CBS, BT sat pact

CBS has signed a seven-year agreement worth more than $10 million with BT Broadcast Services for a combination of cross-Atlantic satellite and fiber services that will make it easier for the network's news department and for the network in general to get content into and out of Europe.

John Romm, BT head of commercial broadcast and satellite, says the connection between London and New York is 155 Mb/s SCM1. In CBS's case, the fiber allows the network news bureau in London to be tied to New York.

"We thought using satellite capacity," says Romm, "along with our fiber network, in combination with 44 transportable earth stations in Europe and six fly-aways, could offer a good deal for CBS."