SISLink has won the contract to supply ITV Sport with satellite facilities for its F1 coverage for the next four years. The deal, beginning with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, will see the satellite service provider responsible for uplink provision of 16 of the 17 worldwide events, writes Fergal Ringrose.
Satellite connectivity from each international location on the GP circuit will be provided by SISLink. Also included within the contract is two-way broadband IP over satellite and 100% turnaround connection, handled in the UK via SISLink’s London Teleport.
Supporting the extensive, high-profile coverage, will be a dedicated dual antenna HD truck that SISLink is building exclusively for the eight European events. The truck, which is designed for maximum resilience, is set to become one of the most complex and highly-specified uplink trucks ever built. Every part of the truck will be fully redundant with uplink diversity to include separation of RF chains, power supplies and baseband connectivity. Additionally, the truck will comprise a complete UPS system to prevent any picture loss and deliver a totally reliable and robust solution.
This contract further strengthens the relationship between SISLink and ITV, which began with the award of the contract to provide 17 uPod systems across the UK for ITV Regional News in 2005. Since then SISLink has worked with the ITV group on many projects and major events, the latest being the coverage of the Super Bowl in Miami in February.
Europe’s primary satellite service provider has proven its capabilities in the domain of major sporting events, including Champions League football, athletics and horse racing. SISLink is also currently halfway through a significant contract to supply complete coverage for the European PGA Golf Tour as it makes it way across the world.
