As Official Sponsor and Official Telecom Operator of the Rugby World Cup 2023, Orange is taking on an unprecedented technological challenge to make this Rugby World Cup a global success, both inside and outside the stadiums.
Sharing the power of rugby in stadiums and beyond
Orange teams have been working hard for more than two years and a half to connect the Rugby World Cup 2023 and enable as many fans as possible to experience the excitement of rugby around the world. Orange is connecting television broadcasters to 850 million viewers via a secure, ultra-high-speed Broadcast Contribution Network.
In addition to video transmission, Orange is providing all the connectivity required for the tournament. From the International Broadcast Center (IBC) to the France 2023 Organising Committee headquarters, including all remote sites, a unified and simplified native IP architecture will be deployed for the organizers and all partners. This solution improves the performance and efficiency of the telecommunications solutions. The fixed telephony will also be based on 100% IP solutions.
Orange puts its innovation to work for rugby
Orange has used virtual reality for the French national team with the Touche Augmentée (Augmented Lineouts) system. This innovation was specifically designed to help players improve their lineout technique. Touche Augmentée will be available to try out at the Rugby Villages in Lyon, Nantes, Paris and Toulouse.
The power of Orange's networks in the stadiums and Rugby Villages will also allow fans to enjoy two augmented reality experiences, thanks to highly realistic 3D modeling, for images that look just like the real thing.
A Rugby World Cup 2023 with a low environmental impact
Orange is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of the network infrastructure used for the competition. All the equipment needed to connect this World Cup will be reused for other events or left in place permanently.
France 2023, in partnership with Orange and with the support of the Monnaie de Paris, will present medals made from discarded telephones to the participants of the Rugby World Cup 2023. Precious metals from over 200,000 phones have been recycled to create the 1,491 medals that will be presented to the players.
Caroline Guillaumin, Executive Director of Group Communications said: "Orange is proud to be a partner of this major event, which will involve 700 of our employees. For us, this is both a technical and an environmental challenge. This Rugby World Cup 2023 is an opportunity to innovate, test and reinvent ourselves. We're also working with a number of startups to provide an enhanced digital sports experience for all audiences - athletes, partners and, most importantly, fans."
Between now and the competition, the Orange Rugby Team will be interacting with rugby fans on social media, allowing them to discover exclusive and original content (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
