IBC 2018 Reflections: SIS LIVE’s Phil Govan on the continued expansion of the Anylive fibre network

Now encompassing around 150 venues, including sports stadia and entertainment venues, the Anylive fibre network has proven to be a significant success for SIS LIVE. At IBC 2018 commercial director Phil Govan took time out to reflect on the network’s growth, as well as some other current projects for SIS LIVE.

The mission statement for Anylive is direct and reassuring – namely, to provide a resilient fibre network between the UK’s largest venues, sporting stadiums and entertainment venues, broadcasters, network operators, channel aggregators and major switching centres. Established in 2010, the network is supported by two dedicated NOCs, furnishing a direct link to national and international audiences. The NOCs provide full network support as well as round-the-clock service monitoring and management.

“Anylive has been a great success for us, and in fact we have added a further 20 venues since this time last year,” says Govan. He anticipates further steady growth for the network, and not only in sports and entertainment, with the conference market earmarked as a possible source of future expansion. 

SIS LIVE will also be in a good position to benefit from the move towards greater deregulation of the fibre network market announced by UK communications regular Ofcom in late July. Intended to speed the roll-out of full-fibre broadband, the changes include a more flexible approach to regulation – “reflecting how many different competing fibre companies are present in a particular geographic region” – and an extension of the telecoms review period from 3 to 5 years, in order to offer “more longer-term certainty” to investors.

“The move towards deregulation should certainly open up some new opportunities in terms of offering managed services,” says Govan.

Meanwhile, the company continues to make the most of the dynamic Middle Eastern market for satellite services, and is also drawing attention to its recently-formulated SIS LIVE Gateway Service. In conjunction with ABS technical and operation staff, Gateway has been devised to offer broadcasters and service providers a managed, flexible and cost-efficient Occasional Use platform.

“2018 has been a really strong year for us, and we look forward to seeing what 2019 will bring for Anylive and Gateway Service,” says Govan.