Tata Communications Becomes Official F1 Connectivity Provider

Indian telecommunications company Tata Communications has agreed a multi-year technology service and marketing agreement with Formula One management.

Tata will become an official connectivity partner of Formula One and will host much of its key infrastructure via the Tata Global Network in two data centres in the UK.

Pole Position

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that the time had come for Formula One to “wake up” to this kind of technology, adding that it was more than a sponsorship deal as Tata was providing a service that it needed.

Tata will use its network of data centres and network of undersea cables, the largest in the world, to provide ten times more connectivity than F1 has ever had before. It will also deal with the hosting of F1.com, to provide users with what it says will be a better experience.

“Formula One requires fast and secure connectivity, because even a split second of downtime can have huge repercussions for its business, brand and reputation,” said Vinod Kumar, managing director and CEO of Tata Communications. “This delivery is at the heart of our organisation and working with one of the world’s most highly technical and innovative organisations is an exciting opportunity for Tata Communications.”

As important as satellite

Formula One’s Eddie Baker said that the deal was as “important a step forward technologically as satellite was for television” and that the sport had been looking for a deal like this since the mid-1990s.

He said that there was a “phenomenal amount of data” associated with Formula One, including positioning, times and weather and that the services Tata will provide will allow them to handle this information remotely, rather than on site. He added that the main challenge associated with F1 is that each season takes place in 20 different countries and that its nomadic existence has made it difficult to find a provider that can provide a high level of service in each location for just two weeks a year.

The new solutions will be a significant upgrade from satellite technology which is good for broadcasting, but not “interactive” enough for Formula One., said Baker. When asked if the new partners were not being ambitious enough, he said “we are already pushing the boundaries by just being there. Do not underestimate the challenge of being at all those locations.”

The length and financial details of the deal were not disclosed with Ecclestone remarking coyly, “a gentleman never speaks of last night or of money,” but assured the audience that it was for a “lot of money” and that he hoped the partnership would last for a long time.

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