a Interference Source
Locator Working Group Provides First Global, Live Demonstration of
Rapid Source Identification
The Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG), through
its Interference Source Locator Working Group, recently completed
the first successful global test of embedding and decoding contact-
and location-specification information via the Global Positioning
System from an operational Satellite News
Gathering (SNG) truck.
The live test was conducted during the World Broadcasting Unions
International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) fall meeting
held at Intelsat headquarters in
Washington, D.C. earlier this month.
"Interference originates from several sources - anything from human
error to deliberate interference to equipment malfunction. Ad hoc
uplinkers, such as Satellite
Newsgathering (SNG) services are one of those sources," explained
Robert W. Ames, Jr., SUIRG President. SUIRG, a non-profit member
association comprised of
both private and public sector satellite companies as well as other
participants and businesses in the satellite industry, is dedicated
to combating the increasing and
costly problem of satellite radio frequency interference (RFI).
"When a mobile satellite truck arrives for a one-off event, or an
SNG truck gets to a breaking news story, the operator generally has
limited time to co-ordinate the
uplink," continued Ames. "Occasionally this can result in uplinking
to the wrong satellite, or use of an incorrect frequency or
polarisation. When incidents like this
occur, rapid identification of the interference source would
minimise the disruption of service to other users. For this reason,
SNG truck operators such as SISLink, one
of the sponsors of the recent live demonstration, are behind this
new technology 100 percent."
As part of its effort to combat RFI, SUIRG and its members are
working on developing specifications for Carrier Identification
Descriptors. The rapid source identification
test performed on December 7 was the first in a series of trials
that will result in firmware uploads that will become the new
industry standard specification. Once
certified, this new specification will be applied to all Satellite
News Gathering vehicles.
"This demonstration would not have been possible without the
tremendous effort on the part of all the organisations involved,"
added Ames. "Link Research created the
firmware that allows the client ID, contact number and geographical
co-ordinates to be added to the Network Information Table (NIT).
COLEM Communication's
Monitoring and Control System has successfully proven that this
information can be automatically added to the NIT before
transmission to the satellite. And SAT
Corporation demonstrated that it is possible to use a modern CSM
system based on digital technology to extract information from the
NIT."
"All interference is devastating to broadcasters, particularly when
it involves TV production and program distribution. It causes untold
problems, expense, and loss of
revenue," said Dick Tauber, Chair of WBU-ISOG and Vice President,
Transmission Systems and New Technologies, CNN. "This long awaited
solution to identifying the
location of an uplink facility can only be considered beneficial in
the fight against satellite Interference."
About SUIRG:
SUIRG is an international assembly of parties with representation
from both the private and public sector organised to combat the
increasing and costly problem of
satellite RF interference. The Group's membership is comprised of
satellite operators, users, uplinkers, service providers, equipment
vendors and other organizations
with a stake in combating radio frequency interference. SUIRG also
collects interference incident data from satellite operators on its
web site to clearly define the
specific areas that need focus to reduce the number of incidents.
About Colem Communications:
Formed in 1997, Colem Communications (CCL) (www.colem.co.uk) places
a strong emphasis on its skills in system design and operation.
COLEM features cost-
effective and specialized "one-off" monitor and control products
with good ergonomic design using high quality Graphical User
Interfaces. Key to Colem's success is the
use of a proven, internationally recognized standard platform as the
base for its new X-Com product range.
About Link Research:
Link Research Limited was founded in September 1992. In 2001, Link
started a major initiative to develop professional leading-edge DVB/MPEG
encoders and
associated products. Link`s Encoder/Modulators and Wireless Camera
Systems have since become market leading products.
Link Research looked to Advent Communications Limited, the satellite
communications company for Vislink PLC, to supply its Satellite and
Encoding Equipment. The
initial tests were done using the Advent L1109 L-Band Encoder
Modulator which has the software enabled to provide the Carrier ID,
now (Dec2006). All future released
products, including the new DVE5000 series encoders, will also
contain this option.
About SAT Corporation:
SAT Corporation is a world-wide supplier of automated RF signal
monitoring systems for satellite and terrestrial spectrum management
applications. These systems
are communication management tools for commercial network
owner/operators and telecommunications service providers to
guarantee and maintain the quality of
service they provide to their customers.
About SISLink:
SISLink is Europe's largest provider of satellite uplinks. SISLink
has used Link Research coders for the uPod product with well over 50
systems produced and delivered
to customers. The new L1109 L-Band encoder is currently the
preferred unit for future uPods and the embedding and decoding of
contact and location details within the
coder is a welcome function. With its global fleet of uplink
vehicles, SISLink is ideally placed to identify and utilize new
methods of maintaining high standards within
the industry.
About WBU-ISOG:
The World Broadcasting Unions International Satellite Operations
Group has provided a forum since 1985 for members of the WBU,
satellite operators and equipment
manufacturers and service providers in the industry to exchange
information, outline requirements and resolve common operational
problems related to international
content acquisition and distribution for scheduled and unplanned
events. In the mid-90s, recognizing the problems caused by
interference, WBU-ISOG established the
RCWG (Rogue Carries Working Group) to focus specifically on
satellite interference. The December 7 live rapid source
identification demonstration is an outgrowth of
those efforts.
(source: Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group)
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1 Eutelsat
Selects Alcatel Alenia Space for W7 Satellite to Boost 36 Degrees
East Neighborhood
Eutelsat Communications and Alcatel Alenia Space announced that the
two companies have signed a contract under which Alcatel Alenia
Space
will manufacture and deliver Eutelsat's W7 communications satellite.
To be launched in second quarter 2009 to Eutelsat's 36 degrees East
location, W7 will double the capacity currently available at a key
neighborhood in the Group's
fleet of geostationary satellites. Through a configuration of
high-performance fixed and steerable beams, W7 will also boost
coverage and flexibility for addressing
growing markets, notably in central Asia and Africa.
