London 2012 officials have unveiled the Canary Wharf technology centre which will house IT systems for the Olympics.
The Technology Operations Centre was officially opened by London 2012’s chief executive, Paul Deighton, however its exact location was not disclosed due to security reasons.
The centre is to be the IT hub for all the 94 competition and non-competition venues during the Games, with a London 2012 technology team at the helm to help ensure swift delivery of results to the global media.
The team will be running the show alongside IT firm Atos as well as Acer and BT, and the centre will be in operation 24/7. Some 450 workers will man 180 workstations at the site.
It has been predicted that it will handle nearly a third more data (30 per cent) than was processed during the Beijing Games in 2008.
Deighton said: “Technology often goes unnoticed and yet is absolutely critical to our success in 2012.
“The Games cannot happen without technology and I am delighted that our London 2012 team together with Atos and the team of technology partners are on track to deliver the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.”
Officials gave the centre a dry run during the test events held earlier this year, and it was officially launched as the archery testing drew to a close.
Meanwhile, figures have shown that some 400 firms have registered for travel updates ahead of the Games from Transport for London (TfL). The companies, employing some 500,000 workers, will use the advice to plan ahead for the Games.
The transport organisation is offering advice on how businesses should plan for the Games on a detailed website. The site will offer companies hotspot maps and postcode information to help them arrange their transport in a way that will be less disruptive to their business operations.
The site also includes case studies taking into account how the Games Lanes will restrict traffic measures on the Olympic Route Network.
Firms can also log on to the London 2012 website for tips on how to plan ahead of the Games.
London Mayor Boris Johnson claimed that the capital’s transport plans were more developed than other host cities in the months approaching the Games. Expansions of the Jubilee and Dockland Light railway lines are among the £6.5bn of transport investment.
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