Avanti's HYLAS 2 Ka-band satellite providing live satellite coverage of Oscar Pistorius trial

Reuters, the world's largest international news agency, has adopted a leading satellite news gathering (SNG) service from global operator Avanti Communications in South Africa. Deployed via Avanti's HYLAS 2 satellite, which has 100% coverage over the country, Reuters has successfully broadcast 24/7, live satellite news coverage of the ongoing Oscar Pistorius trial.

George Johnson, Technical Coordinator at Reuters, said: "In order to supply consistently high quality multimedia coverage to global audiences around the clock, our approach is to select leading providers who work with us hand-in-hand to achieve the best results. Avanti's leading service has enabled us to provide quality outputs during a live event of national importance in South Africa."

Matthew O'Connor, Chief Operating Officer at Avanti, commented: "We are delighted that one of the world's most renowned news organisations has adopted our SNG service. Our unique Ka-band technology offers higher throughput services and significant cost savings, making it perfectly suited for deployment in the global broadcast industry. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Reuters to deliver highly-dependable, flexible broadcast satellite solutions to other regions."

The relationship has been supported by Broadcast IP Systems (BIPS), a specialist supplier to the broadcasting industry, formed in response to the increased use of IP by broadcasters as a contribution medium.

Helen Brown, Director at BIPS, added: "We pride ourselves in providing our broadcast clients with proven innovations in satellite technology. Avanti's Ka-band service provides a number of benefits, including lower power consumption and lightweight, easy-to-deploy terminals. The coverage of such a high-profile trial is further proof of Ka-band's competitive advantage in global broadcast."

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About Reuters

  • Reuters is the world's largest international news agency providing real-time, award-winning multimedia news content.
  • Reuters is known around the globe for its speed, accuracy and freedom from bias.
  • With over 2,700 journalists in almost 200 bureaus around the world delivering news in more than 20 different languages, Reuters delivers insight, depth and understanding to more than a billion people every day.
  • Reuters is the single source for an unrivalled range of multimedia across general and political, sports, business, entertainment and lifestyle news, with a range of integrated and online delivery options for broadcast, text, pictures, graphics and data feeds.
  • Reuters' global network of television journalists and camera crews power the world's newsrooms with timely, broadcast quality video coverage.
  • It offers a full range of options including raw footage, ready-to-air packages & live reports, and archived video of key events from the past 100 years.
  • Broadcast video can be received by region or topic, delivered with English-language narration for instant play and natural sound for local voicing, with the flexibility to customize as necessary.

About Avanti Communications

  • Avanti Communications is a carriers' carrier, selling wholesale data telecoms to service providers which use them to create networks for enterprise, carrier, government and consumer users.
  • Avanti Communications' network consists of:- two high throughput satellites in orbit, called HYLAS 1 and HYLAS 2; a multiband satellite called Artemis plus a fourth satellite in construction called HYLAS 3 and an international fibre network connecting data centres in several countries.  
  • Avanti Communications has GEO satellite network spectrum filings in the ITU Master Register for Ka band at 33.5° West and 31.0° East and for Ka, Ku, S and L-band at 21.5° East. 
  • Avanti Communications serves customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

About Broadcast IP Systems

  • Broadcast IP Systems is a specialist supplier to the broadcasting industry, formed in response to the increased use of IP by broadcasters as a contribution medium.
  • In addition to supplying competitively priced Ka Band connectivity, it offers a variety of hardware solutions available for either rental or purchase.
  • Broadcast IP Systems has the expertise to supply cost effective turnkey solutions, uniquely combining satellite capacity with tailored hardware.
  • The inherent flexibility of IP transmission, coupled with smaller and potentially 12V powered Ka band hardware offers many new and exciting possibilities.
  • Visit: www.broadcastipsystems.com
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