W7's mission comprises up to 70 Ku-band transponders that can be
connected to six beams serving Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle
East and central Asia. To be
co-positioned with Eutelsat's W4 satellite, which already serves
anchor pay-TV operators in Russia, the Ukraine and sub-Saharan
Africa, W7 will enable Eutelsat to
almost double bandwidth for digital video services in these regions.
It will also replace all capacity on Eutelsat's SESAT 1 satellite
which serves Europe, North Africa,
the Middle East and central Asia, and bring fresh capacity to South
Africa through a high-power fixed beam, and also to central Asia
through a spotbeam which can be
oriented in orbit. Following W7's deployment at 36 degrees East,
SESAT 1 will continue in commercial service at an alternative
location.
Weighing in at 5.6 tonnes and with 12 kW of payload power, W7 is
based on the Alcatel Alenia Space Spacebus 4000 platform and will be
boosted into orbit by Sea
Launch.
Commenting on the satellite's procurement, Eutelsat CEO Giuliano
Berretta said: "Since 2000, we have proactively built our video
neighborhood at 36 degrees East
into a prime location for digital markets in eastern Europe and
Africa. This commitment has won the confidence of pay-TV operators
who are pioneers in their markets,
notably NTV Plus from Russia, Poverkhnost from the Ukraine and
MultiChoice Africa which reaches large parts of sub-Saharan Africa
through this neighborhood. In
order to support growth for broadcast and telecommunications
services in these regions and to boost capacity for other markets,
we looked closely at how we could
even more efficiently exploit the resource at 36 degrees East. With
W7, this key position in our fleet will benefit from capacity
enabling us to use the full spectrum of
Ku-band frequencies, and to respond to market demands in multiple
regions through a high degree of operational flexibility."
"We are very pleased and fully committed to supporting Eutelsat's
sustainable growth." said Pascale Sourisse, CEO of Alcatel Alenia
Space. "We are also very proud
of working alongside Eutelsat to meet the increasing market demand
and emerging new applications by delivering technologies with
outstanding performance. W7 is the
second satellite after W2A to be awarded by Eutelsat to our company
in 2006. This contract further consolidates an historical year for
our company: we have been
chosen by a large number of operators, making us the world leader in
the communications satellite market."
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A..
With capacity commercialized on 23 satellites that provide coverage
over the entire European
continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant
parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three
leading satellite operators in
terms of revenues. At 30 June 2006 Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting over 2,100 television channels and 970 radio stations,
of which over 900 channels were
broadcasting via its Hot Bird video neighborhood which serves more
than 110 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle
East and North Africa. The
Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile
telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate
networks, and broadband markets for
Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight
markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and
operates services through teleports
in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities,
government agencies and aid organizations in Europe, Africa, Asia
and the Americas. Headquartered in
Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 490 commercial,
technical and operational experts from 27 countries.
About Alcatel Alenia Space
Alcatel Alenia Space is the European leader in satellite systems, at
the forefront of orbit infrastructures. Created in July 2005, the
company brings together the vast
experience and know-how of Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio to form a
new leading force in European space technology. Alcatel Alenia Space
represents a world-wide
standard for space development that impacts everybody's future: from
navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental
monitoring, from defense to
science and observation.
(source: Eutelsat Communications)
top
2
Globecomm Systems Awarded Five Year Contract in Support of
Federal Aviation Administration FTI-SAT Program
Globecomm Systems Inc., a global provider of end-to-end value-added
satellite-based communications solutions, today announced that the
company has been awarded a five-year Life Cycle Support services
contract from Harris Corporation valued at US$ 5.5 million, subject
to annual funding, to sustain the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FTI-SAT program.
The contract includes six one-year options following the five-year
initial term, valued at US$ 7.2 million, if fully exercised, which
would bring the total contract value to
US$ 12.7 million.
The Life Cycle Support contract sustains 43 sites previously
deployed by Harris and Globecomm as part of the U.S. FAA FTI-SAT
program. Life Cycle Support provides
turnkey operations and maintenance responsibility including 24/7
help desk and problem resolution, 24/7 dispatch field services and
provision of spares. FTI-SAT
replaced legacy satellite equipment at remote FAA sites to support
radar, weather, and air/ground communications. The new FTI-SAT
network enables the FAA to
utilise satellite, microwave or telecommunications technologies.
David Hershberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: "Globecomm's
unique ability to provide turnkey satellite solutions, including
hardware, network monitoring
and operations and maintenance has once again positioned the company
for long term success. These multi-year contracts not only provide a
foundation for growth, but
demonstrate the depth of capabilities of the company as Globecomm
pursues similar opportunities."
About Globecomm Systems
Globecomm Systems Inc. provides end-to-end value-added
satellite-based communication products, services and solutions by
leveraging its core satellite ground
segment systems and network capabilities, with its satellite
communication services capabilities. The products and services
Globecomm offers include pre-engineered
systems, systems design and integration services, managed network
services and life cycle support services. Globecomm's customers
include communications
service providers, commercial enterprises, broadcast and other media
and content providers and government and government-related
entities.
Based in Hauppauge, New York, Globecomm Systems also maintains
offices in Washington, DC, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United
Arab Emirates and
Afghanistan.
(source: Globecomm Systems)
top
3 Harris
Corporation Achieves US$ 100 Million in Orders for Highly
Specialised Commercial Satellite Antennas During 2006
Harris Corporation, an international communications and information
technology company, has reached the US$ 100 million mark in
unfurlable antenna orders for commercial satellites during calendar
year 2006.
The unfurlable mesh antennas have been ordered by satellite
manufacturers in both the U.S. and Europe and are used on satellites
to transmit voice, radio and
television broadcasts world-wide.
"This milestone marks an important achievement for Harris as we
continue to lead the market in developing and deploying these highly
specialised antennas that enable
high-speed communications via commercial satellites," said Russ
Haney, president of National Programs, Harris Government
Communications Systems Division.
"We're delighted to be supporting more and more commercial ventures
that are providing such diverse communications services ranging from
satellite radio to mobile
telephony and emerging mobile video."
