High-stakes lottery business shows attributes of satellite communications for maximum reliability, wide area coverage, and security.

Sometimes satellite is an obvious networking choice. If your network requires very high availability, covers diverse locations scattered over a wide area, or needs the security that direct control over the infrastructure gives you, then satellite is the ideal choice. One business that combines all of those requirements is the lottery business. While it is a specialized application, it shows the capabilities of satellite for a variety of networks.

INTRALOT USA is a new subsidiary of Greece-based INTRALOT SA that is bringing the company's worldwide expertise in lottery operations to the United States; the source for half of all global lottery revenue. INTRALOT's first success in the U.S. market was its selection as the on-line lottery gaming system and services contractor for the State of Nebraska. INTRALOT is providing its LOTOS® on-line gaming computer system, software, equipment, and services related to the lottery's on-line gaming activities for a network that is projected to reach 1,500 locations.

The Network is The Critical Lottery Communications Component

INTRALOT has identified the telecommunication network linking the central processing system with the terminals as the critical component of any on-line system. Building that connection with terrestrial lines is very risky and difficult because even a single state typically has dozens of different companies to deal with in piecing together a wired network. That means dozens of possible points of failure and difficulty in tracking down the right contact to fix any problems. The new network for Nebraska is the first 100 percent wireless lottery communications network in the world, using all VSAT connections. Because it is an all-IP network, INTRALOT uses IPSEC and 3DES encryption to secure network transmissions.

In the lottery business literally every second counts. In ticket purchases alone, the network has recently averaged about 8,000 transactions per hour, peaking at a daily total of over 297,000 on one recent day when a large payoff was at stake. Those traffic totals don't include additional traffic in the form of reports and ticket validations. Should communications fail, state-owned lottery operators not only lose thousands in revenue every minute, but enforce stiff penalties on communication contractors as well.

"Satellite is obviously our best choice for networking," said Lee Wilson, communications manager for INTRALOT USA. "Using the LinkStar VSAT for the Nebraska State Lottery, we've met and exceeded our goals for installation, reliability, and speed of the network."

Rapid Installation of 1,000 Sites

With pre-planning help from ViaSat Network Operation Center staff INTRALOT installed 900 terminals in just 40 days, with as many as 35 installations in one day. The network was in operation by July 1, 2004. Additional installations have brought the network total to just over 1,000 sites.

Once the network was on line, the goal was a maximum of four seconds per transaction. Each transaction is now taking less than three seconds, including transmission from the retail location through the LinkStar hub and lottery data center and then back again to the retailer to print a ticket.

Back Up Ready in Less Than 10 Minutes

Obviously a network like this one can't be a single thread. There's always possibilities for a network outage no matter how reliable the system, so a backup plan was also implemented by ViaSat. In its first test of the switchover to the backup hub, it took less than eight minutes until full recovery of the network, including switchover of more than 900 retail sites.

"Intralot is just beginning to capture business in North America and we feel that with ViaSat as our communications technology partner, we have a good team in place to meet our goals for growth and performance," said Wilson.

About INTRALOT

Based on its extensive know how, advanced product development specifications and substantial experience in organizing and operating lottery games, INTRALOT can offer its clients custom-made integrated system, which ensure maximum efficiency and absolute security. INTRALOT is ranked 3rd in revenues and 2nd in profits, based on 2002 financial results, among lottery suppliers worldwide, and maintains a steady course towards the leading position in the global market. Today the company has secured an important position in the European and South American markets while is expanding its presence in S.E. Asia and North America.

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