FastWeb becomes world's first operator to offer live ADSL broadcast services with multicast technology using Marconi's Access Hub MSAN
Milan and London, Genoa - September 9 2003 - FastWeb, Italy's main alternative fixed broadband telecom operator, has become the first operator in the world to introduce live broadcast video services over Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). It selected Marconi Corporation's (London: MONI) Access Hub, the Multi-Service Access Node (MSAN), to support the new service which is available via television sets to customers in Rome, Naples and Genoa. FastWeb's ADSL subscribers can have access to all TV services available over optical fibre, and also to the live broadcast of the Italian Football League matches.
FastWeb provides its business and residential customers in the main Italian cities (Milan, Rome, Genoa, Turin, Naples, Bologna and Reggio Emilia) with innovative telecommunications services over optical fibre and ADSL, by offering an integrated system for the simultaneous use of telephony, high-speed Internet connection (up to 10 Mbit/s for optical fibre and up to 4 Mbit/s for ADSL) and video.
FastWeb's ADSL subscribers now have access to all broadcast TV services already available over optical fibre. They can receive, in digital format, the main terrestrial and satellite TV channels such as RAI, Mediaset, La7, BBC World, Bloomberg, CNN, Cartoon Network, RAINews 24 and RAISport, as well as over 3,500 titles available "On Demand". Following the recent merger between Stream and Tele+, the two Italian satellite TV broadcasters, FastWeb's can now add the live broadcast, on the e.BisMedia channel, of all material which Sky Italia owns the rights to, including football matches. Overall, over 120 live channels are transmitted over optical fibre and ADSL.
The Marconi Access Hub provides Fastweb with advanced functions that allow it to provide high-quality video on demand and multicast services. Fastweb's full video over ADSL solution consists of the Marconi Access Hub AXH2500E with IP multicast functionality. Access Hub's multicasting technology avoids bandwidth wastage in the core network by allowing it to replicate a single video feed into multiple streams, one for each ADSL subscriber.
"We have launched the new video over ADSL services by taking the most ambitious challenge: football supporters are among the most demanding video subscribers and, as a consequence, they require extremely high broadcast quality," said Guido Garrone, FastWeb's Chief Technical Officer.
"We chose Marconi's Access Hub as it gives us the multicasting technology to deliver interactive video coverage of live events to our ADSL customers in Rome, Genoa and Naples efficiently, with minimum impact on our core network. With the Access Hub's multicasting technology, combined with high-speed Internet access, we have created an interactive offer that will satisfy even the most passionate football supporters."
Martin Harriman, Chief Marketing officer, Marconi Corporation, said: "Sport has a proven track record in promoting the uptake of new media services and I am sure Fastweb's football coverage will be as much of a success for ADSL as it was for satellite in the 1990s and early 2000s. Fastweb's new video service shows what can be achieved by taking broadband beyond simple internet services. This is a perfect example of how operators can use the Marconi Access Hub next-generation MSAN to deliver high-quality video services across a future-proof xDSL network, and generate important an profitable new revenues at the same time."
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FASTWEB
FastWeb is the leading alternative broadband telecom operator in Italy. The company provides its business and residential clients of the main Italian cities (Milan, Rome, Genoa, Turin, Naples, Bologna and Reggio Emilia) innovative telecommunications services over optical fibre and ADSL, providing an integrated system for the simultaneous use of telephony, high-speed Internet (up to 10 M/bits for optical fibre and up to 4 Mbit/s for ADSL) and video.
During the first half of 2003, FastWeb's revenues stood at Euro 183,1 million, approximately double revenues of the first half of 2002. In the first half the Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) stood at Euro 40,1 million, a significant increase with respect to the Euro -5,5 million of the same period of the previous year.
At the end of June, FastWeb's clients were over 249,000 almost two and a half times those of the same period of 2002 (103,900). Fastweb is owned by e.Biscom S.p.A., listed at the Milan Stock Exchange (Nuovo Mercato: EBI) since March 30th, 2000. Further information is available at www.fastweb.it.
About Marconi Corporation plc
Marconi Corporation plc is a global telecommunications equipment, services and solutions company. The company's core business is the provision of innovative and reliable optical networks, broadband routing and switching and broadband access technologies and services. The company's customer base includes many of the world's largest telecommunications operators.
The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol MONI.
Additional information about Marconi Corporation can be found at www.marconi.com.
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