ISSUE 13 | DECEMBER 2012
THE INFLUENCERS Meet the winners of THE SATELLITEPRO ME Awards
PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
Register
Oil & Gas
Dos & Don’ts
Space Law
Candid exchange of views at SatellitePro ME’ s inaugural roundtable
A firsthand experience of ACM installations that goes beyond theory - Jörg Rockstroh
The need for enforcement and dispute resolution has increased - Michael J. Listner
Roundtables on telcos and the maritime verticals
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• Telco Roundtable (March) • Maritime Roundtable (June) Dates and venues soon on www.satelliteprome.com
EDITORIAL Publisher Dominic De Sousa
Combating interference
Group COO Nadeem Hood Managing Director Richard Judd richard@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9126 EDITORIAL Group Editor - Broadcast Division Vijaya Cherian vijaya@cpidubai.com +97150 768 3435 Editor Supriya Srinivas supriya@cpidubai.com +971 55 105 3776 ADVERTISING Publishing Director Raz Islam raz@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9129 Group Sales Manager Sandip Virk sandip@cpidubai.com +44 7734 442526 Sales Manager Rodi Hennawi rodi@cpidubai.com +971 4 440 9106 PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Head of Design Fahed Sabbagh fahed@cpidubai.com Graphic Designer Glenn Roxas glenn@cpidubai.com PHOTOGRAPHY Jay Colina Database Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9147 Production Manager James P. Tharian james@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9146 DIGITAL SERVICES webmaster@cpidubai.com Digital Services Manager Tristan Troy Maagma Web Developers Erik Briones Jefferson de Joya Published by
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It seems a proactive customer is a rare creature and your best friend when combating interference. Apparently the customer holds the key to the last mile to success in interference mitigation after every technical avenue is employed to pinpoint the source of interference, including geolocation. To comb hundreds of petrol stations across Europe or remote installations in Indonesia, options range from a helpful customer to an expensive helicopter. Firm allies for the foot soldier against interference are other operators. “It would be impossible for me to do my job without the help of other operators,” admitted one such foot soldier at the Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) conference in Dubai. As an outsider to this group, what I gathered from the proceedings is that the operators have become better at gathering evidence and at cooperating with each other. But there is work to be done. Outside parties including customers, VSAT manufacturers and the ITU, among others, need to be engaged more vigorously. Internally, the cost of interference mitigation for an operator, in terms of personnel deployment and infrastructure, have to calculated. The payoff does not readily seem enormous – from a quiet moment of triumph for an engineer in some earth station as he locates the culprit, to a statement from ITU that “there appears to be interference”… of course, for every interference problem solved, a bad story gets a good ending and the industry gains. For a viewer, it is the difference between a missed goal and a flawless sports telecast. With hundreds of thousands of legacy equipment around the globe that could cause interference, it seems hopeless. But experts gathered at the conference believe that legacy equipment should not discourage us from putting processes in place to mitigate future interference. “Lets’s crack on shall we” – exhorts Martin Coleman – executive director, headmaster, class monitor, conductor…all rolled into one. The IRG is an increasingly potent combination of day-to-day firefighting even as long-term processes and technologies are put in place. A fascinating exercise. Supriya Srinivas Editor
In this edition: “On behalf of our organisation and staff, we are truly honoured to receive this recognition for our work in the media and broadcast sector” - Sanford Jewett, Vice President of Marketing, Thuraya – page 12
“In the world of OU, speed is key to our customers. For our existing customers reserving space is just an email, call, or an online click away” - Samantha McCloskey, Vice President, Global Occasional Use – page 22
“ARABSAT has enrolled 39 of its customers on GVF to stop interference before it happens” - Mueid G. Al-Zahrani, VP & Chief Technical Officer-ARABSAT – page 20
“It is through the commercial prism that the Outer Space Treaty regime must be modified” - John B. Sheldon, Ph.D., is Principal and Senior Consultant of The Torridon Group – page 28
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CONTENTS
Issue 13 | DECEMBER 2012
14
News
4
SatVertical: Broadcast
22 The demanding world of OU
Cellular backhaul, remote healthcare, telecom forum
“Coordination is critical in the Occasional Use world,” says Samantha McCloskey of SES
ARABSAT, Vodacom, Orange, Sky-Stream, RCS, Teraco and more...
SatVertical: Maritime
26
Cover Story
“We need to see transparency and a roadmap”
10
And the satellite industry winner is… Satellite industry trendsetters lauded at the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit and Awards
26
28 Emerging space powers In conversation with John B. Sheldon, Principal and Senior Consultant of The Torridon Group
14
SatellitePro ME Roundtable
SatOpinion: Space Law
The inaugural roundtable saw a candid exchange of views between solutions providers and end-users in the oil and gas vertical
18
Bertrand Hartman, CEO of OmniAccess S.L., gives his reasons for providing end-to-end solutions
SatInterview
SatVertical: Oil & Gas
SatTechnology: ACM
The super-yacht club
32 Settling space spats
“The zero-tolerance super-yacht industry demands end-to-end solutions”
ACM Dos and Don’ts
As outer space activities grow in scope, the need for enforcement and dispute resolution increases
40
Jörg Rockstroh, Senior R&D Engineer at WORK Microwave, goes beyond theory to share his firsthand experience of ACM installations
SatTechnology: Product Review
34 MSS, Broadband, Oil & Gas Siemens, MTN, Norsat, Astrium, Cobham, ESA, Hermes, NASA, Beam
ISSUE 13 | DECEMBER 2012
SatGuest
THE INFLUENCERS Meet the winners of the sAteLLitePro Me AwArds
PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
RegisteR
oiL & GaS
Dos & Don’ts
Space Law
Candid exchange of views at SatellitePro ME’ s inaugural roundtable
A firsthand experience of ACM installations that goes beyond theory - Jörg Rockstroh
The need for enforcement and dispute resolution has increased - Michael J. Listner
Roundtables on telcos and the maritime verticals
On the cover: (L to R) Edgar Milic - SES, Khalid Balkheyour ARABSAT, Mohamed Youssif - YahLive, Sanford Jewett - Thuraya
“Making R&D part of the work culture”
40 R&D at EIAST In conversation with Sarah Yousef Amiri of The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST)
SatNews
Al Jazeera launches ‘safe frequencies’ campaign
To counter the reported attempts to interfere with its broadcast signal, Al Jazeera has launched a campaign to ask its viewers to switch to new, safe, frequencies, as reported by Doha-based The Peninsula. Al Jazeera has announced four new and what the company claims, highly secured
frequencies on Nilesat and Arabsat. The 11636 vertical on Nilesat is reserved for the Gulf states, Levantine countries, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Djibouti, and the Sudan. The frequency at 10992 vertical on Nilesat is for Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Mauritania. As for the viewers in Libya, 10922 vertical has been designated, and the other regions around the Arab countries can tune to 13344 on Arabsat. The network will re-launch a website that contains all the relevant information about the new frequencies. The audience can also subscribe to receive updates in their email inboxes via registration at http://sat.aljazeera.net www.aljazeera.com
ARABSAT and Level421 establish partnership for ME and Africa
Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of ARABSAT
ARABSAT is partnering with Germany-based Level421 a provider of satellite communication services for Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. As part of this cooperation, Level421 has installed a new 6.5-metre antenna pointing towards ARABSAT-5C satellite @ 20°East, reportedly capable of handling extended C-band. This platform is currently fully operational, according to the company. From its reportedly prime teleport location in Germany, Level421 provides data services, 4 | SatellitePro | December 2012
based on Comtech 840 VSAT technology, with ACM capabilities on the up and downstreams. “ARABSAT-5C is one of the latest stateof-art satellites within the ARABSAT fleet. The satellite offers ubiquitous coverage over Middle East, Africa & Central Asia in C-band; that are also the prime service regions of Level421, ” stated Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of ARABSAT. “The satellite bandwith market is changing quickly. With upcoming Ka-band, and a strong market concentration in the iDirect type of services, the capability to deliver real large trunks for internet backbone is becoming important. ARABSAT-5c is a powerful C-band satellite over the African region and is a good choice, to “connect the unconnected” in this part of the world, at reasonable costs,” stated Markus Haut, General Manager of level421 GmbH. www.arabsat.com www.leve421.com
Teraco launches vendor-neutral satellite earth station in Africa
Lex van Wyk, Managing Director, Teraco
Teraco Data Environments, a South Africabased provider of vendor-neutral data centres, has announced the launch of a vendor-neutral satellite earth station. The station is reportedly due to be completed in March 2013. The satellite service provider community (SSPs) will reportedly be able to position their receivers at Teraco, enabling direct access to a community of over 50 telecommunications companies without the need, the company claims, to incur significant capital expenditure. More importantly, SSPs now have the ability, according to a company spokesman, via NAPAfrica, to distribute their services to the Teraco community without having to incur ongoing last-mile costs, which to date have largely restricted SSP service offerings to the broader market. “Vendor neutrality is effectively a focused business model in which a provider limits its activities to a fixed set of value layers to avoid conflicts of interest with clients,” says Teraco Managing Director Lex van Wyk. www.terraco.co.za
12,600 voting booths connected with satellite broadband During the Ukraine’s parliamentary elections, Eutelsat’s KA-SAT managed 25,000 simultaneous videostreams, representing a total throughput of 2.5Gbps.
