Liberty Global to live-stream solar eclipse across the globe in 360°

London, United Kingdom – February 24, 2017:

This Sunday, February 26, Liberty Global will live-stream a rare type of solar eclipse to people around the world via its Facebook page and YouTube channel. The Southern Ring of Fire solar eclipse will be streamed directly from the remote town of Coyhaique, in southern Chile – one of the best places in the world to view the phenomenon – thanks to a specially-installed fibre connection.

The live stream will start at 9.30am Chile Summer Time/12.30pm GMT and build up to the full eclipse just over an hour later, when the moon will cover the sun’s disk and form a glowing “ring of fire” in the sky.

The feed will be available in 360° on Liberty Global’s YouTube channel - the first time such an eclipse has been shown in this format. Viewers wearing a virtual reality headset such as a Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear, or Oculus Rift will actually feel as if they are there in the square and will be able to fully immerse themselves in the excitement as people gather to watch, as well as being able to see the eclipse itself.

Viewers without headsets will be able to enjoy the 360° experience on their smartphones or tablets by moving the device around as they are watching, while Liberty Global’s Facebook page will also feature a 2D stream directly from a telescope installed in the square.

Manuel Kohnstamm, Liberty Global’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said, “This event demonstrates how high-speed, stable broadband networks are bringing the wonders of the world to an ever-greater audience. I can’t think of a more stunning setting from which to showcase such an amazing event – which will be able to seen in 360-degrees for the first time by people all over the world.”

The project is in partnership with Liberty Global’s Chilean brand VTR – the largest broadband and cable TV provider in the country – and highlights how the company’s investment in broadband infrastructure makes extraordinary content easily accessible across the globe.

The special event follows on from the November launch of Liberty Global’s GIGAWorld initiative, which outlines Liberty Global’s plans to bring gigabit internet speeds to the 11 European countries in which it operates. Around 44 million homes in Europe have access to Liberty Global’s fibre-based “GIGAReady” networks. Liberty Global expects that millions more homes will be connected over the coming years.