The Harris antennas feature a reflective, gold mesh surface and are
stowed much like an umbrella for launch. In orbit, they deploy to
form a large aperture with adequate
surface area to enable communications with even the smallest of
handsets. The antennas cover L-Band and S-Band frequencies,
depending on the mission, and range
in size from 5 to 25 meters in diameter.
Harris has a team of more than 200 engineers dedicated to supporting
its spaceborne unfurlable mesh antenna programs, and has numerous
high-bay buildings with
clean rooms to support the design, manufacture, integration and
testing of these structures at its facilities in Palm Bay, Fla.
About Harris Corporation
Harris Government Communications Systems Division conducts advanced
research studies, develops prototypes, and produces and supports
state-of-the- art, assured
communications solutions and information systems that solve the
mission-critical challenges of its military and government
customers, while serving as the technology
base for the company's diverse commercial businesses. Harris
Corporation is an international communications and information
technology company serving government
and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. With headquarters
in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual sales of US$ 3.5
billion and nearly 14,000
employees, including more than 6,000 engineers and scientists. The
company's four operating divisions serve markets for government
communications, RF
communications, broadcast communications, and microwave
communications.
(source: Harris Corporation)
top
4 STM to Deploy over
2,300 Satlink VSATs in Mexico
STM announced today an order by a large systems integrator in Mexico
for over 2,300 VSATs to be used as part of the country's successful
Enciclomedia Program to serve over 3,100 classrooms in Mexico.
The ongoing program uses the latest technologies as part of an
application suite to modernise classrooms in public schools
throughout Mexico.
In addition to Satlink VSAT terminals, the system in each classroom
includes an electronic white board with a computer driven projector
and custom education
software, which enhances the student's learning experience. The
project creates consistency of classroom teaching using customized
software at each class level
matched to the latest textbooks in use. The VSATs provide wide area
network IP connectivity from the school to a data centre dedicated
to the project and sponsored
by Mexico's ministry of education.
STM Group Executive Vice President, Umar Javed, said, "The addition
of a standards based DVB-RCS Satlink product line and technology to
STM's portfolio has
enabled us to penetrate the volume driven market for large scale
VSAT deployments." The order announced today will increase the
number of Satlink DVB-RCS VSATs
deployed in Latin America to over 6,000 terminals, making STM the
leading supplier of DVB-RCS products in North and South America.
One of the factors contributing to STM's product success has been
the superior VoIP capability introduced as part of the recently
announced Release-11 software.
STM's VSAT products are in use by several leading phone companies in
Latin America and are recognised for offering superior voice quality
with minimal system
latency. The latest version of the Enciclomedia application suite
involves the use of a standard VoIP phone for voice connectivity
between each school and the
dedicated data centre.
As part of the network deployment for the Enciclomedia project, STM
will commission a carrier-class DVB-RCS Hub in Mexico City before
year-end. Terminal deliveries
are expected to be completed in January 2007. The project requires
large-scale deployment by several concurrent installation teams.
STM's Satlink terminal includes
the most advanced outdoor transceiver of its type combining the
functions of an LNB, BUC, and OMT in a single integrated package,
which minimises the installation
time. The integrated Ku-Band ODU is available in 2-Watt and 3-Watt
power levels, providing output power and aggregate return channel
throughputs that are several
times higher than that offered by comparable products, which combine
an LNB and 1-Watt BUC in the outdoor installation with an external
OMT.
About STM Group:
STM Group, Inc., based in California, is a telecom solutions
provider with a number of global subsidiaries using VSAT technology
for IP-based networking, telephony,
cellular and bandwidth on demand data applications. STM has a
regional presence in Europe, Russia, Asia, the Middle East, and
North and South America, along with
a number of in-country sales representatives in many parts of the
world.
(source: STM Group)
Top
5
Australia Network Renews Contract with Intelsat, Expands into New
Markets
Intelsat announced today that Australia Network, the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation's international television channel, has
renewed its multi-year contract with Intelsat, and expanded the
contract to include transmission services on an additional
satellite.
Using the Intelsat global system, Australia Network will now be able
to distribute programming beyond its existing Asia-Pacific footprint
to reach new viewers in the
cable neighborhoods of the South Asian region served by PAS-10 and
to be positioned for additional access into new markets such as the
Middle East and India.
Under the terms of the new agreement, Intelsat will also provide
Australia Network with turnaround services from its leased teleport
facilities in Singapore. Prior to this
contract, Australia Network only had available a single time feed.
Intelsat's enhanced fleet and teleport facilities now enable the
broadcaster to transmit its programming
in three prime time feeds covering the Pacific island nations, Asian
land mass and South Asia regions.
"As Australia Network was seeking wider distribution in the region,
we needed a service provider that would enable us to accomplish
multiple business goals with one
turnkey offering, and Intelsat provided that solution," said Ian
Carroll, Chief Executive of Australia Network. "Our long-standing
relationship with Intelsat was enhanced
with the inclusion of PAS-10 transmission services into the South
Asia markets and we look forward to continued growth of this
relationship."
David Ball, Regional Vice President, Asia-Pacific, said, "For
Intelsat, helping our customers achieve their strategic business
goals is top priority. With respect to
Australia Network, our solution is unique in the market and
showcases Intelsat's regional strength for video distribution
through its expanded satellite fleet and terrestrial
infrastructure. We are proud that Australia Network is entrusting us
to transmit its programming into these new markets."
About Intelsat
Intelsat is the largest provider of fixed satellite services
world-wide and is the leading provider of these services to each of
the media, network services/telecom and
government customer sectors, enabling people and businesses
everywhere constant access to information and entertainment.
Intelsat offers customers a greater
business potential by providing them unrivalled resources with ease
of business and peace of mind. Our services are utilized by an
extensive customer base, including
some of the world's leading media and communications companies,
multinational corporations, Internet service providers and
government/military organizations. Real-
time, constant communication with people anywhere in the world is
closer, by far.