Qatar Airways flies first B787 with in-flight connectivity
Passengers on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner sent text messages, emailed, tweeted, updated social media accounts and used the internet throughout the journey, according to an official spokesman. The plane is the first B787 with in-flight connectivity. It is provided by OnAir, delivering both WiFi internet and mobile phone access to passengers. There were nearly 100 passengers on the 13-hour flight from Seattle to Doha. There
were over 50 internet sessions, using a total of 1,250MB of data, with the average usage per session being around 22MB. The mobile phone network was used by nearly 75 phones. 340 text messages were sent and nearly 50MB of mobile data was used. Comments from passengers were reportedly positive and many of them, the company claimed, enjoyed live tweeting throughout the flight, particularly sending pictures of the meals and the aurora borealis. Mobile OnAir has reportedly been in operation on Qatar’s A320 fleet for three years, enabling passengers to use their mobile phones and smartphones on flights in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Qatar’s Dreamliner will enter commercial service in November 2012. Qatar Airways has 60 B787s on order, all of which will be equipped with OnAir connectivity. www.onair.aero
Saudi Arabia set to launch two satellites
Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Muhammad, Vice President for Research Institutes at King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology
The Kingdom plans to launch satellites in a couple of years stated Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Muhammad, Vice President for Research Institutes at King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, as reported by the Saudi Gazette. “These will include, Saudisat4 that will be launched in September 2013, and Saudi Geo1 that will be launched in 2015. We already
have 12 satellites used for the purposes of communication, land and sea navigation and some business applications,” he said in a paper entitled: “Toward a Knowledge Society: KSA, National Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation”. The paper was presented at the 2nd Saudi International Space and Aeronautics Technology Conference 2012. The Saudi Gazette quoted the Prince as saying, “This is a part of a long-range 20-year strategic plan the Kingdom has adopted in the field of space technology research. It started in 2005 and will last until 2025. It is hoped that it will contribute to shift the country to a knowledge-based economy in collaboration with developed Western countries in the field of space and aviation,” Prince Turki said. kacst.edu.sa
Dubai-based SkyStream partners with CETel
Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director of SkyStream
In July 2012, Dubai-based SkyStream selected CETel Teleport (Central European Telecom Services) in Germany and started network operations on Eutelsat satellites to support verticals such as maritime and oil and gas. The initial phase of the partnership is reflected in SkyStream’s iDirect hub operations in addition to providing teleport services for multiple Eutelsat satellites offering both C- and Ku-bands. The increasing demands and the need to expand and cover other parts of the world made it reportedly critical for SkyStream to partner with CETel Teleport in Europe. The new services of CETel will expand the SkyStream network over the African continent and will also expand SkyStream’s Ku-band maritime services over the Mediterranean and the North Sea as well as maritime C-band services to the Americas. “This partnership has taken SkyStream beyond regional and will position us as a solid VSAT provider in both maritime as well as oil and gas,” said Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director of SkyStream. “We are proud that CETel’s services support SkyStream’s operations in the long-run. The cooperation with SkyStream and the specifically implemented earth stations and services in Cand Ku-band will also allow CETel to expand our existing maritime VSAT operations”, stated Guido Neumann, Managing Director of the Group. www.sky-stream.com www.ce-tel.com December 2012 | SatellitePro | 5
SatNews
Vodacom partners with Intelsat for cellular backhaul in Africa
Jon Osler, Managing Director of Africa Sales, Intelsat
Intelsat S.A., has signed a new multi-year capacity agreement with South African-based Vodacom on the Intelsat satellite fleet. Vodacom will utilise capacity on Intelsat 906 at 64° East and Intelsat 25 at 328.5° East to support its deployment of cellular
backhaul service in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Vodacom is currently implementing its 3G network across the DRC. This agreement reportedly expands the Intelsatbased cellular backhaul infrastructure supporting wireless services in Tanzania, Mozambique and other parts of SubSaharan Africa. In addition, Vodacom utilises multiple satellites on the Intelsat fleet for international trunking, corporate networking, in-flight broadband and disaster recovery services across the continent. “This agreement continues our decadelong support of Vodacom in Africa, and comes at a time of unprecedented demand for reliable communications access,” said Intelsat Managing Director of Africa Sales Jon Osler.
6 | SatellitePro | December 2012
Jean-Luc Lasnier as General Manger for MEA, Orange Business Services
His mandate is to build on the recent momentum in the region, with a specific focus on strategic markets, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), alongside Morocco, Sub Saharan Africa and Turkey in the wider region. The key sectors for Orange in MEA include banking and finance, oil and gas and smart cities. www.orange-business.com Phil Slack as President of ILS
www.vodacom.co.za www.intelsat.com
New satellite application for healthcare in remote areas
The European Space Agency (ESA) is currently supporting a new technological development designed by The Institute for Space Medicine (MEDES) in France in conjunction with the Local Insight Global Impact (LIGI) in Portugal. This system uses
KEY APPOINTMENTS
satellite navigation and satellite telephone to provide access to trained healthcare professionals in places where they might be sparse and where communications are not reliable, such as Haiti. The interface is very simple, similar to the one of a smartphone, which guides the user through a series of steps to provide the necessary data. This information is immediately sent to local and national health systems via SMS messages using satellite communications. Then, trained doctors in those facilities provide rapid, real-time feedback using the same system. www.esa.int
For the past twelve years, Slack was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for ILS. Prior to ILS, he held several senior business management positions with Boeing, primarily in their space transportation business from 1988 until joining ILS in 2000. www.ilslaunch.com
Indian air travellers most keen to stay connected on-board The Skyscanner survey of over 10,000 travellers shows only 18% of Indians would be annoyed by other passengers making calls in-flight, while this figure rises to 32% across Asia Pacific. The figure rises even further among travellers from Europe.
Yahsat’s satellite broadband in South Sudan
Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO, Yahsat
Yahsat, is gearing to launch its YahClick satellite service in South Sudan over the coming months. Yahsat selected local ISP RCSCommunication as their service partner for South Sudan based on RCSCommunication’s in-country experience. Commenting on the upcoming launch, Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Yahsat CEO, stated: “As the world’s youngest
country, South Sudan is facing multiple infrastructure building priorities. YahClick brings internet connectivity instantly to the population, irrespective of the state of the local telecommunications infrastructure that is within their reach. YahClick therefore fast tracks connectivity to this young country beyond what is humanly possible with the time and expense it takes to expand fixed or wireless internet solutions.” Flippie Odendal, RCS-Communication, Republic of South Sudan, Managing Director stated: “Based on anticipated growth we will be adding and training VSAT technicians and support staff (with a focus on South Sudanese candidates) to our existing team. Parallel to this process we will be running extensive tests of the new service and processes over the next months to ensure all aspects are working well before the service is made available to clients.” www.yahsat.ae www.rcs-communication.com
Marlink commits to 24-hour VSAT installation 24 hours is all it takes to get a VSAT up and running, according to the new commitment that Marlink, an Astrium Services company, is making. The satcom provider has reportedly developed a concise antenna installation and commissioning system that will support engineers and crews to have vessels fully connected to Marlink’s WaveCall standardised VSAT service in just 24 hours. Marlink is reportedly able to board a vessel in port and have the VSAT connectivity up and running in 24 hours, as long as the operator and owner agree
to support the process by preparing certain aspects in advance. A customer installation document is used to provide confirmation that all equipment has been delivered, in addition to checking off that preparation of the antenna pedestal, rack mounting, cabling, power and gyro connections has been completed. All Marlink deliveries and installations are reportedly transparent and over the online portal, customers can track the installation status at all stages. www.marlink.com
ARABSAT forum for telecom service providers
Yasir Hassan, Director, Transmission Operations, ARABSAT
The Arab Satellite Communications Organisation – ARABSAT –held its 5th forum for telecommunications services providers in Dubai. Leading telecommunications services providers across the region attended the annual conference. The ARABSAT delegation in the forum was headed by Eng. Mueid bin Gharam Allah Al-Zahrani, Executive Vice President for Technical Affairs who welcomed the delegates and gave an overview of the latest developments within ARABSAT. This was followed by a presentation by Yasir Hassan, Director, Transmission Operations at ARABSAT, who outlined the upcoming fleet expansions, frequency plans and multi-beam coverage of the satellite operator. ARABSAT announced its partnership with Level421, headquartered in Germany and a provider of satellite communication services for Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. As part of this cooperation, Level421 has installed a new 6.5-metre antenna pointing towards ARABSAT5C satellite @ 20°East, capable of handling extended C-Band. Representatives from China-based Probecom made a presentation on their range of antennas following an announcement that their antennas have been type approved by ARABSAT for the extended C-band. The rigorous process of type approval that involved site visits and extensive testing using international parameters, was outlined. Presentations were also made by Hughes, Romantis, Newtec and Comtech, among others. www.arabsat.com December 2012 | SatellitePro | 7
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SatLead
And the satellite industry winners are… For the first time, satellite industry trendsetters were recognised at the annual ASBU BroadcastPro Summit and Awards held at the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa in Dubai on November 12, 2012
What the CEOs said on the panel ‘Establishing a sustainable business model for Middle East TV’
S
ixteen winners in all walked away with the coveted ASBU BroadcastPro Awards at a gala awards night at the Al Andalus Ballroom in the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa in Dubai. The winners were applauded by more than 300 members of the regional and international broadcast community. The day kicked off with the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit with more than 230 delegates in attendance. Both delegates and participants commented on the full-house that remained till the close of day at 5pm – a strong testimony to the keen interest generated by the panel discussions and the quality of professionals participating. Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs, Saudi MOCI,
On why local channels have not succeeded “Why have local channels not succeeded where Pan-Arab channels seem to have succeeded? One clear reason for that is regulations. In most of the Arab countries there is no regulation for media. By regulations I mean providing the means by which the industry can be developed locally. In most countries this was left to the public or state broadcasters. And over the years, with no competition, they have had no will to develop that market and it is also not within their mandate to develop the market. All these factors made it much easier for Pan-Arab channels to flourish.” - Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs, Saudi MOCI. On why advertising revenues are limited in the region “One factor that makes the advertising market smaller in this region is that throughout all the platforms we have the same content. What we
10 | SatellitePro | December 2012
deliver terrestrially is the same as what we deliver over satellite and cable. And even the advertising is the same. In the Arab world after the emergence of the satellite channels, terrestrial television died in some countries or in the best cases, it became the same as satellite TV. So the market has not grown as it has in other parts of the world. As a regulator, I would like to see terrestrial networks being promoted because it will reflect local traditions and aspirations and it will open up a new avenue for advertising.” - Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs, Saudi MOCI. On building strategic partnerships with local broadcasters “We have a Pan-Arab channel – Dubai TV – and in some countries we want to have a local presence such as in Egypt. Commercially it has not made sense to open separate channels for each of the countries, but we have strategic partners in some
(L to R) Khalid Ahmed Balkheyour President & CEO, ARABSAT receiving the award from Slaheddine Maaoui, ASBU Director General
Leading MENA Satellite Operator: ARABSAT They have just deployed the HBBTV solution in the region demonstrating agility and a penchant to experiment that you wouldn’t typically associate with a company that was established in 1976, by 21 governments. From its initiatives with regional organisations for the telecast of the 2012 Olympics, to the latest inclusion of the Mauritania bouquet, the company has demonstrated a leadership role that has admirably balanced its commercial and social mandate to ensure access to information for the larger Arab population across the MENA region. Lastly, the company displays vision for the region through its leadership role in critical satellite interference issues and the implementation of Carrier ID.
countries. Basically we resell our content to them and they buy it at good value. So commercially it makes sense for us. I don’t want to go to Egypt, open a channel and start to market it. I would rather work with local partners, sell them my best content and create a win-win situation for all.” Mohammed Al Shahi, CEO Strategy, Technology and Executive Affairs, Dubai Media Inc On the need for an alternative revenue model for broadcasters “Subscription TV does seem like a niche sector in this region right now. But this ought to change. Channels are heavily dependant on advertising and 80% of the advertising money is shared among the major broadcasters. So no matter how this advertising pie grows, their share will also grow. The other channels will not get much more in terms of advertising and some of the channels cannot make decisions without the advertiser’s say so because the latter controls their income.
