Since 1989 VSC Design Ltd, has been planning, designing, installing and servicing the requirements of a rapidly changing broadcasting and media industry, delivering the highest standard of engineering BT excellence and International Media Centre customer service across a variety of technology platforms. The iconic concrete and glass circular BT Tower might be considered a piece of vintage architecture on the outside, but on the inside it plays host to a state of the 2007, VSC project managed and installed the art television facility. production and broadcast facility, a project that took four months and included bespoke The BT Tower Facilities suites designed by VSC. Originally set up as the centre point of the More recently VSC provided systems British Telecom microwave network, the 191 integration, project management and foot tower now relies on its subterranean fi bre installation for BT Media’s upgrade to a Snell optics links. With BT TV and the launch last Sirius 830 routing system and three MV-Series year of BT Sport, based at the International multi-viewers to support television outside Broadcast Centre in Stratford, the need for broadcasting (TVOB) operations for the BT an effi cient, modern facility has increased Tower facility. After the SMC, the IMC was the sharply. next step for the tower facility: a high profi le Its central London production and post- and critical business project to modernise and production hub also works with outside upgrade the outmoded centre was devised by clients, so upgrading the facilities has been VSC who successfully secured the tender. an advantage for external, as well as in-house The Brief users. Recently, BT upgraded the Tower’s BT’s brief was to transform the IMC into a state International Monitoring Centre in time for of the art facility capable of functioning 24/7, this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. monitoring and responding across numerous The rebuild was the work of VSC Design. platforms. VSC & BT The original room had been equipped when BT has worked with VSC since the Tower analogue was still a dominant technology. It decided to bring its facilities bang up to date. was never designed to monitor a cable head July 2013 saw the completion of BT’s Sports end carrying 140 channels of video, or an Monitoring Centre (SMC) and before that in expanding and complex IP network capable of delivering across broadband. The new, second capable of providing a level of service, albeit generation IMC had to be constructed with an reduced. During the build phase, VSC worked eye to the future and built to last. The IMC had closely with BT and BT’s civil contractors to to encompass the digital TV systems currently design a migration method so that the new in use. Working with VSC, BT successfully layout and development of equipment could progressed take place in phases, through digital SDI, “VSC have been engaged by BT Media * Broadcast without business High Defi nition, for numerous broadcast projects. This included disruption. There 3D and can now being responsible for delivering the broadcast were three distinct embrace Ultra facilities for the launch of the prestigious BT phases: the re-build; High Defi nition. Vision service in 2007. The services provided the furniture and The new have included the design, supply, installation systems integration; Intermantional and commissioning of broadcast basis with and fi nally, the design Media Centre is BT’s technical team to produce the initial and installation designed to have specifi cation and scope of works for several of the standalone 39 operational projects. The work has always been of a high equipment. VSC’s West VSC Design Limited monitoring standard and delivered on time. I would highly London facilities were Unit 1A St. Marks Road positions, each recommend their services”. utilised to assemble, Teddington Middlesex with multiple Nick Jordan, BT Project Manager test and commission TW11 9DE screens, tablets the equipment United Kingdom and traditional prior to install. T: +44 20 8614 4710 rack mount panels close by. A comprehensive monitor wall displaying both mix of baseband F: +44 20 8977 6931 VSC’s involvement with BT and the Centre is and PC originated signals is situated close by. E: [email protected] ongoing. Following the completion of the IMC, W: www.vscdesign.com A Smooth Transition it has been contracted to provide on-going Operations were to be kept fl owing smoothly technical support for BT for the IMC and SMC areas. throughout the upgrade, with the room still .