Industry News

Headline	Orange, Official Partner Of The Tour de France 2009
Article	For the Tour de France 2009, Orange will deploy fibre-optic cable along the entire race route along with a high-end WiFi network, creating the best possible mobile communication system for the press and all other professionals working on the Tour. Orange will also give its customers the full Tour experience through exclusive high-quality content across its TV, PC and mobile platforms. Innovation: a central feature of the Tour de France 2009 For more than 10 years, Orange has provided extensive technological resources for communication and the broadcasting of images from the Tour de France. In 2009, Orange: Deploy fibre-optic cable along the entire race route, providing bandwidth of 155 Mbit/s in both finish zones. In 2008, interwoven broadband networks, ADSL and SDSL lines available in the press room and the technical zone were partly based on 155 Mbit technology. In 2009, Orange will roll 155 Mbit technology out across the whole route and its international points of presence (PoPs). Quadruple its bandwidth between the interview truck and the press room, further enhancing its video technology and offering a HD-quality videoconferencing system. Provide five WiFi networks suited to the needs of various users (organisers, press, photographers, broadcasters). A radio terminal/server combination will be capable of routing more than 500 simultaneous connections, while regulating peak traffic levels. This system offers enhanced response and reception times, along with increased security. Install, every day, the infrastructure needed to provide the required network coverage in the Tour's strategic zones. Around the press room, mobile relays will handle 3G and 3G+ traffic. Carry out multimedia Codec tests (Numeris, IP and 3G) to facilitate transmissions by radio stations. GlobeCast is a France Télécom group subsidiary specialising in managing and carrying audiovisual content. It will deliver live images of the Tour de France on behalf of France Télévisions and Union Européenne de Radiodiffusion. At the finish line of each stage, GlobeCast will deploy six mobile satellite and terrestrial transmission stations, along with a co-ordinating reception truck. The system is capable of broadcasting up to 25 SD/HD video signals simultaneously and will provide exceptional race coverage.
Company	Orange
Date Published	3/7/2009