In theory that should change. There should be another source of revenue that allows the broadcaster to grow. “In many parts of the world Pay TV in a more cheaper form has succeeded and people are willing to pay. I see broadcasters being stuck between a rock and hard place because advertising revenues are down and, on other side, cost of premium content has increased. This is not sustainable. I am an advocate of a viewer-supported business model for broadcasters. There are 55 million people watching TV – in some cases figures of 80 million are touted. What if each of those persons pay 10 cents a month. It does not have to be hundreds of dollars. This is one model that can grow the pie.” - Mohamed Youssif, CEO, YahLive On the appetite for pay TV and the need for people metres “A lot of people are getting pay TV through pirated sources – perhaps in an internet cafe or through
welcomed delegates. The keynote address by Ahmed Shaikh, Advisor to the Chairman of Al Jazeera Network, traced the tumultuous journey of the Doha-based broadcaster to the big league among global broadcasters. Panel discussions followed on exploring the link between broadcast and IT, where speakers assessed the challenges enroute to file-based operations, the convergence of technologies and the viability of the cloud, among other issues. A presentation by Dr. Fares Lubbadeh of SpaceTech TV Engineering, Jordan, offered the audiences an insight and some startling facts into the Arab broadcasting scene in view of the Arab Spring and other technological advancements. Other panel discussions focussed on multi-platform deliveries, the ‘lovehate’ relationship between telcos and broadcasters and establishing a sustainable business model for the broadcast industry. Dr Riyadh Najm joined CEOs from YahLive, Rotana, Sky News Arabia and Dubai Media Inc, to offer a candid view of the challenges in the region towards building sustainable business models for the broadcasters.
their mobile devices. That indicates to me that there is an appetite for the content. Half the people who say they are watching PAY TV are not getting it through subscription. Audience metres should help alleviate the situation. We have been starved of data in this region. Bringing in a tool for people to make more informed decisions can only be a good thing. I am an optimist. “ - Nart Bouran, Head of Sky News Arabia On creating a level playing field “I am not one for regulations. I like an open market where everyone competes. First of all, it will eliminate those in the business who should not be there in the first place – spending a lot of money, creating havoc in the market with unrealistic prices and with properties that will never make money. I am a proponent of making it a level playing field. “ - Peter Einstein, Deputy CEO, Rotana
December 2012 | SatellitePro | 11
SatLead
Outstanding HDTV Achievers:YahLive & SES
They began with a mandate to fundamentally drive the regional broadcast industry in a bold, new, high definition direction. Since late 2011 to the present day, they have more than 50 premium HD channels in their bouquet. Their high-powered satellite allows the end-user to deploy a small 45-60cm easy-to-install dish to receive the latest movies, programmes and live events in HD. The three satellite beams cover the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and South West Asia regions. As outstanding HDTV achievers for 2012, we recognise the unique collaboration between SES and YahLive.
(Above) The team from YahLive (Mohamed Youssif, CEO, far right in pic) and SES (Edgar Milic, General Manager Business Development MENA, far left in pic) (Below) (l to r) Thuraya’s Vice President of Marketing, Sanford Jewett receiving the award from Dr. Riyadh Najm, Deputy Minister of Information Affairs, Saudi MOCI
Commenting on the award, Mohamed Youssif, CEO of YahLive, said: “We, along with SES, are honoured to be recognised as the region’s leading HDTV pioneers with the ‘Outstanding HDTV Achiever’ award. This award speaks to the success of this unique partnership, which has produced the region’s only exclusively HD hot spot.”
Satellite Communications Player of the Year:Thuraya
As viewers demand to watch news as it unfolds, journalists and the camera crew are increasingly putting their lives at risk. This mobile service provider has worked towards ensuring the security of their network and therefore the user. Veteran journalists will vouch for their system when the situation in Libya or Syria left them with no wireless networks. Commenting on the award, Sanford Jewett, Thuraya’s Vice President of Marketing, said: “On behalf of our organisation and staff, we are truly honoured to receive this recognition for our work in the media and broadcast sector. In recent years, we have seen the face of journalism dramatically change and in response, Thuraya has developed a portfolio of mobile satellite products and solutions including our Thuraya IP terminal which enables reliable and secure communications for reporters to broadcast the news from remote areas and conflict zones.”
12 | SatellitePro | December 2012
SatVertical: Oil & Gas
The inaugural SatellitePro Oil and Gas Roundtable at the Yas Viceroy hotel on November 14, 2012, saw a candid exchange of views between satellite solutions providers and end-users in the oil and gas vertical. More images of the roundtable are at www.satelliteprome.com/influencers-roundtables/gallery
Oil & Gas R O U N D T A B L E
WHERE OIL & GAS END-USERS MEET SOLUTIONS PROVIDERS
PARTICIPATING COMPANIES
“We want transparency
and we need to see a roadmap” W Both oil and gas end-users and solutions providers were unanimous in their demand for transparency and a vision, during the first SatellitePro Oil and Gas Roundtable at the spectacular Yas Viceroy hotel in Abu Dhabi
The Oil and Gas Roundtable was sponsored by Hermes Datacomms, Thuraya, Safa Telecom, Xsat Global and Cygnus Telecom 14 | SatellitePro | December 2012
hile solutions providers wanted end-users to articulate their problems more clearly, end-users were looking for a clear roadmap from satellite solutions providers. The inaugural SatellitePro Oil and Gas Roundtable at the Yas Viceroy hotel on November 14, 2012, saw a candid exchange of views between satellite solutions providers and end-users in the oil and gas vertical. Sponsored by Hermes Datacomms, Thuraya, Safa Telecom, Xsat Global and Cygnus Telecom, the roundtable generated a debate on all issues ranging from the extent of free trials for customers and the value vs. cost debate, to criticality of SLAs and getting “that foot in the door”. Moderator Martin Hughes of Hermes Datacomms kept true to his word and steered the discussion from any sales pitches ensuring that the exchange was about creating a genuine conversation between the
IT/operations personnel from the oil and gas companies and satcom service providers. “We want to get people for whom data and telecommunications is a vital part of their daily life to talk about what makes them happy or drives them insane – both suppliers and customers,” he had stated in an interview prior to the roundtable. As promised, here are the extracts from the two-hour long exchange. How do you get that foot into the door? Would free trials help? Dominique Audion: We could have a free trial for a short period, but we try to be careful. Most importantly, we want our clients to understand the capabilities and limits of the technology. Moreover, we try to adapt our solutions to their needs. Fahad Kahoor: When it comes to a free trial, you need to specify a time period. What we
Gleb Larianov, General Manager, Xsat Global Fze
Shabeer Mohammed, Managing Director, Cygnus Telecom
Fahad Kahoor, Director of Market Development, Enterprise, Thuraya
“Cheaper is not always good. We need to generate value”
“We need the end-user to be transparent about his needs”
“When it comes to a free trial, you need to specify a time period”
have done is to create a platform to present new technology. We have two milestones in a calendar year, where we organise specific forums. Our current and potential customers are invited to study the development of products and have an idea of the roadmap. It is an arena for us to exchange and educate. Gleb Larionov: I believe that if you do not pay for it you will not appreciate it. When you look at the evolution of the industry and our customers’ needs, data needs are growing every week. The pipe is the same considering that a satellite has a lifetime of 15 years. So we have rigid options. The customer wants more and wants to pay less. We would love to do that and that is where compression and other adjustments come into play. Cheaper is not always good. We need to generate value.
technician. Solutions providers detest hardware. End-users should come to us for the services. Regarding hardware, there is enough information online and we could advise the client free of charge about the best option available. Nabil Ben Soussia: We know the satellite is already there. That is a given. We need to adapt and work with the technology. It is not always about increasing the pipe, but also about sending more in the same pipe. Fahad Kahoor: One of the key elements for oil and gas during exploration is filtering the massive data they need to send. The new technologies allow us to offer intelligent upstream solutions.
in Balochistan who have never heard of SLAs but who, for instance, want the equipment in a particular colour, of all the factors! I believe that the satellite industry is a victim of its success. A decade ago, you would have needed a week to set things up on a rig. Now in the next two to three years, end-users many not need us. Some smart employee on the rig will set it up and with satellite operators working directly with verticals, what stops an operator from signing up with an oil major directly? Tayeb Zemzem : When you speak of value added services, you create an expectation and it is critical to fulfill that to win the trust of the client. Value added services always create a loyal client in my experience. Also with core services, the value added feature has to be customised and specified at every level. End-user: For us the main concern is to reach our own target markets. While cost is a factor, our business requirements and operational efficiency is of primary importance. The solution provider needs to understand my requirement and provide a solution and create a value added element depending on my main concerns – which is really simple – if the link is down – the business suffers.
What would end-users like to see – are they only interested in getting services for less cost? End-user: If we can get the same service at a lower price, of course, we would be interested. But we are also interested in the new technologies that allow solutions providers to offer turnkey services. The new bandwidths such as Ka-band and the associated benefits also interest us greatly. The clear differentiator is the value-added services solutions providers can offer the end-user. Gleb Larionov: The industry is moving beyond hardware. The clients make the mistake of bargaining on hardware and when things go wrong, they will spend so much on a
It is well known that any downtime in the oil and gas operations could cost the end-user enormously. How much would the end-user be willing to invest by way of cost, to avoid downtime? Dominique Audion: A typical oil and gas rig site offers a more complicated picture than what we imagine. Some operations are critical no doubt. But there is a range of activity such as welfare, where the client is keen to look at a cost effective solution. So the same company will have varied approaches depending on the criticality of their needs. End-user: We are concerned with SLAs. That is an indication of the commitment from the supplier. I agree with Dominique – for some functions we need high SLAs – but access to Facebook is not mission critical. Gleb Larionov: Other than varied needs, we also have varied customers as solutions providers. From the oil majors to customers
How do we discover this business? Do we buy lunch? If I am not an existing supplier, how do I come up with an appropriate roadmap? Tayeb Zemzem: As solutions providers, we often make the mistake of going directly to the client and offering our range of services. We forget to listen to the client and understand his needs. The success of our business relates to the success of his business. December 2012 | SatellitePro | 15
SatVertical: Oil & Gas
Tayeb Zemzem, Executive Manager, Corporate Sales, Cygnus Telecom
Martin Hughes, Account Manager, Hermes Datacomms
Nabil Ben Soussia, Managing Director, Safa Telecom
“O3b is exciting – it could be a game-changer or it could fall flat”
“We forget to listen to the client and understand his needs”
“Client should not feel that you are pushing what you have in stock”
End-user: We have a strategy and roadmap based on our business goals. As far as our concerns with regard to communications solutions go, we are looking for alternatives to cable to overcome the risk of cable failure. We are searching for viable satellite-based solutions to ensure redundancy of crucial communications links. Nabil Ben Soussia: Knowledge of the market is critical along with a thorough knowledge of technologies and solutions available. Most importantly, the client should be offered solutions for his particular needs and should not feel that you are pushing what you have in stock. Fahad Kahoor: Typically it takes two to three meetings to fully grasp the client’s problems. At times we are lucky to meet customers who understand what they want, from fixed and portable solutions to bandwidths available. With such clients it is easy from the first meeting onwards. End-user: In large companies, solutions providers should not expect to meet the specialist who will use the solutions. You will meet a middle man, who will need to analyse the various options and to whom a proof of concept will have to be demonstrated.
