For the second consecutive year, broadcasts of the recent Australian Open tennis tournament were transmitted to U.S. viewers via a transoceanic fiber link provided by Genesis Networks. The Australian Open marks one of the first examples of a major international sporting event that has chosen a fiber infrastructure over satellite communications for global transmission of broadcasts.  

Genesis Networks was under contract by two of the world’s largest sports cable networks to deliver video transmission services for the Australian Open. Genesis provided 24/7 transmission for up to 14 different circuits linking the venue to and from the sports networks’ production compounds in the U.S. In addition to prime-time coverage of tennis matches, Genesis provided fiber links for sports news-gathering feeds, such as interviews with players and special features. Genesis also provided highly reliable data circuits to support the networks’ voice and data communications needs between the venue and the U.S. as well as Internet access. The entire network infrastructure was diversely routed and protected for reliability and redundancy.  

“Sporting events such as the Australian Open represent prime examples of the growing numbers of international broadcasting operations that are turning to fiber for transcontinental, and even transoceanic, transmission of their broadcasts,” said Paul Dujardin, president and CEO of Genesis Networks. “For these broadcasters, fiber presents a far superior option to satellite transmissions due to its lower latency and the high quality of the signal, which remains consistent regardless of the distance being spanned. Our broadcast clients chose Genesis to provide transmission services for the Open because we could guarantee a secure and diversely linked network that would ensure greater flexibility and reliability.”