AT&T on the ball with rugby comms centre

Peter Dinham
Monday, 12 October 2009 12:04

IT Industry - Market

AT&T is providing data communications services for a state-of-the art communications centre built in the shape of a giant rugby ball next to a Tokyo stadium which will stage a rugby match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Australia at the end of October.

The pre-fabricated communications centre, built by Tourism New Zealand, has been packed up and taken on a tour of major tourism markets before being erected near the Tokyo stadium. It will again be taken around several countries in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.

As well as being open to the public, the spectacular venue will be used by Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host international media and trade partners in order to promote tourism and trade opportunities.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive, George Hickton, said connectivity with the world’s media was important to the ongoing success of the giant rugby ball programme.

“To achieve the impact we need, it’s vital that pictures, videos and other material can be instantly distributed to local and international media from wherever the ball happens to be. AT&T has been our global networking partner for a number of years, and we’re delighted that they’re helping us out with this campaign.”

AT&T New Zealand general manager, Roger Payne, said today the high profile campaign is “strategically important to New Zealand,” and that “this service is yet another example of how AT&T can help New Zealand organisations with global requirements communicate more effectively, with greater reliability and more efficiency.”