And despite SLAs, we often see solutions providers disappear on the basis of some small print. We need the providers to be more proactive and transparent in their operations. Internally, we as decision makers have to face the brunt of any failure in communication links – so it is vital for solutions providers to keep us informed constantly. End-user: We expect the solutions provider to be proactive. Since we have to build five-year plans, we need to have visibility vis-à-vis the roadmap. I expect the solutions provider to know his product well and I definitely need after sales service.
local provider in the UAE. We are looking for alternatives, but the alternatives are all terrestrial which does not solve our problem of complete redundancy. Shabeer Mohammed: We can be flexible with our solutions – but we need the end-user to be transparent about his needs. Only then can we create a win-win situation and offer a roadmap that is both viable and effective in the long run.
How do clients and solutions providers approach the much-touted about concept of transparency? End-user: I face transparency issues with my current solutions providers. We are not told about downtimes etc. And these providers should appreciate the fact that my team has to face the music first with the management. While communications is just a fringe element, when it is down, it affects our entire business. Currently, we have an MPLS line to the Far East provided by a Singaporebased telco and we have an MPLS line with
What are the new exciting technologies to look forward to? Martin Hughes: For me personally, O3b is exciting – it could be a game-changer or it could fall flat. Fahad Kahoor: The GSM networks are already into 3G and 4G. In the satellite industry we are into 2.5G and we are looking forward to the 3G implementation. Tayeb Zemzem: Ka-band will really change the market, I believe. The antenna is smaller, it is more mobile – and we should see radical changes over the next three to four years. Gleb Larionov: With the satellite-based technologies, any service indoor, would be a plus. Also the user interface should be simplified through a simple tablet providing
OUTTAKES
“What would I like to know about an end-user… his favourite restaurant and bar”
16 | SatellitePro | December 2012
“Cost is secondary for the end-user. This industry is niche – you do not argue cost when buying a BMW!”
“I think we should have a global blackout and write to each other and appreciate what we have today”
“Receiving the first payment is a milestone crossed”
Dominique Audion, Managing Director, Safa Telecom
“The same company will have varied approaches depending on the criticality of their needs” full control via a simple and clean dashboard. End-user: Issues of latency are still crucial in the satellite industry. We are looking at smaller satellite terminals with video, voice and data on one single system. Nabil Ben Soussia: With the need to move more data , compression tools are critical because the pipe will always be small. I am looking forward to the new H.265 compression standards that is roughly twice as effective as the current standards to deliver higher quality and more efficient compression. Whose connection is it anyway? End-users and solutions providers debate the thorny issues of data security and areas of responsibility. End-user: The service provider manages the link till the router and within that area, it is his responsibility. While we as end-users want transparency in the working of the link, if the link drops, it is the responsibility of the service provider. Gleb Larionov: Outsourcing is a client decision. Historically, in this region, the end-user prefers to do everything within their organisation and when there are multiple providers, it is
“Getting a call from the client on the weekend after 7pm is never good news”
difficult to pinpoint who is responsible incase of a failure. End-user: We outsource because that is not our core business. But we want to manage end-to-end data security. Also increasingly, our employees want access to Facebook and other social media sites. We do not provide this on the corporate network and the SLAs need to be worked out separately. On the rig, typically, there is a designated area where employees can access the internet – we do not charge them for it but at the same time there are no guarantees of complete reliability of the network. Nabil Ben Soussia: It is a mistake to offer encryption. As solutions providers, we have to offer options that work with whatever encryption tool the client has. Since we rarely deal with people using our products we need to monitor our links to ensure that the customer is getting the service we were contracted for. Martin Hughes: You could physically separate the links for corporate and employee welfare, but would that be an investment the client is willing to undertake? The solution provider could offer bandwidth management solutions where low latency, high quality links are given for mission-critical purposes and administrators can control and prioritise network usage. Fahad Kahoor: We offer a dashboard system to monitor the links. There is also frequent dialogue between the client and our solutions providers in case of sudden peaks, crew overshooting the use of bandwidth and so on. Nabil Ben Soussia: No news from the client is not necessarily good news. No news would most probably mean he is talking to the competitor down the road. We want to be proactive. For instance, if he does not call and at the end of month he gets a big bill, he will not be pleased that we did not alert him in time. We need to monitor the network. If we
“Do you expect me to reveal my budget? In the three decades I have worked, I have not disclosed my budget to any solutions provider”
detect high traffic, it need not necessarily be a happy situation. It could be a virus. Tayeb Zemzem: Some clients are unhappy if we block the subscription in case we detect any problems. It is a delicate situation. The easy part is to sell; the difficult part is aftersales service. What would you like to see discussed in the next roundtable? End-user: We would like to see case studies discussed and we would also like to receive feedback on the Ka- band system. Every 18 months, we need to double the bandwidth availability and we would like to see costs of satellite networks compare favourably with terrestrial networks. Overall we are aware of costs of various technologies. We evaluate based on technology and not cost. It is crucial for us to get value, not just reduce cost. Islam Bugbul – While we would like transparency on all issues, we should have a frank discussion on pricing structures and talk about the whole issue of legacy products and how we can work to integrate new solutions around those products. Shabeer Mohammed– It would be useful to have an insight into the technical solutions clients are looking for, prior to the next meeting, and while we are talking about advantages, we should highlight the downside of various new technologies as well. Dominique Audion: I would like to know more about the clients’ vision for the next three to four years. It is also important as solutions providers to spell out the limits of the products. We also need to meet people from procurement because they are often not convinced about satellite-based solutions. They believe they are expensive. Fahad Kahoor: Among other issues, I would like to discuss with end-users their wish-list with regard to SCADA management. PRO
“Some of the clients do not understand how to explain their needs and ask for equipment out of a James Bond movie”
“The client may even abuse the privilege of a free trial”
December 2012 | SatellitePro | 17
SatTechnology: ACM
ACM dos & don’ts Over the last two years, Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) has become a widely used feature in DVB-S2 links. Although the change of ModCods within the signal is standardised, Jörg Rockstroh, Senior R&D Engineer at WORK Microwave, goes beyond theory to share his firsthand experience of ACM installations, touching on several important characteristics that ensure the most value out of this feature Prioritise ACM messages: It is crucial that the status messages from the receivers reach the modulator. As most systems are likely to be IP-based, correct routing and prioritisation in the network must be assured in order to guarantee the delivery of messages. Otherwise a notable drop in link bandwidth will occur due to lost messages — even if the signal quality is in good shape.
Manage outbound IP traffic:
Do not only focus on numbers:
Equally important is the management of outbound traffic, which faces a nonconstant available bandwidth. Many times, this turns out to be an unknown scenario for IP specialists, so interaction between ACM and the IP traffic shaping must be a consideration.
Some effects of satellite links are not represented to their full extent in the Es/N0 value, especially non-linearities or narrow band interference. Changing the offset will help overcome the influence immediately (i.e. as long as the interference is present) and maintain the operation of the link.
Limit channels based on the symbol rate: In point-to-multipoint links a symbol ratebased traffic management approach will prevent the IP links from affecting each other during changing conditions. Without this limitation, changing one ModCod could impact all present channels, as baseband frames of different modulations require a different length on the carrier (in symbols).
Start conservatively, approach the optimum:
Keep an eye on the Consider an Es/N0 offset: environmental conditions:
Most links require a small offset to the theoretical Es/N0 margins, typically 0.5 to 1.0 dB. That offset will cover delay times within the system (i.e. return channel over satellite and time between ACM messages) and accuracy limitations of the Es/N0 measurement. Without an offset, frame loss may occur when the signal quality degrades. Dynamic offsets and a hysteresis could be used to support link stability and efficiency. 18 | SatellitePro | December 2012
Even after the link is set up, optimised, and running, the ACM controller cannot predict where the remote units are installed. Offset and hysteresis values for the control loop should be configured to account for worst case scenarios, such as snow or dust storms, heavy rain, and dish mount stability issues due to heavy winds. All of these situations can have a different effect (i.e. in different frequency bands) on the Es/N0 and therefore the ACM.
ACM settings are hard to predict beforehand. When setting up a link it is wise to start out implementing very conservative settings until a stable link has been established. Even if the “first shot” does not have the desired bandwidth efficiency, an incremental approach is the best way to optimise the link once it is up and stable. Due to numerous parameters and conditions affecting the Es/N0, the best settings will be reached by analysing the results, making an adjustment, and then testing the new settings until they have been optimised.
SatForum
The Satellite Interference Reduction Group held its conference in Dubai in November 2012. Images on www.satelliteprome.com
“Deliberate interference has indeed increased dramatically since 2011” Mueid G. Al-Zahrani, VP & Chief Technical Officer-ARABSAT, speaks to SatellitePro ME about the operator’s initiatives in the areas of RF interference and deliberate jamming Give us an overview of ARABSAT’s initiatives to combat RF interference. ARABSAT has certified all its operations’ staff with GVF (510, 520 and 521) to provide adequate support to customers, in addition to the ‘Extended Host’, which includes the typical ‘HOST’ programme and a classroom rehearsal of the on-line training course. ARABSAT has enrolled 39 of its customers on GVF to stop interference before it happens. We are working to establish a training centre to educate our customers and leverage installers’ skills. How would you define the issue of deliberate jamming and how much of your interference issues at present can be attributed to deliberate jamming? The issue of deliberate interference has indeed increased dramatically since 2011. For example in 2012, the percentage of deliberate interference reached 26% out of the total interference on ARABSAT satellites. 20 | SatellitePro | December 2012
What technology do you have in place to identify sources of deliberate jamming – and once the source is identified, what can you do to mitigate the interference – both technically and legislatively? ARABSAT is using state-of-the-art Integral Geolocation Systems. Once the source is identified, Arabsat notifies the regulators in the country concerned, then approaches the ITU and, at times, the Arab League. The satellite industry reportedly loses millions of dollars per year due to cases of interference and a great deal of manpower has to be given over to discovering its causes. Going forward what measures would you recommend in terms of collaboration between governments and operators towards better coordination? The Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) will be putting in some efforts similar to what has been made to stop non-intentional interferences through GVF Certification and Carrier ID. We believe there will be coordination between satellite operators through IRG as it is the common denominator. PRO
What was said at the Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) conference in Dubai “Interference affects a small percentage of our capacity, but there is an impact in terms of customer dissatisfaction and the cost to us, given the personnel and infrastructure costs we incur.” “If you are spending USD1000 on a terminal, you don’t need Carrier ID. You need Carrier ID on the USD 200 terminal.” “We are capturing a lot more data on interference and we work closely with our console operators, but we are a long way from using it in a meaningful way.” “Data output is only as good as what you feed in.” “The customer was proactive, and it made a huge difference.” “It would be impossible for me to do the job (geolocation) without the help of other satellite operators.”
