MUMBAI: Sun Microsystems has announced that US telecom major AT&T will utilise Sun servers and modular arrays to help deliver the Internet Protocol (IP)-based video service, AT&T U-verse TV.
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Building on a long-standing relationship between the two companies, AT&T selected Sun for the performance and overall value of its technologies. Sun Fire X4600 servers will help deliver video to customers of AT&T U-verse TV, the only 100 per cent IP-based television service to be offered by a national provider. AT&T U-verse TV currently offers more than 320 linear channels and more than 26 high-definition (HD) channels. AT&T will also deploy Sun StorageTek storage arrays, which will provide easy and continuous access to the U-verse TV Video-on-Demand library. The servers and arrays will be rolled out in new deployments of IP-video super hub offices and IP-video hub offices in the AT&T U-verse network. |
| AT&T VP, advanced network technologies Ernie Carey says, "AT&T continues to expand the scope of its U-verse TV offerings to include more video and multimedia services to more and more customers. As we expand availability, we are also building out a world-class, IP-based infrastructure that offers strong performance and serviceability for the needs of consumers both today and tomorrow. Sun’s high-capacity servers bring next-generation technology, processing power and storage capacity to the U-verse network."
The complete AT&T solution from Sun will also include Sun Fire X4500 servers, which combine the performance of a four-way Sun x64 server and the highest storage density available, with high-data throughput for about half the cost of traditional solutions. AT&T will also use Sun Support Services and Sun Professional Services to help manage the system. Sun Microsystems executive VP Systems Group John Fowler says, "Sun is helping to radically reset the economics of IPTV. Sun offers an exceptional IPTV infrastructure that scales to support a massive number of consumers. This means we can help AT&T deliver video and other online services to consumers in a cost-effective way which wasn’t possible just a few years ago." AT&T U-verse services are available in parts of 23 markets across eight states. AT&T plans to continue launching new markets throughout this and next year and to expand availability in current markets. |
