UK telco Vodafone is expanding its fixed line offering by teaming up with stadium connectivity specialist SIS LIVE to offer live HD TV streaming of sporting events to broadcasters.

SIS already has a fibre network linking a bunch of UK football and rugby stadia to its hubs in Manchester and Milton Keynes, which it has developed in partnership with Vodafone. The operator has also improved the robustness of the pitch-side connection by coupling the fibre with microwave links.

“Vodafone plays an important role in ensuring connectivity for businesses and consumers alike, across both our mobile and fixed networks,” said Dave Langhorn, Head of Large Business for Vodafone UK. Our partnership with SIS LIVE highlights the critical role we play as we help to ensure top flight football matches and rugby games of international importance reach the broadcasters whose coverage is watched by millions of sports fans across the globe.

“We believe that we are the only UK communications provider to have connected all current premiership grounds and 13 rugby venues around the country in this way and our investment in connecting stadia also means the fibre connectivity installed will be available to SIS LIVE beyond this season’s tournaments.”

David Meynell, MD of SIS LIVE said: “Thanks to Vodafone, SIS LIVE’s access to an ever-expanding network of fibre-connected sites combined with our own significant broadcast infrastructure which includes dual 24/7 network operation centres and a large mobile satellite fleet, will enable us to become the number one connectivity partner for critical media content.”