The Rogers Communications signal monitoring facility
TORONTO—Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company, providing wireless voice and data communications services. We are also a provider of cable television, as well as high-speed Internet access, telephony services and video retailing. In addition, the company is engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment.
Due to the size and scope of the Rogers operations, it's imperative that our programming streams are flawless. In order to insure our signals lead industry standards in availability and reliability, we've deployed the Evertz MVP monitoring platform.
Rogers has been using the MVP at a number of our facilities for approximately five years. We initially deployed the MVP to support the monitoring of our Canadian substitution requirements (as a broadcast distribution company we are required to put Canadian programming ahead of U.S. programming). Therefore, our operators needed to see the "off-air" U.S. signals, as well as the "on-system" U.S. signal and transmission.
SYSTEM CONTINUES TO GROW
We have now expanded the MVP infrastructure to enhance the monitoring of all our signals.
Our monitoring center was updated last year and now features 16 Christie rear projection DLP displays that are driven by the MVP system. We have also enhanced the monitoring platform for our premium sports and top channels. With the growing significance of IP delivery, we turned to Evertz to provide us with a system for monitoring IP sources through our MVP architecture. We're currently transitioning the network from ASI and Sonet delivery to IP delivery; therefore we are deploying Evertz MViP and MVP-DEC32-4-IP to bring in sources that are on our IP network. The MVP-DEC32-4-IP gives us the flexibility to link into the MVP platform, and the MViP provides the capabilities to outlay to a single terminal. The system allows access to all our IP services now.
With the integration of MViP and MVP-DEC32-4-IP hardware, we will have a reliable facility fully capable of monitoring all our signals with multiple windows on a single screen.
IMPROVES RESPONSE TIME
The MVP and MViP platforms have improved our customer experience, as we are able to visually identify any issues immediately. Our monitoring center is staffed 24/7, and the Evertz-driven monitoring system allows our personnel to identify any signal problems and resolve them immediately. The MVP and IP-based monitoring platforms provide a user-friendly, stable, and reliable system.
Mike Gilmore is senior network designer for video for Rogers. He may be contacted at mike.gilmore@rci.rogers.com.
For additional information, contact Evertz at 877-995-3700 or visit www.evertz.com.