About Australia Network
Australia Network - Australia's international satellite channel - is
brought to you by Australia's largest and most trusted broadcaster,
the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation. Offering a rich and diverse range of information and
general programming, Australia Network is currently available in 15
million homes in 42 countries
across the region and in more than 200,000 hotel rooms.
Screening programs specifically produced for regional audiences,
Australia Network draws on the vast inventory of programming
available from both the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation and Australian commercial television
networks and independent production houses from around the world.
(source: Intelsat)
Top
6
SES Astra Signs Contract with Luxe.TV
SES Astra, an SES company, announces that it broadcasts the
Luxemburgish channel Luxe.TV since 4 December 2006 on Astra's
orbital position 19.2° East.
This lifestyle programme is transmitted free-to-air both in German
and in French.
"We are very pleased to add even more diversity to one of our most
important orbital positions", says Alexander Oudendijk, Chief
Commercial Officer of SES Astra.
"This pan-European channel from Luxembourg dedicated to luxury and
lifestyle is bringing a new type of programme in the broadcast offer
via Astra."
About SES Astra
SES Astra is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in
Europe, delivering services to some 107 million Direct-to-Home and
cable households. The Astra
satellite fleet currently comprises 13 satellites, transmitting more
than 1,700 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES
Astra also provides satellite-based
multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises,
governments and their agencies. With 19 High Definition (HD)
channels available via its satellites
today, Astra is also the most important HDTV broadcasting platform
in Europe. Astra's prime orbital positions are 19.2° East, 28.2°
East and 23.5° East.
SES Astra is an SES company. SES wholly owns three market-leading
satellite operators, SES Astra in Europe, SES Americom in North
America, and SES New
Skies, which provides global connectivity as well as coverage. The
company also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star
One in Latin America, SES
Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. Americom
Government Services provides network solutions and bandwidth to the
US government and its
contractors. SES provides outstanding satellite communications
solutions via a fleet of 44 satellites on 33 orbital positions
around the globe.
About Luxe.TV
Luxe.TV is the first TV network world-wide dedicated to the world of
luxury in all its diversity. The programs are produced in HD around
six aspects: Beauty & Fashion,
Jewellery & Watches, Decoration, Sport & Technology, Hotels &
Gastronomy, Cars, Planes & Yachts. The production teams are based in
20 of the most luxurious
cities in the world, such as Paris, New York, Tokyo, Geneva, London,
Milan, Berlin, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Monaco, Peking, New Delhi,
Moscow, Rio de Janeiro or
Dubai… The broadcast is done simultaneously in HD and in the normal
digital definition (SD).
(source: SES Astra)
Top
7
XM Completes New State-of-the-Art Satellite System With
'Rhythm' and 'Blues'
XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio company
serving the XM Nation of more than 7 million subscribers, today
announced the completion of its new two-satellite broadcast system.
On Friday, XM began broadcasting through its recently launched XM-4
satellite (known as "Blues") manufactured by Boeing Satellite
Systems International, Inc. The
combination of "Rhythm (the XM-3 satellite launched in early 2005)"
and "Blues" provides a solid foundation to deliver a full complement
of digital broadcasts to the XM
Nation across the next two decades.
"The Rhythm and Blues satellites form the most powerful and stable
delivery system in satellite radio," said John Dealy, XM Senior
Advisor who leads the Company's
Satellite Systems Team. "Both satellites are healthy and expected to
deliver excellent service beyond their contract requirement of 15
years, providing the richest
entertainment content to XM subscribers for the long-term."
Rhythm and Blues replace XM's original satellites, "Rock" and
"Roll," launched in 2001, which will serve as in-orbit spares for
the near-term.
Boeing Satellite Systems International, Inc. is the world's leading
manufacturer of government and commercial communications satellites.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 7
million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in
Washington, DC, New York City,
Chicago, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and
Montreal, XM's 2006 line-up includes more than 170 digital channels
of choice from coast to coast:
commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy,
children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced
traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data
services for the automobile market through partnerships with General
Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan,
Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, is available in 140 different
vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are
available at consumer electronics retailers nation-wide.
(source: XM Satellite Radio)
Top
8
Wegener Announces iPump Order
From Horizon Broadcast Network
Wegener Corporation, a leading provider of television, audio and
data distribution networks world-wide, today announced a new order
from Horizon Christian Fellowship's Horizon Broadcast Network (HBN)
for file-based radio distribution equipment.
The equipment will be used to support the launch of a new radio
network aimed at serving an initial target US audience estimated at
17 million.
"We have found that the Wegener file-based solution, coupled with
their powerful network control, allows us to provide cost effective
national coverage while offering
many opportunities to regionalise our programming," said Tom
Phillips, Chief Operating Officer of HBN.
Wegener's file-based radio distribution solution includes Compel
Network Control, MediaPlan Content Management and iPump 6420
Professional Audio Servers.
Wegener's iPump 6420 Professional Audio Server combines a satellite
receiver and media server; it can receive live audio feeds, store
audio programs and seamlessly
combine them to play-out custom file-based broadcast channels.
Utilising this technology, radio networks efficiently distribute
repetitive programming, introduce more
regional programming and time shift broadcasts to target peak drive
times.
"We are excited about the new applications and services that can be
realised by HBN," stated Ned L. Mountain, COO of Wegener. "The radio
marketplace is very
important to us and we will continue to provide products that enable
efficient, flexible distribution of radio programming to affiliates
around the world."
Horizon's order was received during Wegener's first quarter of
fiscal 2007 and will begin shipping during Wegener's second quarter
of fiscal 2007.
About Wegener
Wegener (Wegener Communications, Inc.), a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Wegener Corporation, is an international provider of digital
solutions for video, audio, and IP
data networks. Applications include IP data delivery, broadcast
television, cable television, radio networks, business television,
distance education, business music and
financial information distribution. Compel, Wegener's patented
network control system provides networks with unparalleled ability
to regionalise programming and
commercials. Compel network control capability is integrated into
Wegener digital satellite receivers.
