Fiber-communications provider Level 3 Communications has signed major deals with CNN and Fox Sports that significantly expand on the company's existing sports connectivity with the two programmers.
From its North American (Broomfield, CO) headquarters, Level 3 is now providing Fox Sports productions with its Vyvx VenueNet+ sports broadcasting services for video, voice and Internet in venues around the U.S. for Fox's coverage of the 2010 NFL season. Level 3 already had a multiyear deal to provide services at venues.
VenueNet+ offers broadcasters digital connectivity at major sports venues on a 24/7 basis. It adds to Level 3's existing Vyvx service both HD and SD encoding, high-speed Internet and phone support within VenueNet+ venues.
VenueNet access delivers content to Fox's choice of destinations via the Vyvx network. The arenas are connected by fiber links to Level 3's switched video network.
For CNN, Level 3 has installed its Managed Video Network Services platform at the news network's Atlanta headquarters so the network can move and manage video and data more efficiently. In addition to the video backhaul services Level 3 has historically provided CNN, Level 3 has also brought CNN's Atlanta headquarters on-net, giving the broadcaster direct access to Level 3's Tier 1 IP backbone, and it has augmented the fiber capacity into CNN's New York City studios.