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SatVertical: Broadcast
Communicate! Be clear. Never assume. “Coordination is critical in the OU world,� says Samantha McCloskey, Vice President, Global Occasional Use, SES, speaking to SatellitePro ME about the record levels of occasional use capacity deployed during the US presidential elections 22 | SatellitePro | December 2012
“The record breaking amount of capacity of over 1,200 simultaneous MHz across 16 satellites sold during the US presidential elections 2012 was made possible by the enormous amount of planning – literally weeks – of our sales and operations teams” - Samantha McCloskey, Vice President, Global Occasional Use
Your company reported a sharp increase in occasional use of satellite capacity during the US elections – was this unprecedented in terms of previous events of a similar nature? Indeed. There was a record uptake of SES OU satellite capacity during the two-day US election period of November 6 and 7. SES customers that included the EBU, Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, Arqiva, Telemundo, Media Broadcast, NBC, CBS, CNN, PBS, Fox News, Encompass Digital Media, CNBC, MSNBC, Centrex and many others used SES satellites to cover the elections and to dispatch reports to TV stations around the world. In fact, in the US domestic arc, for Ku-band capacity alone, we used more than double the capacity in terms of MHz for the US presidential elections 2012 as compared to the 2010 mid-term elections. The key drivers of this unprecedented use were: • Overwhelming demand for live elections’ coverage The demand for Ku-band was extremely high because everyone both in and outside the States wanted to witness the elections live and watch the exciting events unfold before their eyes. During the elections, live on-site news gathering was taking place all over the United States with hundreds of SNG trucks spread across the country capturing live footage and leveraging SES’ global satellite
OPERATORS Dos • Partnership with customers is key. We know customers are under pressure just as much as we are so we work out in detail our access plans prior to the event. We communicate with our customers regularly as the event draws near to ensure successful coverage. • Organise your internal resources ahead of time to meet the demands of increased simultaneous traffic. Don’ts • Do not over promise capacity availability.
network to distribute their content across the country and globe. • Weeks of planning Typically for major events, customers, especially the major networks, need to book well in advance. In areas like the US where operators have an abundance of capacity this is a great benefit to the operator as well as to the network as it aids in planning operational resources required during the actual event. However, in areas where capacity is scarce, new capacity allocations need to be made as they become available. Sometimes this is at the 11th hour as an unexpected cancellation of a service occurs or a lease terminates and the carrier finally drops. Consolidation of the former subsidiary companies, SES Astra and SES World Skies, has resulted in closer cooperation within the sales and operations groups of SES and an ability to better anticipate and provision assets for customers’ needs fleet wide. More importantly, the record breaking amount of capacity of over 1,200 simultaneous MHz across 16 satellites sold during the US presidential elections 2012 was made possible by the enormous amount of planning – literally weeks – of our sales and operations teams. • Flexibility to deploy In addition to meticulous planning, a unified OU booking and sales process means we are able to deliver live feeds not only within the US but worldwide with one phone call or click of an online system. But sometimes, and notably, during the US presidential elections 2012, our customers’ needs greatly exceed our available resources. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to satisfy these requirements. For example, in November, a number of key network customers needed large blocks of additional capacity. We brought an inclined satellite (AMC-5) into service specifically for these customers for the elections. An inclined orbit satellite is always a bit of a challenge. However, we worked out detailed plans with the networks as to the loading and tracking of the satellite for short live shots and allowed our customers December 2012 | SatellitePro | 23
SatVertical: Broadcast
CUSTOMERS Dos • Be clear with your requirements and always clarify the solution being offered if in doubt. • Reserve capacity in the largest block needed. Also reserve it well in advance. • For a major event like an election; use multiple and diverse paths. • Build in test time and be sure to check all elements of your actual path prior to the event. • Consider any regulatory and licence costs, restrictions or timescales that need to be adhered to. • Ensure a proper vetted link budget has been run against actual resources and settings to be used. Don’ts • Wait until the last minute to book capacity during key events. • Underestimate requirements. • Book all capacity on one satellite or fibre.
24 | SatellitePro | December 2012
to gather the news they needed. The year 2012 has been a great year for the OU team. SES satellites delivered coverage of the Euro 2012 European football championships, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and used an unprecedented amount of occasional use capacity to broadcast the London Olympic Games. What are the challenges that you typically face when clients approach you for occasional use? In the world of OU, speed is key to our customers. For our existing customers reserving space is just an email, call, or an online click away. Likewise, we are equally swift at processing new customers’ requests. Regarding challenges – that depends on the event and how much available capacity there is. For example, the US Presidential Election night presents a unique set of challenges, primarily from the satellite access perspective. We have developed custom accessing tools ensuring short access times. In addition, we also activated two additional satellite access centres for OU support (South Mountain teleport in California and Manassas teleport in Virginia, in addition to Woodbine Access centre in Maryland). Out of the 1000 access calls we received within 24 hours, only two required troubleshooting assistance. What are some of the good practices around the management of occasional use capacity? As mentioned earlier, OU capacity management in the world of a satellite operator is only achieved with exceptional internal collaboration. We work closely with various departments ranging from
“One should never assume there is available capacity to broadcast the event. It is also equally important to build in redundancy and have a path B for any major event”
“There should always be clear communication between earth stations, broadcasters and operators. Which is why our motto is: Communicate! Be clear. Never Assume” regional full-time sales, engineering, asset management etc, to remain flexible in servicing our OU customers’ needs. All departments, including management, understand the importance of major events and make every effort to provision any non-committed capacity for these events. Our booking windows are extended where possible and capacity becoming available is quickly reused. In addition, we also have an asset management and customer management system which allows us to manage our inventory of OU products from satellite transponders to teleport facilities. This allows us to maintain the flexibility we need to maximise our inventory to meet market demands. In terms of coordination between earth stations, broadcasters and operators – what can typically go wrong? Coordination as you have correctly spotted is critical in the OU world. There should always be clear communication between earth stations, broadcasters and operators. Which is why our motto is: Communicate! Be clear. Never Assume. What is also important is that one should never assume there is available capacity to broadcast the event. It is also equally important to build in redundancy and have a path B for any major event. In addition to all the good practices, we are fortunate that we have seasoned professionals who know their customers and their resources inside and out and are able to think outside the box and deliver complex solutions and top level service at a moment’s notice. PRO
SatVertical: Maritime Apple’s IOS download site is slow.
The boss arrived. Can we upgrade to 20 mbps for 2 days?
We’re off to Tahiti tomorrow.
The Internet is slow today.
We have a blindspot and need another satellite.
The boss’ PC is really slow today...
We can’t find the satellite.
I can’t send emails...
Value matters
Virtually, none of these questions have anything to do with problems in the actual VSAT links, says Bertrand Hartman, CEO of OmniAccess S.L., as he stresses on offering value to the discerning world of the super-yacht industry
W
ith 12 years of experience in providing maritime VSAT services to the luxury superyacht sector, Bertrand Hartman, CEO of OmniAccess S.L., focuses on adding value. “It creates happy customers and happy customers stick. Adding value boosts revenues by allowing you to take a bigger slice of the chain, creates deeper (lasting) relationships, lends a competitive edge and really…nobody has come up with a better alternative yet.” To offer value, Hartman believes in providing end-to-end solutions to what he describes as the “demanding zero 26 | SatellitePro | December 2012
tolerance super-yacht industry”. Offering end-to-end services is not a choice “From designing advanced AV/IT networks and RF/communications solutions, to delivering, configuring and installing the components; we also take care of commissioning and Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) procedures. We operate the VSAT and secondary services and in addition, provide operational support, maintenance and management.” Asked as to why he would adopt the end-to-end approach, Hartman gives a simple, straightforward response:
“Because we feel in our segment it’s the only feasible approach.” He adds, “Marine VSAT is relatively new and the technology is comparatively immature. It is most definitely not an overthe-counter product. “Significantly, on-board skills are limited coupled with an extreme dependency on working IT networks. This can be a potent mix.” Stressing that end-to-end service is not a choice but a must, he insists, “While sales gets the business in, support keeps the clients in. And good support requires that you ‘know’ the vessel.”
What clients want Offering an insight gained from servicing more than 100 of the most discerning clients in the super-yacht sector, Hartman outlines what clients are looking for. “Clients are typically looking for reliability and plenty of uptime with no problems. Speed of connectivity is critical and they are looking for a hasslefree, one-stop, integrated hardware and service solution. They want end-to-end support if something goes wrong. Lastly, the equipment and technology needs to be simple, easy to use, flexible and transparent – all at a reasonable cost.” There is a need for speed and a growing hunger for bandwidth. Hartman gives the example of a single client with a high speed Ku-band private network, who over a 28-day period of what can be described as “leisure” use consumed a whopping total of 4.5 TB of bandwidth. Hartman stresses that there has been a
“While sales gets the business in, support keeps the clients in. And good support requires that you ‘know’ the vessel” - Bertrand Hartman CEO of OmniAccess S.L
paradigm shift in the consumer’s lifestyle. “People’s lifestyles have become increasingly digital. End-users expect to be online all the time including their leisuretime. Yachts and boutique leisure cruises compete with shore-side offerings like resorts etc. where fast and free internet is the norm. “Rather than seeing internet as a costcentre (or revenue-generator), our clients increasingly see VSAT as a strategic “have to have” item. No internet, according to them equals no clients. Consequently capabilities (rather than costs) become drivers.” Bandwidth demands are absolutely going through the roof, according to Hartman. “ The industry (maritime VSAT operators, satellite operators, systems integrators and network manufacturers) will be expected to deliver with redundant solutions that overcome inclement weather conditions on the vessel or at the teleport and blindspots on the vessel. Days of 1 mbps link keeping 100 passengers happy are over.” PRO
Network infrastructure aboard a 96-metre mega-yacht
• Redundant 20 gbps fibre network backbone • 24 Cisco Layer-3 gigabit Ethernet switches • 1000+ copper wired gigabit Ethernet connection-points • 104 Cisco wireless access-points + redundant central controller • Wireless Location System
• WiMAX backhaul network to tenders (10-mile range) • Video-enabled digital IP-PBX with 100+ wired & wireless end-points • Integrated PA-system and paging • Redundant gigabit edge-routers with automatic failover routing • Plexus network control system • Dual redundant Ku-band VSAT installation with iDirect modems • Dual redundant Ku-band TVRO antennas • 2x INMARSAT Fleet-BB500, 1x Iridium, 4x Ericsson 3G gateways • Cisco ASA firewalls • Cisco Clean Access Server NAC • Automated backup system • Windows AD fileserver, Exchange mail-server, AAA access servers etc. • Onboard Network Management System (NMS)
December 2012 | SatellitePro | 27
Emerging Space powers: Menace or advantage?