About Horizon Broadcast Network
Horizon Christian Fellowship is launching a brand new radio network,
in order to serve a growing audience. In addition to continuing to
provide radio programming to
other Christian Broadcast Networks, Horizon has obtained FCC
licenses for 30 high power and approximately 300 translator stations
throughout the US. Scheduled to
launch in early 2007, the network will provide 24 hours a day of
original programming as well as providing an opportunity for local
content in each city served by HBN
high power stations.
(source: Wegener)
Top
9
Arrowhead Global Solutions to Provide US Marine Corps with Global
Satellite Capabilities
Arrowhead Global Solutions, Inc., a premier provider of integrated
communication network solutions, has been chosen by the Defense
Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide the U.S. Marine Corps
with commercial satellite capabilities to expand its communication
reach world-wide.
The task order has a one-year base, and options until 2011. The task
order is valued at approximately US$ 20 million.
Arrowhead, in conjunction with SES will provide bandwidth
availability, portability and mobility globally. The Marine Corps'
ability to use commercial satellite capacity
will support missions in the United States, Europe, Southwest Asia,
Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia. The bandwidth has been
optimised to meet requirements
such as satellite link availability, frequency range, look angle,
polarisation and response times. To meet the growth, Arrowhead has
developed strategies to assist the
USMC in long-term planning and bandwidth optimisation.
The USMC network, known as the Support Wide Area Network (SWAN)
comprises deployable Ku-band Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT)
that utilise time division
multiple access and frequency division multiple access technologies.
Mary Ann Elliott, chairman of the board and CEO of Arrowhead, said,
"Arrowhead is excited to bring global bandwidth portability to the
U.S. Marine Corps. This
approach will lower the overall costs of bandwidth and increase
availability on a global basis."
About Arrowhead Global Solutions, Inc.
Arrowhead is a premier provider of integrated communication network
solutions with a strong track record of success in serving the
government sector. Arrowhead
engineers and other subject-matter experts have a deep understanding
of the industry, the technology and the products for mission-
critical applications. Arrowhead
excels in providing secure communication any time, anywhere to its
primary customers - warfighters and first responders.
(source: Arrowhead Global Solutions)
Top
10
Swales Aerospace Completes Critical Design Review for TacSat-3
Modular Bus
Swales Aerospace announced today that it has completed the Critical
Design Review (CDR), for the TacSat-3 Modular Bus program, which is
sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicle
Directorate (AFRL/VS), as part of the Department of Defense
Operationally Responsive Space
initiative.
The TacSat-3 CDR provided the Government with a thorough review of
the detailed design of the TacSat-3 Modular Bus (TS3MB) and the
company's progress toward
meeting a mid 2007 bus delivery schedule. This review, which was
attended by AFRL personnel and representatives of several other
government organisations, covered
the bus design and analysis details, subsystem configuration and
performance, and overall integration, quality assurance and test
planning for the TS3MB. Mike
Cerneck, CEO of Swales Aerospace commented, "I am pleased with what
our team has accomplished within a short time from contract award in
May 2006 to this
CDR. Swales TacSat-3 Modular Bus team, includes Interface and
Control Systems, Inc. of Columbia, MD. The external reviewers were
impressed by the level of detail
that was presented and pleased to see the level of maturity in this
modular bus design within the time constraints.
The TacSat-3 mission will demonstrate the ability of a tactical
satellite to collect militarily useful data over a theatre of
interest and provide that data direct to the war
fighter in near real-time. The Operationally Responsive Space
Modular Bus (ORSMB) program will demonstrate modular spacecraft bus
standards, interfaces, and
processes to meet the goals of the Department of Defense's
Operationally Responsive Space initiative for rapid, low-cost space
assets launched to support the needs
of tactical war fighters. Swales will complete bus critical design,
fabrication and integration of the bus, and provide support to AFRL
for spacecraft integration and test,
launch and on orbit operations. AFRL/VS is leading the TacSat-3
mission development for a planned launch in October 2007.
Within the completion of this review, Swales is now proceeding to
manufacturing the TacSat-3 Modular Bus. The rapid execution of the
program from CDR to
manufacturing will demonstrate the new Responsive Space paradigm.
About AFRL/Space Vehicles Directorate
The mission of the United States Air Forces' Air Force Research
Laboratory/Space Vehicles Directorate is to develop and transition
high pay- off space technologies
supporting the warfighter while leveraging commercial, civil and
other government capabilities to ensure America's advantage. The
Vision of the Space Vehicles
Directorate is to provide innovative space technologies that make
warfighter missions more effective and affordable. The Space
Vehicles Directorate (VS) Headquarters
is located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM, at the
site of the former Phillips Laboratory.
About Swales
Swales Aerospace is an employee-owned company that provides a broad
range of aerospace engineering services to the Department of
Defense, NASA, and
commercial aerospace clients. Headquartered in Beltsville, Maryland,
the company posted annual revenues in excess of US$ 193 million in
2005 and employs more
than 900 professionals in offices in Maryland, Virginia and
California.
(source: Swales Aerospace)
Top
11
USN Announces Successful Demonstration of TCP/IP Space Link
Extension
Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN), a leading provider of space
operations and ground control and communications services, along
with subcontractor Integral Systems Incorporated (ISI), today
announced the successful demonstration of the TCP/IP Space Link
Extension (SLE) with a U.S. Air Force
(USAF) satellite utilising Space Ground Link Subsystem (SGLS) and
Unified S-Band (USB) receiving channels.
SGLS is the current Department of Defense (DoD) and USAF telemetry,
tracking and command standard, and USB will be the telemetry
tracking channel employed on
many of the next-generation USAF satellites.
The demonstration under a USN contract with the USAF Space and
Missile Center (SMC) successfully verified the SLE's capabilities
using the Command and Control
System-Consolidated (CSC-C) ground system deployed at the Air Force
Center for Research Support (CERES) Satellite Operations Center
(SOC) and the USN
Remote Ground Station (RGS) in Alaska. The SLE protocol used is
expected to become the command and telemetry interface standard
between the user's SOCs and
the Air Force Satellite Control Network's Remote Tracking Systems.
