Global Crossing Looks To Expand Vertically With Genesis Solutions

The Sports Video Group is pleased to welcome Global Crossing Genesis Solutions as its newest corporate sponsor. Launched in 1997, the world’s first global IP-based network, Global Crossing is a leading IP- and Ethernet-solutions provider, offering a full range of data, voice, and collaboration services.

On Nov. 1, Global Crossing purchased Genesis Networks. The acquisition provides Global Crossing opportunities to attract new customers and expand service offerings into vertical markets that require high-performance, rich-media, video-based delivery, such as health care, cinema, music, gaming, government, and distance learning.

“As independent Genesis Networks, the company long recognized the value of the SVG community and the insights we’ve gleaned from our customers, competitors, and friends across the sports-production landscape,” says Mike Antonovich, managing director, Global Crossing Genesis Solutions. “It’s totally natural that, as Global Crossing tries to leverage Genesis’s core competencies, we take advantage of all the resources and connections that SVG offers us.”

Global Crossing delivers service to approximately 40% of the Fortune 500, as well as to 700 carriers, mobile operators, and ISPs, and delivers converged IP services to more than 700 cities in more than 70 countries around the world.

Global Crossing is gearing up for special events in Grand Slam tennis, Worldwide Formula 1 racing, basketball, international soccer, and more. Over the past five years, the company has produced marquee sporting events, such as the Australian Open tennis tournament, The Masters and British Open golf tournaments, and Formula 1 races.

“Genesis has always had global ambitions from when Paul Dujardin founded the company,” Antonovich says. “And we’ve been successful in building out to 70 cities across five continents. With the Global Crossing backbone at our disposal, we now have a unique capability of delivering managed video services into more than 700 cities worldwide in more than 70 countries. This will mean that we can do more things for more customers virtually everywhere live sports are covered. And we think that’s pretty exciting.”