RealNetworks Inc. and Loral CyberStar this week announced plans for a joint trial of satellite- based audio and video streaming media service to customers of
European Internet providers.
Loral CyberStar will distribute
continuous, high-speed media services directly to ISP customers through its
global multicast satellite network, bypassing Internet congestion and
enabling efficient and instantaneous delivery to the edge of the Internet.
RealNetworks will provide streaming media content through its Real Broadcast
Network using RealSystem G2, the foundation media delivery software
technology to be deployed in each of the ISPs last-mile networks.
“As the market leader of streaming media technology, RealNetworks is always
looking for new technologies and partnerships to enhance and extend delivery
of content to Internet audiences”, said Martin Dunsmuir, Real Networks’ general manager of
broadband systems.
“Multicast satellite networks like
Loral CyberStar’s allow RealNetworks to distribute sports, news, music,
entertainment and a wide variety of other content directly to European ISP
networks via satellite. This will dramatically enhance the Internet
experience for users in Europe.”
“Loral CyberStar and RealNetworks have partnered to give content providers an
extremely efficient platform to distribute their streaming content to a
broader audience than ever before,” said Neil Bauer, president of Loral
CyberStar.
“Streaming media is the Internet’s key broadband application. As
streaming media proliferates across the Internet and consumes ever-increasing
amounts of bandwidth, more efficient, broadband distribution methods will be
needed to bring content closer to Internet users. Loral CyberStar’s global,
digital network uses satellite’s multicasting capabilities and RealSystem G2,
together with fiber, to ensure reliable delivery of content to web viewers
worldwide. We have been talking with our many ISP customers who clearly
recognize the tremendous potential of our relationship with RealNetworks.”
The new streaming service will initially be deployed to ISPs on a trial basis
in the first quarter of 2000. The Real Broadcast Network will provide content
from real.com partners. Loral CyberStar will then distribute content via its
global multicast satellite network to its ISP customers, each of which will
deploy RealSystem G2 RealNetworks streaming media software to stream the
content to customers.
Nedim Celebiler, chief operating officer of SATKO, which is one of the
largest ISPs in Turkey, said that “streaming services will significantly
improve the experience and user levels for our large Internet subscriber base
in Turkey. We are extremely pleased to be among the first to deliver this new
media service from RealNetworks and Loral CyberStar.”
