Advanced Television

Arqiva to deliver BBC Red Button for Olympics

July 12, 2016

Arqiva, the communications infrastructure and media services company, will support the BBC in extending coverage of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

The agreement will see Arqiva carrying an additional eight DTT services through its COM8 multiplex contributing to the BBC’s commitment to bring more than 3,000 hours of live sporting action from the games to their audience.

The services, which will be in a mixture of Standard and High Definition, will be accessible via the Red Button and available on Freeview HD, Freeview Play and Youview receivers. Carried on COM8, one of Arqiva’s two DVB-T2 multiplexes, they will broadcast nationally in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with 76 per cent population coverage.

Mike Finchen, Director of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), commented: “Rio 2016 is a hugely important event and we’re delighted to help support the BBC deliver even more coverage to audiences.  We have a long history of supporting the broadcast of major sporting events, including Wimbledon and the World Cup, and this experience is reflected in the quality of service we provide. Today’s deal is also a good proof point for our COM8 multiplex, which will be at full capacity during the games and is another demonstration of the on-going value of the DVB-T2 multiplexes to DTT viewers.”

 

The additional DTT services will launch on the 5th August 2016 and be available throughout the period of the games until the 21st August 2016.

 

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