EBU Selects Ericsson For 2012 London Olympics

The European Broadcasting Union will use nearly 1,000 of the Ericsson RX8200 professional receivers for the distribution of the 2012 London Games.

The receivers will be used in the distribution of content to EBU members and other rights holders around the world over both satellite and fiber networks in MPEG-2 standard definition format or MPEG-4 AVC 4:2:2 HD format.

The agreement builds upon a longstanding relationship between the EBU and the Ericsson team, which has previously provided the EBU with technology for such major sporting events as the 2008 Games in Beijing, Tour De France, Wimbledon and European football.

"We are delighted to extend our relationship with Ericsson for the 2012 Games -- the biggest sporting event in the world -- to allow us to provide our broadcast customers with the high-quality and flexible service they demand," said Paolo Pusterla, Head of Procurement & Network Partnerships, EBU.

The EBU operates a global satellite and fiber network out of Geneva, Switzerland, covering all of Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region that will be used for the Games.

This network services broadcasters with a wide variety of equipment configurations and one of the key factors in the selection of the Ericsson gear was its flexibility in adapting to those different needs.