PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, is providing Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) with an end-to-end managed media solution which delivers live World Cup coverage from Brazil to Hong Kong.
TVB has chosen PCCW Global’s highly-resilient Global Television Network (GTVN) service to deliver 2K-HD video feeds from the International Broadcast Centre in Rio de Janeiro to TVB’s studio in Hong Kong, for onward distribution to its local viewers.
PCCW Global will also help to make television history by facilitating Hong Kong’s first ever live broadcast in spectacular 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) format. A feed received from Brazil via satellite at PCCW Global’s Stanley Earth Station will be delivered in 4K-UHD to the Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre where a match will be broadcast live by TVB on a 120 square meter LED video wall.
With over 30 years’ experience in the industry, PCCW Global is widely regarded as a trusted partner by the international broadcaster community.
During the World Cup, content is carried to Hong Kong over submarine fiber routes using highly robust video encoding, decoding and gateway systems, with added resilience provided via satellite.
The result for TVB viewers will be smooth, uninterrupted enjoyment of every game. PCCW Global will manage all encoding, decoding and switching equipment involved in the international transmission, and is also providing onsite engineers to maintain the solution at both the Brazil and Hong Kong ends.
Mr. Cheong Shin Keong, TVB’s General Manager, said, “This is a remarkably large live event for us all. That’s why we trust PCCW Global’s secure, robust network and extensive experience in transporting live feeds from large-scale events to ensure we deliver an unparalleled experience for Hong Kong’s many football fans.”
TVB will broadcast 22 matches on three free channels – Jade, Pearl, and HD Jade. These include the opening game, 16 stage matches, two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the final. TVB Network Vision Limited, meanwhile, will broadcast all 64 matches (including 42 matches not available on free TV).
Mr. Marc Halbfinger, PCCW Global’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are delighted that TVB continues to demonstrate such confidence in our proven track record of delivering secure, high-quality broadcasting content for some of the world’s most visible premium sporting events, often under extremely challenging conditions.”
He added, “PCCW Global’s wealth of experience and robust network will ensure that viewers benefit from consistently high-quality transmission, whilst TVB reaps the benefits of utilizing an end-to-end solution delivered by just one vendor. The relationship between us has continued since our collaboration for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.”
PCCW Global has extensive experience in enabling leading international broadcasters to deliver important TV coverage to their audiences. Events of worldwide appeal carried by PCCW Global have included Olympics action, motorsport, soccer, tennis and basketball – all at the very highest levels.
PCCW Global operates Asia’s largest commercial teleport, comprising more than 30 earth stations in Hong Kong, complemented by similar owned facilities in Europe and Africa plus partnerships with satellite and teleport operators in other geographies. The company’s extensive satellite footprint is combined seamlessly with its fiber-based GTVN to meet stringent broadcasting needs, while an International Television Center supports the state-of-the-art integrated fiber and satellite contribution / distribution network.
About PCCW Global
PCCW Global is the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong's premier telecommunications service provider, which is majority-owned by PCCW Limited. Covering more than 3,000 cities and 130 countries, the PCCW Global network supports a portfolio of integrated global communications solutions which include Ethernet solutions, IP solutions, fiber and satellite transmission solutions, managed services and solutions, international voice and VoIPX services.
PCCW Global maintains regional centers in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. To learn more about PCCW Global, please visitwww.pccwglobal.com.
About HKT
HKT (SEHK: 6823) is Hong Kong's premier telecommunications service provider. It meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centres.
Together with the highly successful media business of its parent company, PCCW Limited, HKT offers innovative media content and services across the PCCW Group's unique quadruple-play platforms – fixed-line, broadband Internet access, TV and mobile.
About TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, was established on 19 November 1967 and is the first wireless commercial television station in Hong Kong. With its headquarters in Hong Kong, TVB provides round-the-clock entertainment channels and news service to over 7 million Hong Kong viewers, and operates an international licensing and distribution business. Many of the programmes produced in Cantonese are dubbed into Mandarin and other languages, and are distributed worldwide, accessible to over 300 million households. Today, TVB has over 4,600 staff and artistes worldwide.
TVB operates five digital television channels, providing free and diversified television information / entertainment to over 2.39 million homes in Hong Kong round-the-clock. Its flagship channels, Jade (in Chinese) and Pearl (in English), transmit over 17,000 programme hours every year.
