Atos Origin Launches London 2012 Testing; Comcast, NBC Inks Deal

Atos Origin Begins Testing of London Tech

Testing of the technology behind London 2012 is underway.

Atos Origin announced Wednesday its 22,000 square feet Technology Lab is up and running, as tests begin on the 500,000 lines of code needed to run an initial batch of seven sports, including athletics, tennis, basketball, volleyball and triathlon.

"We are now drawing on our extensive experience of delivering the technology infrastructure and systems for previous Games," the I.T. company’s Olympic chief Patrick Adiba said in a statement.

"The start of today’s tests marks the successful delivery of a major milestone for Atos Origin in our preparations for the Games."

The French consulting company is a TOP Sponsor of the IOC serving as I.T. partner since the Salt Lake Olympics.

Atos Origin will put 900 servers and 9,500 computers to work during the 2012 Games.

In the meantime, its systems will undergo 200,000 hours of testing to ensure a hiccup-free showing on sport’s biggest stage.

"The technology for London 2012 - like the athletes - is in full training for the Games," LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe said in Wednesday’s statement, "and there are no second chances."

Comcast, NBC Deal Wins Approval

The merger of NBC Universal with Comcast is approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Justice Department.

The approvals were needed for the deal to be finalized. The $30 billion merger was announced in 2009.

The government agencies imposed some conditions on the merger that are supposed to prevent the new company from stifling competition in the broadband marketplace. Together, NBC and Comcast reach nearly 40 million customers by cable or broadband connection.

NBC is the rights holder for the U.S. TV rights to the Olympics through 2012. Government approval of the merger with Comcast, the final steps needed for the deal to close, will help set the stage for NBC to enter the bidding forthe 2014/2016 Olympics, supposed to open later this year.

NBC Universal Sports chairman Dick Ebersol will remain with the new company to lead the bid for the next U.S. rights package.

Munich Bags Railway Partner

Germany’s national railway is backing Bavaria’s bid to host the 2018 Olympics.

Munich 2018 announced Wednesday the sponsorship deal with Deutsche Bahn.

"To win the full backing of the national railway company is a great signal to the Olympic family that Munich and Bavaria have much of the operational capacity in place to host the Games today," bid chair Katarina Witt said in a statement.

"Should we be chosen to host the WinterGames, Munich aims to shift transport from streets to rails and pioneer new environmentally friendly standards for the Games."

The arrangement calls for Deutsche Bahn to offer discounts to spectators who purchase rail passes alongside their Games tickets.

The Berlin-based transport company advised bid leadership during the initial feasibility study for the Games and would improve the railway connecting Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the run-up to a Bavarian Winter Olympics.

Briefs …

… British Fencing received a nearly $1.6 million boost ahead of London 2012 as it signed a five-year partnership with insurance company Beazley. The funding is a 32 percent to the sport, which lost money when the government cut funding in 2009.

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With reporting from Isia Reaves Wilcox, Ed Hula III and Matthew Grayson

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