John B. Sheldon, Principal and Senior Consultant of The Torridon Group outlines the benefits and roadblocks ahead for emerging space nations, in conversation with Torsten Kriening for SatellitePro ME
When we talk about new space powers, who are we referring to? As of 2012, there are now over 60 countries operating in space. With each passing year, more and more countries become space powers – this year alone we are seeing countries ranging from Armenia to Turkmenistan make the decision to become players in space. This activity is taking place on every continent – Africa, Latin America, all over Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and, of course, the Middle East and North Africa. What opportunities do you see from these changes? What are the implications for established space powers? The opportunities are tremendous, certainly from a commercial perspective in terms of applying satellite applications to emerging economies, and increasing regional and global competition in this
28 | SatellitePro | December 2012
sphere. There are also challenges, of course, because not every country will have a successful space programme. Failure could result from failures in technology, technology integration, poor business models, or poor organisation and management. Failure will also arise because many countries are focusing exclusively on the obvious technological dimension of space, but not on the myriad policy issues and obligations that come with being a space power. As for the implications for established space powers, well they are good and they are bad. The implications are good because emerging space powers have to learn the ropes from someone and so they turn to established space powers for that technological push and mentoring. The arrival of emerging space powers is also good for global commercial competition
60 too, and satellite companies in established space powers are – if they are smart – taking note of this and positioning themselves accordingly. There are also bad implications: too often I hear from policy makers in established space powers who dismiss the efforts of emerging space countries, and who cannot grasp that for these countries a presence in space is just as important to them for commercial, political, and national security purposes as it is for established powers to be in space. This is bad because one should never underestimate the potential of others, but also because it is a missed opportunity to help shape the trajectory of emerging space powers. Finally, there are bad implications if pariah states, such as North Korea, gain access to space as it will only amplify their ability to cause mischief and instability in the international community. Will space power play an increasing economic and national security role in the 21st century? Absolutely! In fact, I argue that the 21st century will be viewed by future historians as the age that humanity finally made the purposeful and permanent leap to the stars, and this will be possible because of the commercial pioneers out there pushing the envelope of what is considered possible. If you had told seasoned space policy analysts just a few years ago that a company like SpaceX would conduct a resupply mission to the International Space Station without a major hitch, and at a price point that is potentially profitable, you would have been met with a chorus of deep skepticism. Well, SpaceX just completed such a mission and is contracted by NASA to conduct many more. The future has only just begun! In terms of national security, again we will see profound change. Most emerging space power capabilities today are modest when compared to established space powers, but with the continuing miniaturisation of sensors and other payload technologies, thus enabling the manufacture of smaller, more capable,
John B. Sheldon, Ph.D., is Principal and Senior Consultant of The Torridon Group, and formerly professor at US Air Force‘s School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
“Failure will also arise because many countries are focusing exclusively on the obvious technological dimension of space, but not on the myriad policy issues and obligations that come with being a space power” and cheaper satellites, as well as more competitive pricing in the launch sector, we will soon see more and more emerging space powers utilise space for national security purposes. This is profound because it will challenge the seemingly insurmountable dominance of Western militaries in this particular domain. What drivers motivate emerging space powers to go to space and what are the challenges that emerging space powers face? The particular motivations to enter space vary from country to country, but they are all essentially the same mix of motivations that spurred the Soviet Union and the United States to enter space back in the
Estimated number of countries operating in space in 2012
late 1950s. National pride, autonomy, national security, and in the 21st century, commercial opportunities, all play a part in why more and more countries are entering space. The challenges that emerging space powers face are many. The most obvious one is technological: getting to, and operating in, space is hard and will remain so for some time to come. Other challenges include generating the resources to sustain a robust and useful space programme, and those challenges involve sound policy making and implementing plausible strategies to fulfill policy aims. It’s not enough to just launch something and sit back on your laurels. You need to see a return on that large investment, and that means tackling challenges like integrating space applications into every aspect of society so that it might benefit from the many advantages space has to offer. For example, in order to truly benefit commercially from space you must implement sound economic policies and reforms to enable this. A recent study suggested that for every Euro invested in space there is a four to five Euro return on that investment. That’s only true if you have a free market that can take advantage of space applications. How do emerging space powers impact the future of international space governance and regulation? With difficulty. While there is much to celebrate about emerging space powers, in terms of space governance and regulation I am deeply pessimistic. The reason for this is that the current international order is slowly fracturing. You name any policy topic – the global economy, international trade, climate change, and so on – and you are seeing an increasing stalemate and a growing inability to reach consensus on common problems. Why? Because there are more and more countries with individual national interests to reconcile. For example, on global economy, issues used to be resolved via the G-5, then the G-7, quickly followed by the G-8, and now the G-20. Soon it will be the G-77! December 2012 | SatellitePro | 29
SatInterview
And, sadly, with each iteration, despite grand communiques and collegial group photographs, nothing of substance can be agreed upon. Well, the same is true of space with its many challenges, such as frequency and orbital slot allocations and the really urgent matter of space debris mitigation. Frankly, there will be no grand bargain among all the space powers on these issues. This is why sound – and by sound I mean prudent – policy making is needed on space issues in order to navigate these challenges. There will be no grand bargain, but small practical, iterative, steps that can be taken among spacefaring nations to resolve these issues, but such resolutions requires patience, education, a willingness to negotiate in good faith, and awareness of the issues as they pertain to individual state interests. I’m not convinced we are there yet. Do the UN treaties still have the power to regulate the new issues? The 1968 Outer Space Treaty is the only legal regime in space and will remain so for quite some time. Should it be modified? Yes, but not for the reasons that all too many diplomats think. Some believe that the regime should be strengthened by establishing a formal arms control regime in space that bans weapons that don’t even exist. This is laughable diplomacy, and entirely misses the point of 21st century space power, which is going to be dominated more by commercial interests. It is through the commercial prism that the Outer Space Treaty regime must be
“It is through the commercial prism that the Outer Space Treaty regime must be modified. The national security element is very important, without a doubt, but is ultimately a red-herring” 30 | SatellitePro | December 2012
“National pride, autonomy, national security, and in the 21st century, commercial opportunities, all play a part in why more and more countries are entering space” modified. The national security element is very important, without a doubt, but is ultimately a red-herring. What implications are there for industry, in both developed and emerging space powers? There are tremendous implications for industry throughout the global satellite sector. First, we are seeing new space industries emerge in Brazil, South Korea, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, and other emerging powers will follow suit. Second, new manufacturing technologies and techniques, such as additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing), will enable these emerging industries to technologically leapfrog and catch up with industry in established space powers. Third, and finally, global supply chains will become more diversified and we will eventually see increased competition on a global scale – and that is only good for consumers. What business opportunities do emerging space power industries bring? Emerging space industries are better able to meet the needs of local and regional markets because they understand them better. Meeting these needs, in a growing global marketplace, will lead to new innovations, especially in applications, that can be applied elsewhere around the world. There are also opportunities for space launch. Countries such as Brazil, Kenya, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia all have the potential to become lucrative launching states.
What military implications are there from emerging space powers? Essentially, emerging space powers – provided that they are able to integrate space effectively into their terrestrial armed forces – will be able to benefit from space power in the same way as the United States and its allies do today. Not every emerging space power will do this, of course, but those that do will go a long way to level the strategic playing field and will benefit from the strategic attributes that space power brings, namely: perspective, ubiquity, presence, and expanded strategic depth that extends well beyond national boundaries. How are the UAE and Qatar positioned in the space race? The UAE is exceptionally well placed to exploit the new trends in global space race. They have the resources, the knowhow, and the national will. They also have some powerful motivations to enter space. First, space plays a big part in the drive to diversify the Emirati economy, creating highly skilled and high technology jobs, and by inference, a highly skilled and high tech workforce. The second motivation has its roots in the strategic location and geography of the UAE, and its crucial position in the Arabian Gulf. Space power enables the UAE to take advantage of the strategic attributes of space that I mentioned previously. As for Qatar, it has the potential to be a major space player in the Gulf and the wider region. It also has similar motivations as the UAE. PRO
Interview conducted by Torsten Kriening, a business development consultant with an Executive MBA in space business and management from ISU, Strasbourg, France. Email: torsten@spaceroad.org
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Satellite capacity in the Middle East.
Gulfsat Communications is one of the leaders in the communication service industry and pioneers in satellite communications. Gulfsat designs, integrates,Installs, and provides advanced satellite solutions for enterprises, government organizations and home users.
www.gulfsat.com
SatOpinion: Space Law
Settling space
spats
As outer space activities grow in scope, the need for enforcement and dispute resolution will increase, but will require unique approaches to preserve the unique space environment, writes space law expert, Michael J. Listner
32 | SatellitePro | December 2012
S
pace law been an enigma to most; however, as the scope of outer space activities becomes more prolific and as our everyday lives become more entwined with those activities, the laws and customs surrounding the access to and use of outer space becomes a more important topic to be considered. International space law, which is based on customary and treaty law, has been difficult to enforce through penalties for non-compliance because not only are the treaties that make up the body of space law intentionally ambiguous, but the nature of international law seldom allows for penalties. This deficiency in international space law is made up for in some respect by potential political ramifications for noncompliance, and the members themselves are left to enforce the principles and laws
typically through the enactment of domestic space law. As outer space activities have grown, so have the issues such as space debris, signal interference between commercial satellites, availability of slots within the geosynchronous belt, the advent and impact of commercial space and other matters that have implications on the freedom of access to outer space. In particular, the future of commercial space and space tourism has raised concerns among international groups for a need for an integrated regulatory regime for aviation and space traffic management. Although these issues would traditionally be addressed by a legally binding regulatory approach or treaty, the question is whether one is feasible or needed? The answer to both questions is no. However,
The Rules The Optional Rules for Arbitration of Disputes Relating to Outer Space Activities was developed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), based in The Hague. A special PCA advisory group comprised of space law experts from across the globe reportedly developed the new rules. They are designed “to reflect the particular characteristics of disputes having an outer space component involving the use of outer space by states, international organisations and private entities.” The Rules reportedly consist of 43 articles and a model arbitration clause that parties may insert into contracts, treaties or other agreements for arbitration of future disputes.
that does not mean that the issues surrounding outer space activites do not need to be addressed. For instance, commercial space activities, including suborbital operations, are in the early stages of development and excessive regulation would stifle development of this new industry. Therefore, the United States government has placed a moratorium on regulation, including liability for passengers, until the industry matures and with it regulation. As the industry enters operations, regulatory bodies will continue to monitor their operations and regulation of the industry will follow as the industry matures. Code of Conduct: A first step Space debris is becoming a concern, especially in the low-earth orbit. The
“As private commercial interests become more prevalent in outer space activities, space law, both domestic and international, has begun to merge with areas of traditional law including property, contract, and intellectual property” current body of international space law does not specifically address this matter nor does it seem likely that a legally binding treaty would find general acceptance. Nonetheless, this does not mean that the issue is being ignored. In October 2012, the United States and the EU convened with other nations at the UN to negotiate a ‘Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities’, that would address, among other things, space debris and general conduct of nations while performing their respective activities in outer space. The Code of Conduct is not a treaty nor is it intended to be binding upon the nations that sign onto it. Rather it represents a first step in developing a set of best practices and protocols to be adhered to that will preserve the outer space environment. Need for wider scope for dispute resolution Ancillary to the issue of enforcement is dispute resolution. The governmental nature of space law and outer space activities in general has created a paradigm where disputes that arise from outer space activities are strictly the province of government agencies and diplomats. Disputes that arise in this arena are often dealt through diplomatic channels and seldom use legal dispute resolution mechanisms to achieve a solution. However, as private commercial interests become more prevalent in outer space activities, space law, both domestic and international, has begun to merge with areas of traditional law including property, contract, and intellectual property.