During the demonstration, live telemetry from an orbiting USAF test
and checkout satellite, DSCS 3 A1, was received, processed and
displayed by CCS-C equipment.
Both telemetry and command interfaces between the CERES CCS-C
strings and the USN RGS in Alaska were established over the CCSDS
SLE TCP/IP interface.
SGLS commands - sent by CCS-C, transmitted over SLE and up-linked at
the RGS - were verified at CERES with the returned echoes.
"This demonstration represents a significant step forward in the
evolution of standard interfaces to meet future satellite
requirements for the Air Force," stated Ken Riley,
USN's Vice President of Customer Development. "It proved that
commercial ground stations, using industry standard interfaces, can
provide telemetry, tracking and
command support to USAF missions using both the commercial USB and
DoD SGLS standards."
About Universal Space Network
Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN) is a leader in space operations
for telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) services. Offering
responsive, reliable and cost-
effective solutions to the global government and commercial space
community, USN provides unparalleled coverage through a seamless
network of world-wide satellite
tracking and communications assets. These assets include both those
owned by USN and those of its collaborative partners. The company
has offices in Newport
Beach, California, and Horsham, Pennsylvania.
(source: Universal Space Network)
Top
12
ViaSat Receives Largest Order To-Date for MD-1366 EBEM Military
Satellite Modems
ViaSat Inc. has received a US$ 4.6 million order from the Defense
Communication and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS) for MD-1366
Enhanced Bandwidth Efficient Modems (EBEM).
The modem is the new Department of Defense standard for high-speed
satellite communications at fixed sites, on Navy ships, and for the
future Wideband Global
System (formerly Wideband Gapfiller). The order for 747 strategic
(fixed site) modems brings the total ViaSat orders received to
approximately 2,000. Delivery is
scheduled to be completed by October 2008.
ViaSat and the U.S. government also have recently completed the
First Article Test phase of the MD-1366, verifying performance of
the modem through approximately
2,000 different test conditions in the lab, in different operating
environments, and onboard a U.S. Navy ship in a one-week sea trial.
The tests verified the 64 kb/s to 155
Mb/s data rate operating range of the modem and its compatibility
with a variety of legacy military communications equipment. The
Defense Information Systems
Agency (DISA) has recognised that the EBEM is Defense Satellite
Communications Systems (DSCS) modem certified. The unique features
and capabilities of the
EBEM will be submitted to the MIL-STD-188-165 Working Group to be
incorporated into the 165B release of the military standard.
The primary advantage of the MD-1366 over other military satcom
modems is technology that enables users to put more carriers on a
single transponder. The modem
features tighter carrier spacing to save bandwidth, improved
signal-to-noise performance for power efficiency, and includes more
advanced modulation and code rate
options to optimise bandwidth efficiency regardless of the link
conditions, whether it might be heavy weather or other variations in
satellite signal strength.
"We have developed a state of the art and bandwidth efficient modem
that will benefit both the strategic and tactical users," said
Johnny Ng, EBEM program manager at
PM DCATS. "The government intends to implement an automatic transmit
power control and Ethernet IP into the current baseline."
"We analyzed a wide range of potential scenarios and our tests show
that we can save significant dollars annually in leased bandwidth
cost per circuit," said Mark
Robinson, ViaSat MD-1366 program manager. "These awards are
competitive procurements, similar to ViaSat's MIDS awards, and we
see this additional award as a
great indicator that we're building a strong position in this market
through our performance."
The PM DCATS objective for the MD-1366 Enhanced Bandwidth Efficient
Modem (EBEM) program is to develop a state-of-the-art modem that can
support the
communications, command and control requirements of today's highly
mobile, joint U.S. forces using military and commercial satellites
at C-, X-, Ku- and Ka-band
frequencies.
About ViaSat
ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other communication
products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to
any location. The company provides
networking products and managed network services for enterprise IP
applications; is a key supplier of network-centric military
communications and encryption
technologies to the U.S. government; and is the primary technology
partner for gateway and customer-premises equipment for consumer and
mobile satellite broadband
services. The company's three wholly owned subsidiaries, US
Monolithics, Efficient Channel Coding, and Enerdyne Technologies
Inc., design and produce
complementary products such as monolithic microwave integrated
circuits, DVB-S2 satellite communication components, and video data
link systems. ViaSat has
locations in Carlsbad, CA, and Duluth, GA, along with its Comsat
Laboratories division in Germantown, MD. Additional field offices
are located in Boston, MA,
Baltimore, MD, Washington DC, Australia, China, India, Italy, and
Spain.
(source: ViaSat)
Top
13
ShifTV Enters Partnership With Sky Angel
ShifTV Inc., an Internet broadcaster of ethnic and niche
programming, announced Dec. 20 an exclusive IPTV agreement with Sky
Angel, a U.S.-based direct-to-home satellite broadcaster of
Christian and family-oriented programming previously unavailable in
Canada.
Under the deal, Canadian subscribers to ShifTV's service can view
Sky Angel programming on their TVs or home computers. The agreement
covers a minimum of 16 video and 14 audio channels provided by Sky
Angel.
Top
16 BT
Adds WiFi to Fusion
BT today launched BT Fusion Wi-Fi for business, bringing together
the benefits of fixed and mobile convergence on one mobile device,
with seamless two- way handover between Wi-Fi and GSM.
The new service will give small business customers a range of
benefits to increase their productivity and performance, including:
high speed access to business
applications in Wi-Fi mode at up to five times faster than GPRS,
free access to all your fixed and mobile voice messages stored in
one place, and call rates as cheap
as 5p for 60 minutes from the office and out and about.
Two cutting edge dual-mode Wi-Fi mobile handsets are available from
BT immediately, the Nokia 6136 and the Motorola A910. Samsung’s P200
will be added to the
range next month.
When combined with BT Business One Plan, BT’s triple-play package
for mobile, fixed and broadband, prices start from just £15 a month
including the handset,
allowing businesses to squeeze extra value from their existing BT
broadband line.
