IOC secures $3.8bn broadcasting rights

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has secured a record $3.8 billion from broadcasting rights deals for the 2010 to 2012 Games package and expects to top that for 2014 to 2016, reports Shanghai Daily.

IOC chief, Jacques Rogge, says efforts are being made to drive audiences to new platforms, including the Internet and mobile phones.

He adds that deals worth $920 million have been agreed upon for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and the Rio de Janeiro 2016 summer Olympics. The single biggest broadcasting contract worth several billion alone, with a US broadcaster, had yet to be negotiated. The 2010 to 2012 deal with NBC brought in about $2.2 billion.

The Finnish operator DNA claims it's the first service operator in Finland to offer its customers television services on the mobile TV network, states Broadband TV News.

Initially, DNA will provide its TV services free-of-charge to viewers on a DVB-H network operated by Digita. The network is also open to other service providers.

DNA consumer business director Pekka V"ais"anen says: “When television services are offered through a special customised network, the capacity of the 3G network remains fully available to other high-quality mobile communications.”

LS Cable, a South Korean power cable manufacturer, plans to supply its wireless solution to Iraqi company, Sinatel, says The Korea Times

Under the $200million-contract, LS Cable will install a quadruple play service system by June 2012, enabling 200 000 cable television subscribers in Salahuddin and Karbala to use Internet, digital broadcasting service, Internet phone and mobile phone.

LS Cable says it expects the wireless technology will slash instalment costs for telecommunication service providers as the LS WiFi Solution requires fewer hubs for sharing wireless connections.