateway, part of the company’s Media Communication services, is a fully resilient fibre ring in London that enables the London broadcast community to exchange content and access BBC and EBU feeds, as well as to access international gateways and BBC Technology’s teleports at London and Brookmans Park.

The distribution service offers flat cost effective, resilient permanent circuits, so that the broadcast community can benefit from a dependable content delivery service with cost control.

BBC Technology first established the London Media Gateway to enable the BBC to cost-effectively and easily distribute content between its London sites. The service has now been developed as a commercial proposition for BBC Technology, enabling other broadcast organisations to benefit from BBC Technology’s extensive experience and specialist skills in the creation, management and distribution of content.

‘London Media Gateway provides flexible options for broadcast organisations needing to regularly pick up or deliver content in London or indeed the rest of the world,’ said Adrian Corcoran, Operations Director for Managed Services at BBC Technology. ‘The resilient and diverse routing provides the customer with total security and confidence of delivery.’

‘This deal gives us reliability and increased connectivity,’ said Juliet Bayliss, Globecast’s Head of Channel Distribution, ‘allowing us to maintain our high level of customer service.’

For further information please contact:

Natasha Redford, PR Manager, BBC Technology, + 44 (0) 20 7765 1096 / + 44 (0) 7736 481 271; natasha.redford@bbc.co.uk
Hugo Brailsford, Bite Communications, + 44 (0) 20 8834 3467; hugo.brailsford@bitepr.com