In the office, or at BT Openzone hotspots, for up to 60 minutes
customers pay 5p for UK fixed line calls, less than the cost of a
text; 15p for calls to BT mobiles, and
25p for calls to other UK mobiles. On the move all calls to both
fixed and mobile numbers are capped at 25p for up to 60 minutes.
Steve Andrews, managing director of Mobility and Convergence, said:
“This is a great day for small businesses. Customers tell us they
need communications services
that are better, simpler and faster to help them succeed wherever
they are working.
“BT Fusion brings together in one service, high speed access to
critical business information, free access to all your messages
stored in one place and a great value
calls package – wherever you are, all on one high quality handset.
Top
17
Telekom Austria Acquires eTel for US$118.7 million
Telekom Austria yesterday said that it has agreed to buy 100% of the
European integrated telephony operator, eTel, for 90 million euro
(US$118.7 million). In a statement, Telekom Austria said it would
fund the acquisition of eTel-which made 100 million euro in revenue
in 2005-entirely from its cash-flow without taking on debt. eTel is
owned by a consortium of international investors and provides
fixed-line, internet and data services. It also operates an MVNO in
Austria and a wholesale business in Central and Eastern Europe.
Significance: The acquisition of eTel would help Telekom Austria to
boost its position in the Austrian small and medium enterprises (SME)
market. eTel is active in the Austrian SME market, where it provides
integrated fixed-line telecoms services. Beyond Austria, eTel
operates an internet service in the Czech Republic, as well as a
strong wholesale business in the Eastern European markets of
Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
Top
18
Telecom’s Need
for Speed Steve
Kim
In the
telecommunications
market, speed has
two distinct but
equally important
meanings — speed of
service and speed in
deployment.
Triple-play services
require some of the
highest speeds the
telecommunications
industry has
experienced. Many
providers are moving
from POTS services
for voice and
Internet access that
average 1.5mbps to
service that
delivers integrated
data, voice and
video at 25mbps.
|
Potential
Problem
|
Service
Impact
|
Test/Correction
|
|
Bridge Taps |
Lower data
rates or no
modem
synchronization |
Insertion
loss
detaptor and
time domain
reflectometer
(TDR) |
|
Cable Faults
(i.e. opens,
shorts and
crosses) |
Service is
degraded or
not possible
until faults
are cleared |
Digital
multimeter (DMM)
to identify
the fault;
TDR and/or
resistance
fault
locator (RFL)
to locate
the fault |
|
Wideband
Noise |
Specific DSL
carriers
(tones) are
impacted,
potentially
degrading
service
rates |
Spectrum
analyzer to
identify
disturber
presence |
|
Cable
Imbalance |
Cable pair
is more
susceptible
to noise |
Cable
balance
tests
(capacitive
and
resistive) |
|
Load Coils |
DSL service
is not
possible
until faults
are cleared |
Load coil
detector and
TDR |
|
Typical
problems
encountered
during
construction
and
conditioning
for
triple-play
services |
|
Source:
Sunrise
Telecom |
The common challenge
to both speed of
service and speed of
deployment is the
ability to
condition, install
and validate the
performance of new
technologies and
services accurately.
Internet access is
fairly tolerant to
intermittent errors
— when there is a
disruption, data is
transmitted again
within a few seconds
— which are
virtually
unnoticeable when
surfing the
Internet. However,
video and voice
services require a
higher quality of
service because
packet loss has a
dramatic impact on
the quality of the
customer experience.
Dropped packets can
result in poor voice
quality, pixilated
digital TV images,
frozen screens, or a
complete loss of the
picture for a few
seconds.
Faced with
increasing
competition for new
services by cable
companies, speed of
deployment for
triple-play services
is an increasing
priority. This class
of service requires
a significant
financial investment
by telephone
companies, and
capturing early
adopters is vital to
their long-term
success. Telcos are
racing to update and
condition existing
copper wires to
ensure they can
deliver the QoS
triple-play service
demands.
Simultaneously,
these companies are
deploying equipment
close to the
customer premises.
From an investment
perspective, telcos
must begin to deploy
services as quickly
as they can to begin
seeing returns. From
a competitive
standpoint, telcos
need to beat the
cable companies to
the early adopters
by providing more
compelling services
on highly reliable
networks. And, in
order to realize a
true ROI, they must
work hard to keep
customers by
providing the best
possible customer
experience.
To rapidly meet
these challenges,
telcos must employ
the most advanced
test systems in the
three critical
phases of service:
construction,
installation and
repair. This can be
a daunting task, as
tests and tools
designed to qualify
POTS and ADSL cannot
assure technicians
that the copper
pairs are VDSL-ready.
Assuming that a line
qualified for ADSL
will perform at the
same level with VDSL
is not an accurate
assessment and can
lead to serious
challenges.
Instead, service
providers need to
use a test set in
the construction
phase that allows
field technicians to
condition the copper
wire, install
equipment and then
check the wires that
run the last 3,500
feet to be sure they
can deliver the new
services. If a test
fails, the
technician must
identify, diagnose
and correct the
problem, and re-test
to verify the system
is ready. Detailed
below are the
typical problems
technicians
encounter, the
impact they have on
triple-play service
and the tests
available to verify
service.
Once conditioning is
complete,
technicians begin
installation inside
the customer
premises. In this
phase, not only do
technicians ensure
the service
delivered is of the
highest quality,
they also must
verify the
construction at the
point of entry.
Traditional in-home
tests will verify
wires are connected
properly, but they
do not verify their
ability to support
the HPNA protocol.
HPNA is a
home-networking
standard developed
initially by the
Home Phoneline
Networking Alliance.
This technology
allows all the
components of a home
network to interact
over the home’s
existing telephone
wiring without
disturbing existing
voice or fax
services. In the
same way a LAN
operates, home
networking manages,
transports and
stores information
which enables the
disparate devices in
a home network, such
as telephones, fax
machines, computers,
printers, scanners
and Web cameras, to
connect and
integrate over a
home’s unpredictable
wiring topology.
