TULSA, Okla. For the 11th consecutive year, backhaul television transmission for Super BowlT XXXIV is being carried by Vyvx«, a service of Williams Communications (NYSE:WCG). The game will be broadcast live to domestic and international viewers from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta via the Williams Multi-Service Broadband NetworkTM. Live shots and Super Bowl news feeds will be uplinked via the Vyvx Atlanta teleport.
To enable faultless transmission in both standard and High Definition Television (HDTV) from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to ABC studios in New York City, Vyvx is prepared to carry multiple paths to and from the stadium. A new mobile broadcast facility with the capability of delivering 32 transmission paths simultaneously has been developed for this and other special events Vyvx carries, such as the upcoming Democratic and Republican presidential conventions and the 2002 Olympics.
Domestic and international distribution of the Super Bowl is also being made possible through Vyvx capacity booked by ESPN International and NFL Films for its international customers. ESPN has ordered local loops from the Georgia Dome and World of Coca-Cola that will be used in conjunction with the Williams network for backhauls to ESPN Studios in Bristol, Conn.
Fox Sports News will also connect to its viewers via two remote inbound and two remote outbound feeds.
‘The Super Bowl is by far the most visible and best known example of the trust our broadcast customers place in Vyvx,’ said Laura Kenny, president and general manager of Vyvx. ‘It’s why we carry 85 percent of all professional football, basketball, hockey and baseball games in the United States. Our customers rely on Vyvx to consistently deliver flexible, world-class customer service and innovative solutions.’
‘Vyvx plans for Super Bowl transmission are mapped out months in advance by our Sports team which includes our personnel at the stadium and at the control center in Tulsa, Okla.,’ added Michael Schlesier, vice president of Vyvx fiber services. ‘We build in flexibility and contingencies to allow for last-minute changes. On Super Bowl Sunday, we monitor the entire service end-to-end so our broadcast customers and millions of viewers across the world can enjoy the big game.’
Vyvx meets customers’ multi-media transmission needs through integrated fiber-optic, satellite and teleport services. A service of Williams Communications, based in Tulsa, Okla., Vyvx operations span the United States, with offices in Miami and Singapore to serve markets in Latin America and Asia. Vyvx transmission paths include fiber, satellite space segment, fixed and transportable earth stations to enable worldwide distribution of broadcast news, sports, advertising and special events. The Vyvx transponder inventory is linked to the Williams Multi-Service Broadband NetworkTM through four U.S. earth stations.
About Williams Communications Group, Inc. (NYSE:WCG)
Williams Communications Group, through its subsidiaries, is North America’s only exclusively carrier-focused fiber-optic network and the largest independent source of end-to-end integrated business communications solutions – data, voice or video. Video and multimedia services are marketed under the Vyvx« brand. Based in Tulsa, Okla., Williams Communications has 9,000 employees primarily in North America, with offices in Europe and Asia and investments in South America and Australia. Approximately 85 percent of WCG stock is held by Williams (NYSE:WMB) which, in 1985, became the first energy company to harness its core competency as a builder of networks to enable competition in the communications industry. Additional information is available at www.williams.com and www.williamscommunications.com.
For further information please contact:
Patti Barker – Media David Cordeiro – Investors
Williams Communications Williams Communications
(918) 573-8380 (918) 573-3142
patti.barker@wilcom.com david.cordeiro@wilcom.com
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Super Bowl XXXIV is a trademark of the National Football League, Inc.