BONN, June 7, 2010 - Deutsche Telekom, Cisco and the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB - German Football Federation) are further expanding their partnership related to the Deutschland TelePresence live video collaboration service, which was initiated at CeBIT 2010. The two technology enterprises are providing the headquarters of the German national soccer team in South Africa with a Cisco TelePresence system, helping ensure a reliable and powerful link to the TelePresence platform in Germany. The Cisco TelePresence suite in the South Africa conference center is located right next to the German team camp at the Velmore Grand Hotel near Pretoria. In Germany, TelePresence systems are available in locations such as the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt/ Main, as well as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf and Bonn.
Deutschland TelePresence allows the DFB management in South Africa and Germany to communicate with each other with the highest video and audio quality.
The video collaboration service between South Africa and Germany is the first application of its kind for Deutsche Telekom and Cisco, and an important step in the right direction. It is the first international application of Deutschland TelePresence – utilising offshore fiber optic cables and covering an as-the-crow-flies distance of 8,000 kilometers.
Deutsche Telekom and Cisco are providing the DFB with the TelePresence service and TelePresence systems for a planned duration of three years. In addition to internal communication within the federation, the DFB uses the live virtual meeting system for direct communications with collaboration partners. Deutschland TelePresence is available in various versions. Each complete package includes the entire range of services from planning, via system set up, up to its operation. Specifically, the individual components include broadband network connections to the Internet, Cisco TelePresence system, a switching service, booking systems, a powerful security package, as well as installation, operation, and maintenance. All components are optimally synchronized, providing customers with simple and problem-free operation at the push of a button.
Deutsche Telekom has been a partner of the DFB and a "Premium Partner" of the national men's, women's and youth teams since 2005. The Group is also a national sponsor of the 2011 Women's World Cup in Germany. Alongside these sports commitments, Deutsche Telekom also uses football as a platform for promising business models. The partnership opens up a string of opportunities for demonstrating the full innovative strength of Europe's leading telecommunications provider with new products and services.
About Deutsche Telekom AG
Deutsche Telekom is one of the leading integrated telecommunications companies worldwide with more than 150 million mobile customers, approximately 38 million fixed-network lines, and more than 15 million broadband lines (as at: March 31, 2010). The Group offers products and services in the areas of fixed-network telephony, mobile communications, Internet and IPTV for private customers, as well as ICT solutions for large and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is active in around 50 countries with more than 258,000 employees worldwide. In the fiscal year 2009, Deutsche Telekom generated revenues of EUR 64.6 billion, more than half of which was earned outside Germany (as of: December 31, 2009).
