The company will return to Television Centre to run three HD studios (including Studio One, the flagship 10,000 sq ft studio) when the site is reopened in 2015. In the meantime it is offering a mix of fully equipped high-definition television spaces at the BBC Elstree and Elstree Film Studios sites.
To support the new set up, BBC Studios and Post Production required a two-year dark fibre connection between the two sites to send uncompressed HD video, audio, IT and other data between them.
Danny Popkin, Technical Development Manager, BBC Studios and Post Production said: “We work with a range of production companies, making live and recorded TV shows across a variety of genres for numerous broadcasters. This requires us to transfer enormous amounts of data, including uncompressed video, between our Elstree sites. We wanted to have full control of the network management and this solution provided us with that.”
Geo utilised its unique relationship with Thames Water to provide dark fibre between the two sites, using the sewer network. Requiring just a short dig for the point-to-point connectivity, the fibre is clipped at shoulder height within the sewers, making it impervious to street disruption.
“Media companies are increasingly aware that the traditional managed services model no longer fits their business plan,” said Geo’s Media Sales Director, Will Pitt. “Our private network business model gives them control both financially and operationally, along with unprecedented scalability, and we’re delighted to be expanding our customer base.”