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Globecomm Systems Completes Media Processing Center for Launch of Bharti Airtel s DTH Service

^{Published on 2008-12-02 09:09:54 - Market Wire}
 

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Globecomm Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: GCOM), a leading provider of satellite-based communications infrastructure solutions and services on a global basis, announced today the completion of a state-of-the art Media Processing Center in New Delhi, India providing program origination for Bharti Airtel's new DTH service-digital TV.

Airtel digital TV employs MPEG-4 over DVB-S2 to offer high audio and video quality in an HD-ready system, with a universal remote for both the set-top box and television and a significantly larger antenna offering superior rain-fade performance. The service will initially be marketed through 21,000 retail outlets in 62 cities and includes interactive applications for booking cinema tickets and travel packages, online shopping, news and games.

The DTH program acquisition and uplink center that Globecomm designed, engineered and integrated beginning in March 2007 provides Bharti with a future-proof path to all forms of media distribution. Featuring two 11.3m Ku-band antennas, Globecomm's AxxSys Orion monitor & control system, and 15 4.5m receive-only antennas for program acquisition, the Airtel digital TV Center is based on a Globecomm Media Processing Center (MPC) architecture for converting video into a wide variety of formats for distribution to cable TV, DTH satellite or handheld, and Internet video at many different bit rates and formats for live or file-based applications.

"The MPC architecture provides a huge amount of flexibility," said Globecomm's Vice President of Broadcast Technology Tom Parish. "Bharti Telemedia now has options to expand its service offerings in response to market demand with very little additional investment."

David Hershberg, Globecomm's Chairman and CEO, added, "The Media Processing Center architecture is an example of the added value that Globecomm brings to projects like the Airtel digital TV facility. Rather than designing just for today's requirements, we worked closely with Bharti to create a program origination center able to grow with the company wherever digital media may take them."

N. Arjun, Executive Director, Bharti Telemedia said, "Over the years we have delighted millions of customers with our telecom services and now with Airtel digital TV, we plan to deliver a magical in-home entertainment experience to TV-viewers. DTH is the future of television in India and with Airtel digital TV we bring the best combination of latest technology and exciting content. With the support of our partner Globecomm, we look forward to providing superior, state-of-the-art services to our DTH service customers in India."

About Globecomm Systems

Globecomm Systems Inc. provides end-to-end value-added satellite-based communication products, services and solutions by leveraging its core satellite ground segment systems and network capabilities, with its satellite communication services capabilities. The products and services Globecomm offers include pre-engineered systems, systems design and integration services, managed network services and life cycle support services. Globecomm's customers include communications service providers, commercial enterprises, broadcast and other media and content providers and government and government-related entities.

Based in Hauppauge, New York, Globecomm Systems also maintains offices in Washington, DC, Maryland, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited, a group company of Bharti Enterprises, is India's leading integrated telecom services provider with an aggregate of around 80 million customers as of end of September 2008, consisting of 77.47 million mobile customers. Bharti Airtel Limited has been voted as India's most innovative company, in a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal.

Bharti Airtel is structured into three strategic business units - Mobile services, Telemedia services and Enterprise services. The mobile business provides mobile & fixed wireless services using GSM technology across 23 telecom circles. The Telemedia business provides broadband & telephone services in 95 cities, DTH services and is foraying into the IPTV segment. The Enterprise business provides end-to-end telecom solutions to corporate customers and national & international long distance services to carriers. All these services are provided under the Airtel brand. Airtel's high-speed optic fibre network currently spans over 83,389 kms covering all the major cities in the country. The company has two international landing stations in Chennai that connects two submarine cable systems - i2i to Singapore and SEA-ME-WE-4 to Europe. For more information, visit [ www.bhartiairtel.in ]

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