Earlier today, NBC and Microsoft announced that Windows Azure Media Services was selected to provide live streaming of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Unlike previous Olympic Games, which utilized limited streaming, the scale of this endeavor is massive. All 98 events – more than 1,000 hours of content – will be available across an array of devices and platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, Windows 8 and Windows RT.

This decision by NBC shows momentum for the Windows Azure Media Services offering that reached general availability about a year ago. It also demonstrates the confidence and trust that customers are placing in Microsoft’s cloud platform. NBC is not just using compute and network, but our higher-level PaaS services that have a growing market demand. For the Olympics, with so many events, locations, and moving parts, the ability to provide a consistent viewing experience is a game changer and we are excited to offer this enhanced experience to consumers.

To learn more about what Microsoft is providing to NBC, check out the Official Microsoft Blog. To watch the Sochi Olympic Games live or on-demand, visit NBCOlympics.com.