OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2010. COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading provider of integrated telecom services in Russia and the CIS, operates an ISDN line for a sportscaster’s position of Sports channel for live broadcasts during various rounds of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

 Under this project, COMSTAR-UTS provides high-speed digital international ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines for broadcasting of various rounds of Formula 1 from various cities of the world. Thus, e.g. from June 25 Sports channel will broadcast the Grand Prix of Europe from Valencia (Spain). It is planned to broadcast 19 rounds from March to November 2010.

 “Sportscaster’s work is one of the major components of sports programs and competitions. Otherwise spectators won’t be able to grasp what is going on in the screen, and an important emotional component of live broadcasts will be lost. Due to COMSTAR-UTS communication lines Russian residents in all parts of our country will be able to hear the voice of Sports channel sportscaster,” Alexey Goncharuk, Senior Vice President of COMSTAR-UTS, says. “We are committed to improve our long-distance communication network to provide high-quality services.”

At present, COMSTAR-UTS has connection points with about 20 international operators, including TeliaSonera, Telecom Italia Sparkle, Deutsche Telekom, Verizon and Bezeq, at the interworking center of ancotel GmbH in Frankfurt am Main (Germany), at the traffic exchange center of Telehouse North in London and Kiev. COMSTAR-UTS completed construction of the long-distance communication network in February 2008. This network is based on an NGN solution enabling voice services and new multimedia services.

For reference: Formula 1 (officially referred to as FIA Formula One World Championship) is a world touring championship for cars with open wheels. F1 is the most popular, expensive and high-tech auto racing. F1 is held yearly and comprises separate Grand Prix or rounds. The winner is determined at the end of the year. Both individual drivers and teams compete in F1. Drivers compete for the title of the World Champion, and teams for the World Constructors' Championship.

Live broadcasts of Formula 1 in Russia started in 1992. The format of such broadcasts has been changed many times. In 2010 live broadcasts will include not only the race and qualifying sessions, but also practice sessions.