GE Americom and BT Broadcast Services Reach Mutual Agreement
September 12, 2000 - London, UK
GE American Communications (GE Americom) announced today that it has established a broad cooperative agreement with BT Broadcast Services (BT) providing both companies access to the other's key global resources.
Signed during the IBC in Amsterdam, the agreement establishes a framework through which BT enjoys enhanced access to GE Americom's rapidly expanding fleet of satellites. Similarly, the agreement allows GE Americom to leverage BT's extensive satellite terrestrial infrastructure and systems to provide a range of satellite-based solutions to customers worldwide. In addition, BT has agreed to be one of the founding members of GE Americom's Quality Satellite Network (QSN), a worldwide alliance of premier infrastructure owners/operators, which will be formally announced in October. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Commenting on the signing of the agreement, Andreas Georghiou, GE Americom's Senior Vice President of Global Satellite Services, said "Through this Agreement, BT and GE Americom can literally plug into each others' networks to optimise our response to customers' needs. Our Agreement facilitates the process so that our teams can leverage each others' resources to meet customers' quality and service expectations more quickly and in more places".
Referring to GE Americom's Quality Satellite Network, Eddy Frankland, GE Americom's Managing Director, Europe, said " We're looking forward to unveiling the goals and structure of the network crafted by and for our partners. It is clear that the quality reputation of BT fits in perfectly with the goals of Americom's QSN; we expect their input on the development of the network to be outstanding."
Tony Rybacki, BT's General Manger of Commercial Services, commented "We look forward to working in conjunction with GE Americom on the expansion of our joint products and services and to being an integral part of the Quality Satellite Network."
About British Telecom
BT, as the UK's leading telecommunications company, has been working in partnership with broadcasters since the beginning of broadcasting in the UK over 60 years ago. BT Broadcast Services is the unit of BT dedicated to providing communication services tailored for broadcasters worldwide and is regarded as a leading supplier of global broadcast solutions. BT Broadcast Services is the largest European user of satellite space with a global presence with a network of its own satellite earth stations around the world including the USA and teleports developed with partners in Asia. These facilities provide end to end satellite transmission services to or from anywhere in the world. BT provides direct to home and inter-studio or broadcaster services using satellite capacity from the major satellite operators.
About GE Americom
With over twenty-five years' experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and a leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. On consummation of the acquisition of Columbia Communications and integration of Columbia's transoceanic satellite capacity into GE Americom's global fleet, GE Americom will be able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. GE Americom currently operates twelve satellites providing services to North America. In addition, GE-1E provides service for European and Middle Eastern markets. With the recent addition of GE-4 to the GE Americom fleet, and through Nahuelsat, an Argentine satellite operator, GE Americom is committed to the delivery of satellite-based communications services throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. And with the operation of GE-1A, scheduled for fourth quarter 2000, GE Americom will be able to deliver services into China, India and the large population centers of Northeast Asia. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, ATC Teleports, British Telecom, Cidera, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Disney, Gannett, Gilat, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting and Viacom.
GE Capital, with assets of more than US$345 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with 28 specialized businesses. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, CT, USA, provides equipment management, mid-market and specialized financing, specialty insurance and a variety of consumer services, such as car leasing, home mortgages and credit cards, to businesses and individuals around the world. GE is a diversified manufacturing, technology and services company with operations worldwide.
Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143
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