Extending arbitration rules to private entitites As that merger continues, international disputes between governmental entities and private entities will grow as well. The downfall is that outside of dispute resolution mechanisms incorporated into contracts and diplomatic overtures made on their behalf, private entities involved in outer space activities have few choices in alternative forums to resolve their disputes. The legal community took notice of this deficiency and addressed it with the adoption of new rules (See box) for arbitration keyed specifically for issues arising from outer space activities, both in the context of resolving disputes pertaining to treaties in the diplomatic world and contracts in the private sector. These rules provide a unique forum for dispute resolution for private entities and governments seeking an alternative forum of dispute resolution to resolve disagreements over potential violations of treaties involving outer space. Moreover, the rules can be used as a forum to resolve disputes over the interpretation of the current body of international space law and may even provide a means to arbitrate disputes around a future code of conduct. As outer space activities grow in scope, the need for enforcement and dispute resolution will increase. However, the unique nature of the outer space environment will require unique approaches to preserve the outer space environment and to settle disputes that arise within it. PRO
Michael J. Listner is the founder and principal of Space Law and Policy Solutions, a firm that consults on matters relating to space law and policy for government and private organisations. Michael also serves as the Vice President of Legal Affairs for the International Space Safety Foundation (ISSF). Email: Michael@ spacelawsolutions.com or follow him on Twitter @ponder68.
December 2012 | SatellitePro | 33
SatTechnology: Product Reviews
EDRS space network ready to go ahead
The design of Europe’s data relay satellite system – EDRS – has been completed and approved. EDRS will provide a telecommunications network, reportedly making real-time information from satellites available on demand. EDRS will be the first commercially operated data relay system to deliver services to the Earth observation community. The payload includes a laser terminal
developed by TESAT of Germany to transmit up to 1.8 gigabits per second over distances in excess of 40 000 kms, between the lower satellites and EDRS in geostationary orbit. The first of the two EDRS payloads will be carried on the Eutelsat-EB9B satellite, starting operation in 2014, built by Astrium and positioned at 9°E over the Equator. www.esa.int
Hermes Datacomms develops wireless mobile VSAT solution Hermes Datacomms, a satcom solutions provider to the oil and gas industry has developed a mobile wireless VSAT solution. The trailer-mounted system is, the company claims, self-contained, simple and reliable in hot, dusty and wet conditions. With the touch of a single button, the system is reportedly deployed and ready to use in four minutes, providing instant WiFi internet access. Bill Green, Global Account Director, expands, “We are very excited
about this new product development. It builds on our existing deployed mobile systems in Ethiopia and Kenya, offering an even greater level of simplicity and reliability”.
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Cobham’s landbased terminals for Global Xpress
Barry Bouwmeester, Account Manager, explains, “Hermes Datacomms now provides extensive coverage in Africa using AMOS-5 satellite which features a high power C-band beam and regional KUband beams. The new Wireless mobile VSAT technology is an add on to the services we can offer to our customers who are often working in difficult and challenging environments”. www.hermes.uk.com
Cobham has been selected by Inmarsat as a “Launch Partner” to provide land-based satellite communication terminal antennas reportedly designed to support the global service introduction of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) network. Cobham will, the company claims, ensure availability of its GX land terminals at the introduction of the new Ka-band satellite network. It will reportedly deliver the highest speeds through more compact terminals than existing very small aperture terminals (VSAT) services. The land-based terminals include vehicle-transportable, fly-away and man-pack configurations. Working together with iDirect’s GX Core Module, the products will reportedly offer computer-assisted manual point and fully automatic auto-acquire configurations. These products will serve the military, public safety and law enforcement, energy and media markets. www.cobham.com
NASA creates paint to protect satellite equipment Outgassing isn’t healthy for humans and, as it turns out, not particularly wholesome for sensitive satellite instruments, either. But a team of NASA engineers has created a new way to protect those instruments from its ill effects. Outgassed solvents, epoxies, lubricants, and other materials aren’t especially wholesome for contamination-sensitive telescope mirrors, thermal-control units, high-voltage electronic boxes, cryogenic instruments, detectors and solar arrays, either. As a result, NASA engineers are always looking for new techniques to prevent these gases from adhering to instrument and spacecraft surfaces and potentially shortening their lives. Led by Principal Investigator Sharon Straka, an engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Md., the team has created a new, patent-pending sprayable paint that adsorbs these gaseous molecules and stops them from affixing to instrument components. Made of zeolite, a mineral widely used in industry for water purification and other uses, and a colloidal silica binder that acts as the glue holding the coating together, the new molecular adsorber is highly permeable and porous — attributes that trap the outgassed contaminants. Because it doesn’t
Goddard technologist Nithin Abraham, a member of the team that has developed a low-cost, lowmass technique for protecting sensitive spacecraft components from outgassed contaminants, studies a paint sample in her laboratory. Credit: NASA/Pat Izzo
contain volatile organics, the material itself doesn’t cause additional outgassing. Straka also believes the technology could be used on the International Space Station or future space habitats to trap pollutants and odours in crew quarters. www.nasa.gov
Hughes unveils broadband plans for SMEs Hughes has introduced three new HughesNet Gen4 Business Internet service plans that reportedly deliver speeds up to 15 Mbps for small and mediumsized enterprises, ideal, the company claims, for locations where terrestrial high-speed Internet
connections are either too expensive or unavailable. The new HughesNet Gen4 Business Internet plans provide download speeds of 10 Mbps or 15 Mbps and a choice of data allowances tailoured to the needs of the business. The new service plans are powered by the recently
launched EchoStar XVII satellite with Jupiter highthroughput technology—a next-generation Ka-band satellite employing a multi-spot beam architecture and reportedly providing fast satellite internet speeds. www.hughes.com
Astrium Services showcase maritime broadband solutions
Astrium Services showcased its global maritime VSAT service at Seatrade Middle East in Dubai. The service, the company claims, is developed with a view to making maritime VSAT easier to install and more accessible to a wider range of vessels including medium-size transportation, fishing and leisure boats. The Ku-band antenna comes in a range of sizes at 60cm, 80cm and 1 metre, and is delivered pre-assembled for more simple installation. Additional hardware providers will produce the antenna further down the line to provide companies a more complete choice. Customers reportedly benefit from a 10 GB data package at speeds of 1.5Mbps. In terms of coverage, the Ku area has been significantly extended in the Indian oceans recently, delivering, the company claims, most extended VSAT coverage for increasingly international maritime traffic. Moreover, visitors can learn more about the platform Vizada XChange. Vizada XChange is a platform that reportedly provides a secure and controlled communications environment integrating voice and broadband data. It is designed, the company claims, to simplify the complex IT environments onboard while providing flexibility to ship operations and crew. Ships can reportedly become virtual mobile offices complete with local area networks and their own intranets for administration and crew. Administrators can keep an eye, the company claims, on communication costs by setting access authorizations for phones and internet connections. www.astrium.eads.net December 2012 | SatellitePro | 35
SatTechnology: Product Reviews
RapidSat700 portable satellite solution from Beam Beam Communications has launched its portable satellite communications system RapidSat700, designed to operate with the Inmarsat BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) network. The RapidSat700 solution is reportedly designed for satellite communication deployment in emergency situations, first responder and disaster recovery work, as well as for a rapid setup providing easy access to voice and higher speed satellite data and internet access in remote areas. RapidSat700 aims, the company claims, to provide WiFi connection up to 45 metres outdoors, 10/100Mbps LAN ports, RJ11 voice/fax & handset, voice/ data connectivity, supports data rates up to 492kbps and status indicators and fan-forced cooling allowing for integrated power management. Nonstop 24 hours of transit time is also designed to be made available with an inbuilt Lithium Battery backup of 538WHr.