Once a customer
begins to experience
triple-play
services, it is
essential that
telcos make it the
best multimedia
experience possible.
If a need for
service arises, the
technician must go
in quickly,
determine the
problem and fix it
on the first truck
roll. The success of
triple-play
deployment is really
all about the speed
of construction,
service and repair.
These factors are
critical as telcos
race to deliver the
best customer
experience and
retain subscribers
as long-term
customers. By using
the proper test
equipment, telcos
can meet these
goals, win the
battle with cable
companies and
capture the desired
ROI.
|
|
Steve Kim is
product
marketing
manager for
the telecom
products
group at
Sunrise
Telecom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19
InspiAir Unwires Helsinki
HELSINKI -- InspiAir, Ltd., an Israel-based developer of wireless
solutions, announced today that a municipal broadband Wi-Fi system
in Helsinki’s central core is now
in full operation. Dubbed “FiFiWiFi,” the InspiAir-designed network
was deployed in co-operation with Helsinki-based Omni-Directional
Communication Products Oy
(OCP).
InspiAir’s technology—so revolutionary it was once thought to defy
the laws of physics—has proven superior to the popular mesh systems
being deployed in other
metropolitan areas. Not only does InspiAir’s system get high marks
for performance, it is also more cost-effective.
InspiAir’s technology is fully Wi-Fi 802.11 compliant and as such,
laptops and other devices with 802.11 cards can easily access the
network without special
downloads or adapters.
OCP selected InspiAir to construct the central city wireless network
after rejecting conventional mesh systems. OCP’s analysis indicated
that deploying a mesh
system would be extremely costly due to the large number of nodes
required to provide continuous broadband Wi-Fi coverage in
Helsinki’s city center. Furthermore,
installation and maintenance of the mesh nodes would add complexity
and greater cost.
OCP wanted to provide Helsinki residents and visitors with a
ubiquitous, full triple-play solution of broadband wireless voice,
video and data over IP—and make it
available to both stationary users and people on the move. The mesh
systems they considered were simply not up to this challenge.
Furthermore, an assortment of public and private Wi-Fi systems
already operating in the city blanket the area with RF (radio
frequency) transmissions, creating
significant interference (which will only increase in time as more
and more Wi-Fi systems are deployed). Typically traditional Wi-Fi
networks exhibit sensitivity to RF
interference, so the channel planning that would be required to
overcome this interference proved extremely daunting, if not
impossible.
“The deciding factor in choosing InspiAir,” said OCP co-founder and
COO Peter Tapio, “was the company’s ability to provide a system
that’s totally immune to
interference from nearly a thousand access points in the downtown
area. The InspiAir technology is not bothered by these other access
points at all.”
InspiAir’s system uses a unique, internally developed,
802.11-compliant algorithm: Virtual Transmission Manager (VTM)
technology. VTM dramatically extends the
range of 802.11 transmissions, allowing an InspiAir system to cover
large areas using far fewer access points than mesh systems. In
Helsinki, only 14 access points
were required, each providing 60-degree sector directional coverage.
The distance covered by an InspiAir access point is about one mile
(1.6 km) in near-line-of-sight
situations in highly dense central Helsinki, and much greater in
open areas.
In addition to being cost-effective, InspiAir’s VTM technology also
provides greater performance. The average system-wide latency is
typically less than 7 milliseconds.
This enables real-time triple-play applications such as voice,
video, data and true mobility. Customers can enjoy using laptops,
PDAs and SIP-based mobile phones
even while wandering about the city center.
Throughput speeds are equal to 802.11 standards, or about 6 Mbps per
access point. For mobile users traveling in cars or via public
transportation, there is a 5- to 7-
millisecond handoff time between access points. During handoffs,
there is no packet loss, allowing uninterrupted use of real-time
applications like VoIP and video for
users on the move.
“We have found that since installing the InspiAir technology, we are
getting far greater distances, much higher speeds and more
consistent connections than we ever
experienced with other Wi-Fi systems,” said Tapio. “InspiAir’s
technology not only goes farther, it enables Wi-Fi to penetrate
buildings more than any system we’ve
seen using mesh technology. In addition, since frequency planning is
not required, the network is completely scalable, allowing for
immediate expansion by simply
adding more access points.”
InspiAir’s technology permitted OCP to install the wireless network
and provide Wi-Fi coverage for Helsinki’s city center at a
considerably reduced cost as opposed to a
comparable mesh system. Due to its ease of installation and fewer
access points, the network was deployed in a matter of days. And
because of the cost-effectiveness
of the system, OCP is able to charge very competitive rates for the
service, ranging from $2.70 per day (2 euros) to $20 per month (15
euros).
As a result of the successful deployment of the Helsinki city center
network, OCP will continue to work with InspiAir as it extends Wi-Fi
coverage to neighboring cities
in Finland.
“We are proud to be the selected system for OCP and to have InspiAir
be the first to provide large scale municipal coverage in Europe,”
said Tamir Galili, InspiAir CEO.
“Helsinki, with its modern population, tough climate and difficult
indoor environment—not to mention being the home of one of the
largest communications company in
the world—has very high requirements, which InspiAir is happy to
meet and exceed. We are looking forward to supporting OCP in its
expansion plans in Helsinki and
other major cities.”
Top |
P
The iDirect Series 3000 Satellite Router
As part of the iNFINITI series, the iDirect series
3000 Satellite Router provides an economical entry point
into satellite networking and is an ideal solution for
small to medium enterprise customers with basic remote
networking needs. Able to deliver broadband access of up
to 18 Mbps downstream, and 4.2 Mbps upstream, the 3000
series can support all your IP applications remotely,
including VoIP and basic Video. iDirect’s series 3000
Remote Satellite Router is a “single box” solution that
includes a satellite modem, IP router, TCP acceleration
over satellite, and QoS/prioritization in an easy to
deploy, reliable design. |
|
|
HAPPY
 NEW
YEAR ! |
|
| © 2006 Satcom
Services |
www.satcom-services.com
|
January 2007 Newsletter |
|
Space Segment acquisition agreements.