BT plays best hand at IBC 2001 In Amsterdam September 8-12th -Hall 1, Stand 1.140 IBC 2001-.

Business Editors

WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 10, 2001

BT Broadcast Services is demonstrating its leadership position in the international broadcast market when it unveils new fiber services, an extended digital OU network, and multiplex services at IBC 2001:

i-View Fiber Network

Broadcast Services now owns and operates an innovative fiber-based network called i-View, which will change the prospects for broadcasters to deliver international television services globally. The new transatlantic fiber optic highway links BT's major media centers in Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles and will be unveiled at this years show. This portion of the i-View fiber network complements the existing fiber network that extends across the Atlantic connecting New York with London, Los Angeles with Paris, and London with Paris.

Malcolm Campbell, head of global commercial and sales, BT Broadcast Services, explains: "No new studios or playout investments are needed by customers to realize the benefits of the fiber connectivity, which shrinks the world and saves time and money for content providers and broadcasters. Allied with Broadcast Services' plans to launch content management services from key regional media centers, the global fiber network will help create exciting new revenue streams for broadcasters from new geographic markets and new applications."

Eurobird mux services

Having captured the lion's share of transponder capacity sold on Eutelsat's Eurobird satellite, Broadcast Services is offering a multiplex service for broadcasters wishing to target the UK DTH audience, currently five million and increasing. BT's Eurobird mux service includes full adaptation and offers the ability to have channels included with Sky's EPG for the UK's direct-to-home (DTH) platform.

"Our first mux service attracted strong interest from broadcasters and we are about to launch the second," says Campbell. "Customers have the freedom to select their own bit rate on the mux service and, depending on their requirements, Broadcast Services estimates that 10 channels will be available. For an end-to-end solution we can also provide customer management services including call center operations, a secure subscriber management system, billing and fulfillment, and conditional access."

Additional highlights for this year's show:

-- Broadcast Services' will be showcasing its newly expanded digital OU network
to include additional European capacity, including more dedicated Eutelsat
space.

-- The newly opened Los Angeles Media Center complements Broadcast Services'
existing East Coast facilities.

-- 24-hour satellite newsgathering service - an end-to-end digital or analog
SNG transmission service from news source to studio location anywhere in the
world. The comprehensive service package includes a pan-European fleet of 44
mobile satellite trucks incorporating on board production facilities, studio
talkback, tape playout and associated satellite capacity.

-- Digital Content Management Services - designed to enable media owners to
exploit valuable video assets by making them available to users worldwide.

Malcolm Campbell concludes: "We offer unrivalled choice, quality, reach and flexibility when it comes to the broadcast market and that's why our customers come back to us time and time again. We continually invest in our facilities, our people and the innovative services we offer. IBC is our European showcase and we are looking forward to the best show ever."

About BT Broadcast Services (www.broadcast.bt.com)

BT Broadcast Services is one of the world's leading suppliers of global broadcast solutions, providing a comprehensive range of terrestrial and satellite based multimedia transmission solutions as well as content and customer management services. The group offers flexible, cost-effective tailor-made services to an international client base including broadcasters, news agencies, production companies, special event organizers, and large corporations around the world. Broadcast Services delivers technically advanced services based on the latest video and internet technologies, including video streaming, digital terrestrial television, high speed internet access via satellite and digital business TV.

The group is a division of BT Ignite, BT's international broadband and solutions business, focused on business and wholesale customers. With the largest broadband network coverage in Europe, the group is focused on the explosive growth in data transport and value added services.

About BT Ignite (www.ignite.com)

BT Ignite - BT's international broadband and solutions business - provides a complete communications portfolio to business and wholesale customers in all major cities throughout the world.(a)

BT Ignite delivers the entire IP value chain - from e-commerce consultancy and solutions, through to core networks and Internet connectivity with a unique blend of content hosting, application service provision, systems integration and outsourcing capabilities.

BT Ignite has already established a leadership position in terms of traditional measures of route kilometers, number of hosting centers, local sales and service support teams and depth of country coverage. In Europe, BT Ignite now has significantly more reach than the nearest competitor and delivers its portfolio in over 250 towns and cities across Europe, and to all the world's commercial centers through BT's partners, alliance members and subsidiaries.

(a) In conjunction with Concert and other partners where required.