Also built into the RapidSat700 is the Explorer 700 BGAN terminal designed to provide access to the highest bandwidth available via BGAN, allowing for a wide range of high-performance applications. www.beamcommunications.com
iPad Application to showcase SES fleet SES has launched a new iPad application, showcasing the SES global fleet of 52 satellites and including over 150 footprints. Now available in the App Store, the app – SES Satellites - is reportedly designed by SES to engage its customers and enable them to easily locate the satellites covering their markets. SES Satellites is the first satellite fleet iPad application, the company claims, with a search tool that displays satellite coverage based on one’s location and has an augmented reality view which allows customers to easily locate the position of
SES satellites by holding and pointing an iPad towards the sky. Augmented reality view is a camera view of one’s surroundings, enhanced with digital information. The iPad application also includes facts and figures of the SES
36 | SatellitePro | December 2012
satellites and high quality footprints. The SES Satellites application can be downloaded via WiFi on iPad 2 and higher versions. www.ses.com
Nexus Hybrid Maritime solution from MTN
MTN has unveiled its next-generation satellite and terrestrial hybrid network solution Nexus, which reportedly aims to deliver content, social media and voice solutions developed specifically for maritime consumer markets. The MTN Nexus hybrid network was also designed, the company claims, to deliver computing, caching and security infrastructure. MTN President and CEO Errol Olivier said that the Nexus launch was driven by a significant increase in connectivity and content demands from cruise operators as cruise passenger and crew communications’ requirements grow. According to a recent Business Insider report, consumers expect to be connected everywhere, as evidenced by the more than two billion people online today via internet devices. Smartphone sales overtook PC sales in 2011, and Business Insider also cites social networking as the second most popular mobile application in terms of consumption per minute. Today these trends reflect vacationers’ expectations – to keep their devices with them, to keep them on and to keep them connected. www.mtn.com
Merlin transmits 1080i HD transmission from London Quicklink tested the Merlin backpack out in the streets of London with the new 4G and 3G networks. The Merlin backpack encoder seamlessly bonded, the company claims, together 6 Mobile Sims. The Merlin backpack aggregates together both the 3G and 4G networks. If there is no 4G coverage, the Merlin automatically transmits on the available 3G network whilst adjusting to suit the available bandwidth. The Merlin backpack was put to the test streaming live broadcast quality video with latency recorded at less than 1 sec. The testing involved presenting from stationary locations and interviewing whilst walking and in moving vehicles in and around the Houses of Parliament, London. Later in the evening, Quicklink broadcast bonded 3G live from in the Emirates Airline cable car, cruising along above 200ft in the air with an extraordinary view on the London skyline. The Quicklink Merlin backpack encoder reportedly performed even after a prolonged duration in a road tunnel. The presenter had no phone signal on his mobile but the Merlin backpack was able to transmit live quality video. The Merlin backpack was operating from
within a London taxi stationary within the tunnel for five minutes. The Merlin backpack could still reportedly transmit the 3G live signal because of its special antenna system. Quicklink were able to achieve, the company claims, up to 13 MB Live Encoding from London with the Quicklink Merlin on bonded 3G/4G network. www.quicklink.tv
Norsat launches global VSAT bundle Norsat International has launched Global-VSAT, an equipment and global airtime services package that reportedly leverages the Norsat MarineLink line of maritime VSAT terminals. The package is available via flexible lease and purchase options and will provide, the company claims, Norsat’s maritime customers with a complete end-to-end communications solution including
terminals, modems, air time, installation, and technical support. Global-VSAT reportedly provides coverage through a global satellite network, which features automatic bandwidth levelling for the network performance,
remote management capabilities for worldwide monitoring and control, and automatic signal switching to prevent signal blockages. The flexible service package is available at monthly rates, and is reportedly compatible with all of Norsat’s COM and TVRO series antennas, including options for Ka-band, KuBand, X-band and C-band. www.norsat.com
Carrier monitoring system from Siemens
Siecams is an automated RF traffic monitoring system for the continuous monitoring of satellite signals. Siecams reportedly improves the capability of satellite providers/telecom companies to react promptly and effectively to anomaly events and to provide assistance for activities such as controlling access to the satellites (carrier line-ups) and solving problems (e.g. analysing interference and carrier performance). A notable feature of Siecams, according to the company spokesman, is its multisite capability. All monitoring sites can be combined to a single point controlled system. That means you can monitor and control all your traffic from all your satellites independent from which ground station they are visible with one single system. The client-server architecture reportedly allows client applications to be connected anywhere on the network. Measurements can be performed at any site and merged together. Siecams puts, the company claims, the monitoring resources (i.e. monitoring antennas and measuring devices) in the configuration database to optimum use. For each measurement, the system reportedly selects the monitoring resources from the ones available and in accordance with the configuration data. Siecams reportedly supports a wide range of monitoring equipment such as spectrum analysers, down converters and switching units. www.siemens.ae December 2012 | SatellitePro | 37
SatEvents
Milsatcom events on the anvil
Milsatcom MEA This new regional conference and exhibition will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from February 25 27, 2013. Thuraya, will reportedly be the lead sponsor at this inaugural event. The Middle East & Africa face extensive security challenges and Satcom technology provides enhanced capability for tackling the prevalent issues in the region such as disaster preparedness and management, border surveillance, aerial reconnaissance, deployed operations and multiple maritime, land and air operational requirements. The upgrading, maintenance and coordination of communications systems has therefore become a key objective for contingent states. Speakers and topics include: • Is Satellite Still MissionCritical? Samer Halawi, Chief Executive Officer, Thuraya
• Satellite Partnerships and Hosted Payloads Anthony Colucci, Vice President Marketing & Sales, Space Systems/Loral • Don’t Overlook Narrowband: The Future of International Government and Industry Partnerships David Cavossa, President of Government Solutions, Harris CapRock • MilSatCom Systems for the MEA Region Nikolaus Faller, Director of International Sales and Marketing Middle East & Africa, Astrium • SatCom in the Qatar Armed Forces Brigadier Abdulaziz Falah Aldosari, Qatar Emiri Signal Corps., Qatar Armed Forces • Safety and Security of MSS for the Military User David Moss, Director Government Solutions, Thuraya
• The Wireless Com Landscape in the UAE Dr. Mohammed Ismail Elnaggar, Communication Engineering Department, Khalifa University
• Hosted Payloads: Utilising Available Power, Mass and Space on Commercial Satellites in the MEA Region Edgar Milic, General Manager Business Development Middle East and North Africa, SES
• EgyptSat-2 Project and Educational Satellite Lab Mohamed Ibrahim, Director of Satellite Systems Development & Test Laboratory, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS)
At a glance: Dates: 25-27 February 2013 Venue: Amwaj Rotana, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai, UAE Registration: www.smi-online.co.uk
38 | SatellitePro | December 2012
Global Space and Satellite Forum (GSSF) The forum provides an opportunity for international experts to meet with regional leaders and tap into the multibillion dollar satcom, space tourism, milsatcom and earth observation programmes under way across the Middle East, Africa & South Asia region. Now in its 4th year, GSSF 2013 will host officials from more than 50 regional national space programmes and research centres and feature two parallel conferences, technical seminars, product showcase area and a number of networking events throughout the event.
Milsatcom Middle East Milsatcom Middle East is a two-day conference developed specifically to meet the satellite communications needs of the Middle East military, government and security agencies. The event is now co-located with the Global Space and Satellite Forum. The programme for 2013 will reportedly feature defence delegations from GCC and Greater Middle East, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
At a glance: Dates: 7-8 May 2013 Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal, Abu Dhabi, UAE Registration: www.milsatcom.me www.gssforum.com
Events for 2013 IBC 2013 Annual event for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide.
Dubai International Boat Show 2013 Experience the latest collection of superyachts and boats from across the globe at the region’s annual leisure marine show!
At a glance: Dates: 5-9 March 2013 Venue: Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Siyahi Registration: www.boatshowdubai.com
Cabsat 2013 CABSAT is the trade platform for the broadcast, digital media and satellite sectors across the Middle East, Africa and Southern Asian regions.
At a glance: Dates: 12-14 March 2013 Venue: Dubai International Convention Centre Registration: www.cabsat.com
Broadband MEA The two-day programme includes two preconference workshops and brings more than 70 speakers including more than 40 operator case studies to address the issues around broadband.
At a glance: Dates: 19-20 March 2013 Venue: JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai Registration: www.broadbandmea.com
NAB 2013 Every industry employs audio and video to communicate, educate and entertain. The NAB Show covers the entire content lifecycle – from creation to consumption.
At a glance: Dates: 13 – 17 September 2013 Venue: RAI, Amsterdam Registration: www.ibc.org
VSAT 2013 Conference for operators, solutions providers and integrators in the VSAT sector
At a glance: Dates: 6-11 April 2013 Venue: Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas Registration: www.nabshow.com
At a glance: Dates: 18-20 September 2013 Venue: Amsterdam, Netherlands Registration: vsatevent.com
SatCom Africa 2013
GITEX 2013
Africa’s satellite, telco and broadcast show
Gitex Dubai is a computer, hardware, software, networks and telecom show.
At a glance: Dates: 27-30 May 2013 Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Registration: www.terrapinn.com/ exhibition/satcom-africa/
At a glance: Dates: 20-24 October 2013 Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Centre Registration: www.gitex.com
CommunicAsia 2013 The international communications and information technology exhibition and conference.
At a glance: Dates: 18-21 June 2013 Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Registration: www.communicasia.com
ADIPEC 2013 Reportedly the largest oil and gas event within the region and the largest outside of North America
At a glance: Dates: 10- 13 November 2013 Venue: Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC) Registration:www.adipec.com December 2012 | SatellitePro | 39
SatGuest
Making research
part of our everyday work culture
Sarah Yousef Amiri, Head of Research and Development Section, The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST)
In conversation with Sarah Yousef Amiri, Head of Research and Development Section, The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) I was expecting Sarah Amiri to delve into an hour-long dissertation on earth observation satellites, image resolution and research projects. She did speak of research projects but in the process redefined the traditional concept of research and development. “R & D in the popular mindset is about laboratories and scientists working on cutting edge technology. However when you are focused on technology transfer and building a knowledge-based organisation, research should be done across the organisation by everyone. This rethinking on R&D is taking place in other spacerelated organisations as it is in EIAST.” A year ago, Amiri, a Bachelor in Computer Science from the American University of Sharjah, and currently studying for her Masters, was made the Head of Research and Development Section as part of an internal restructuring process. The transition, according to her was largely smooth. “I started working with EIAST as an Assistant Researcher for the ground segments of DubaiSat1 and DubaiSat2. While the entire organisation underwent restructuring last year and various departments emerged, namely, Space Image Processing and Analysis, Space Systems Development and Ground Services, my mandate to work across departments did not faze me because of 40 | SatellitePro | December 2012
the familiarity I had developed both with the work and the personnel.” Reporting to the Director General of EIAST, the one year at EIAST in her new role saw Amiri introduce the novel concept through departmental meetings as well as individual one-on-one meetings. “Change is never easy. And some may even have nursed notions of the department being a police of sorts. However, a number of factors have helped my colleagues understand the role of our department. Firstly, research was already central to our organisation. So our initiative to systematise the process found resonance. My colleagues in other departments are akin to clients. What we are doing is protecting their roles as engineers and researchers.” Elaborating on the philosophy behind the unique approach to R & D, Amiri says: “In the process of developing DubaiSat1 and DubaiSat2, we have worked on numerous developments that are our intellectual property. The same goes for the ground station and image processing. “Our intellectual capital includes the process of development and the experience of the researcher; and we need to protect these assets. More importantly, our main aim is to have Emiratis with know-how and give them the tools to expand in their areas of research and eventually contribute to the knowledge
economy of the country. All this factors into enhancing the sovereignity of the country.” To fulfill these lofty goals, Amiri’s team has some practical day-to-day tasks given that the individuals within EIAST do research on varied activities ranging from applying invisible watermarks on the satellite images to improving the resolution of the camera on-board future DubaiSat missions. “We get monthly reports. All we need to know is whether the research is aligned with the goals of the department in question and the organisation as a whole. We do not interfere with the development work because they are the experts.” Apart from the monthly reports, Amiri also has the onerous task of setting up a data centre that will intelligently store the huge legacy of information being generated. “The mandate of the data centre is to organise the information and get it to the right person at the right time. It is not just about gathering and storing information. We are currently in the planning phase and we should be up and running early next year.” Regardless of the odd skepticism that her section evoked initially, Amiri sees progress a year on. “While I cannot quantify it, people talk more about research. And across the departments, we are seeing an increase in research activities. This is reflected in the reports published every month – another aspect of our transparent approach to R & D across the organisation.” PRO
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