The first step outside of the bubble

Proof of concept for any new idea is always the first step outside of the bubble. Taking the plunge and aiming to achieve something that has never been successful before is a risk, but without these leaps of faith, nothing can advance and ultimately improve.

It’s not just founders of startups in Silicon Valley and Tech City that are entering a brave new world with new technology and technology-driven services. Large companies need to invest in innovation, rather than resting on their laurels and assuming that their bread and butter will remain state-of-the-art, to ensure they are not overtaken by smaller, more agile companies.

At Tata Communications, we challenge all of our employees to have an entrepreneurial mentality, looking for new opportunities in the market to ensure that we stay ahead of the curve by delivering cutting-edge products and services to our customers.

When it comes to Formula 1®, one of the most exciting milestones in our relationship to date came late last year at a practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix, which was attended by 80,000 people, with millions of fans tuning in from the comfort of their own homes.

At the session, Tata Communications delivered 4K-quality footage from the track all the way to the Formula One Management Technical HQ in Biggin Hill – a whopping 10,000km and multiple time zones away.

Although this 4K feed was not broadcast to viewers at home, it was the moment that we stepped outside of the Formula 1® bubble and tried something new. Our success was in the proof of concept, which showcases the not-too-distant future of sport broadcasting.

Tata Communications is just entering the next milestone in our relationship with Formula 1®, as we announce our new role as the official supplier of broadcast feeds for GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup. We will be providing fibre and satellite solutions to broadcasters from across the globe at the 12 race locations in 2015. This new partnership is testament to the diversity and versatility of our services, and through this, we will be able to deliver more high quality feeds to fans all over the world.

The future of sport broadcasting really is upon us. Last year, I wrote on the future of 4K, stating that it was necessary for televisions to catch up with broadcasting capabilities in order to make this a reality. As a result of customer demand for high quality, live content, Sky and BT are now to launch their very own internet-connected set-top 4K boxes this spring, both aimed at improving the viewer experience in sport broadcasting.

For sports fans keen to enjoy ground-breaking definition in real time, with no loss of content, 4K broadcasting is an exciting solution. At Tata Communications, we are keen to take on this challenge, helping Formula 1® to move away from a linear broadcasting experience of edited footage towards live 4K video feeds shared on the fly with fans.

Follow Mehul on Twitter: @mehulkapadia

Watch how we delivered the first ever live 4K feed of a Formula 1® event over fibre in the video below

Tata Communications was the Official Connectivity Provider of Formula 1® between 2012 and 2019. Tata Communications was also the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, and Official Digital Transformation Partner to ROKiT Williams Racing until the end of the 2019 season.