China Netcom has developed eight innovations in digital communications used for the first time at the "hi-tech Olympics."

An ASON-based intelligent optical transmission network is in use for the first time to improve the quality and security of the video transmission and special services for the Games.

 It is also the first time light-compression high-definition (HD) video transmission technology has been used. Netcom is employing long-distance non-compressed methods to deliver original HD TV signal without any loss globally. The result is TV viewers can watch events almost as instantaneously as visitors on the spot, solving the problem of delay in TV transmission.

As well, IPv6-based video monitoring will be used for the first time to offer real-time viewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week end-to-end at Olympic venues and the Olympic Command Center. The technology was awarded first prize in 2007 for Chinese communications science and technology.

As well, the media at Olympics venues will for the first time be offered broadband access and high-speed Internet services using an IC card with no limit on flow.

It is also first time VLAN-based multimedia real-time transmission services will be used. Netcom has established a network connecting each Olympic venue and the press center for use by the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Xinhua News Agency and Getty Images. It isolates the data of different news agencies by means of a VLAN to build virtual private networks for different users.

For the first time overall communication services in host cities will offer comprehensive information services and assistance systems, a Netcom Olympic project sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Its goal is to deliver a call system, GPS services and information services for Olympic families, citizens and visitors over China Netcom's wireless network and call system.

It is the first time a multi-language call center will be offered in which the user can dial the call center to get emergency assistance and be automatically identified by ID, language and location. Users can receive support in their native language or English on first contact.

The first technical code for Olympics communication security services has also been developed by Netcom. To meet Olympic and global requirements, the telecom developed the first technical code safeguarding communication services in the history of the Games. The approach received an award as "excellent scientific and technological result" in the Beijing Innovation Project for Economy and Technology.

Netcom also developed the first Olympic symbol review system and communication command information system for the Games.

Source: China Daily