Avaya has been selected as the provider of a unified communications solution for NBC Universal (News - Alert) to support the network’s coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The announcement was made today by Bob Kiraly, director, Broadcast and Telecommunications Operations, NBC Olympics.

NBC Olympics is operating under a unique set of IT circumstances. For one, the organization needs a complete, business communications network set up in a new location every two years. Second, this network would be in use for little more than a month.

The organization weighs the demands for high-availability, resiliency and cutting-edge technology against cost as once the Games are completed, the equipment goes into storage until it is time to bring it out for Games two years later.

"Working with Avaya (News - Alert), we have our communications requirements and implementation down to a science," said Kiraly, in a Tuesday statement. "We don't have time for complicated installations and we have zero tolerance for risk.”

“What we do need are powerful, reliable communications that help manage costs and enable the NBC Olympics team to do their jobs most efficiently. Avaya understands that completely," Kiraly added.

NBC Olympics moved toward IP Telephone with Avaya Communication Manager running on a server. This provided the gateway architecture between the International Broadcast Center and NBC’s Field Shop for the 2004 Olympic Games.

As a result of this step, NBC Olympics realized immediate results, including better, more consistent features for everyone on the network and an easier, faster implementation.

In addition, running its own communications network locally and using IP Trunking between Athens and its U.S. headquarters help to reduce operating costs. The ability to integrate existing analog and digital phones allowed NBC Olympics control over the pace and price of implementing new technology.  

For the games this year, Avaya Gigabit Ethernet phones landed on more than 500 desks accompanies by another 200 value sets elsewhere in the network. With the power over Ethernet phones, NBC Olympics can enjoy the highest quality audio and the lowest power consumption of any similar business class telephones on the market.

With Avaya Communications Manager, NBC Olympics is able to move forward with unified communications applications. The company is enabling greater mobility by allowing calls made to an employee’s extension to also ring on their cell phone. Changing locations and remaining mobile is now possible and easier to ensure streamlined flexibility.

NBC Olympics is a unique situation as it has many of the same demands as any other company trying to community internally and with corporate headquarters. The challenge for this company is that the location always changes and the duration is extremely short.

Such demands create obstacles, but also create opportunities. For Avaya, the company has been instrumental in a wide variety of communication implementations, providing an extensive record of experience.

The company was able to offer to NBC Olympics flexible options that provided the connectivity they needed, while still recognizing the unusual requirements and proving a solution that worked within its parameters.