ISSUE 24 | DECEMBER 2013
STARS ARE OUT
THE
MENA satellite awards celebrate innovative excellence
PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
EDITORIAL
Publisher Dominic De Sousa Group COO Nadeem Hood
I have survived
Managing Director Richard Judd richard.judd@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9126
I did it, it wasn’t easy but I have survived – and a record of this needs to be made. I have survived my somewhat turbulent launch into the satellite industry. I joined SatellitePro in a relatively good state of affairs, and thank goodness for that because I’m sure that decent enough life force has acted like padding against the abrasive weeks that have thrashed over me since.
EDITORIAL Editorial Director - Broadcast & Construction Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 55 105 3787 Editor Adrienne Harebottle adrienne.harebottle@cpimediagroup.com +971 55 105 3776 ADVERTISING Publishing Director Raz Islam raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9129 Group Sales Manager Sandip Virk sandip.virk@cpimediagroup.com +44 7734 442526 Sales Manager Rodi Hennawi rodi.hennawi@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9106 PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Art Director Simon Cobon Designer Jane Mathews
The year certainly has had more than its fair share of ups and downs. The amount of learning I’ve had to do is immense. And due to the uncountable nights I’ve spent chasing stories and working until unfriendly hours, I no longer have even a smuttering of my once vivacious social life. But I am still standing to tell the tale. Of course, there have been some great highlights. It is because of this fact that I am still standing with a smile on my face. I have met some brilliant people, many of whom have helped light my way – you all know who you are, and I thank you very sincerely for all your support. Thank you for making my job all that much easier. While I’m on the side of appreciation, I should add that I’m exceptionally grateful that the satellite industry jargon is no longer Greek to me. Boy, it’s been interesting having to decipher all those acronyms! I’m also thankful that 2014 is fast approaching, for I have a wonderful feeling that it’s going to be a fantastic year. On this note, I’d like to wish everybody a very festive season. Happy holidays and an elated New Year!
PHOTOGRAPHY Jay Colina Abdul Kader Pattambi Database Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +9714 440 9147
Adrienne Harebottle Editor
Production Manager James P. Tharian james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146 DIGITAL SERVICES webmaster@cpidubai.com Digital Services Manager Tristan Troy Maagma Web Developers Joel Azcuna Janice Fulgencio Published by
Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC
© Copyright 2013 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.
In this edition: “O3b has signed customers in all emerging markets. We expect others to find the proposition of affordable high-throughput, low-latency connectivity very compelling” Mohamed Sadek, General Manager of the Middle East for O3b page 10
“Geolocation is a technology necessity for combatting satellite interference. As the market evolves for geolocation, better tools and processes are becoming available” Martin Coleman, Executive Director of IRG page 36
“The cheaper cost of mobile phones and the different tier of mobile packages that have been offered by operators have contributed greatly to the telco boom in the MENA region” Hussein Oteifa, General Manager of the Middle East at SES page 30
“I also assume that higher throughput and lower prices will give VSAT a lot more market share, since the price in the past has hindered its popularity” Mazen Nassar, Managing Director of Mena Nets page 40
crédit photo : Shutterstock
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CONTENTS
Issue 24 | December 2013
10
News
SatVertical: Telco
4
30
Making History Capacity deals, partnerships, achievements, expansion plans and world firsts
20
Impact of the Digital Revolution Vaulting data traffic and connectivity addiction, the opportunities come with major challenges
SatInterference
SatLead
36
10
Steps to Taming the Beast
Benefiting MENA BroadcastPro’s Special Satellite Segment lauds industry excellence
The year saw numerous milstones, but 2014 poses new challenges in mitigating satellite interference
SatCase Study
SatGuest
20
36
40
Educating Chad
In It For the Long Run
VSAT, video conferencing and satellite internet give students greater access to education
The popularity of VSAT is set to increase as demand for mobility rises
SatVox Pop
26
The Best of 2013 Industry players talk about the year’s highlights and upcoming challenges
SatNews
ViewSat’s MENA channels to target 7m viewers in North America ViewSat, a global satellite transmission company, is poised to continue a highly successful period of growth with capacity secured across North America reaching 7 million people, according to the company. ViewSat is now able to offer its client base, situated principally in the MENA region and SubSaharan Africa, the opportunity to broadcast to this audience of millions. The new capabilities have been made possible through the company’s arrangement with Intelsat, a global provider of satellite services which owns and operates the Galaxy 19 satellite. This satellite enjoys particularly good penetration in Arab and Farsi households across North America, meaning that transmitting channels via ViewSat’s capacity would be particularly effective in these markets. A recent study conducted by IBOPE Zogby International and commissioned by Intelsat revealed that Galaxy 19 provides content to 79% of Farsi speakers receiving Farsi channels and 43% of Arabic speakers receiving Arab channels; this translates to 33% of all US Farsi speakers and 28% of all US Arab speakers. The same survey went on to show that preferred programming included news, movies, entertainment, religious and cultural content and sports, and that viewers would welcome expanded channel offerings and HD content. ViewSat’s bouquet of channels will be transmitted via Galaxy 19 and broadcast to a viewership group of millions with compatible receiver boxes. www.viewsat.eu
www.intelsat.com
O3B, SOMTEL SIGN MULTI-YEAR CONNECTIVITY DEAL IN SOMALIA O3b Networks has announced an agreement to provide high-speed, lowlatency capacity to Somtel, a leading telco in Somalia providing a range of mobile voice and data services including 3G and the county’s first 4G network. Somtel has contracted substantial O3b Trunk capacity in Somalia as it seeks to serve growing consumer and corporate demand in its core markets. The O3b service is due to formally launch in 2014. O3b Trunk products offer lower delay than long-haul fibre with a round trip latency of less than 150 milliseconds, delivering high-quality voice and video in the satellite industry at an affordable cost. Ismail Dualeh, Somtel’s CTO, said: “Connectivity is neither reliable nor adequate in Somalia. The O3b solution will give Somtel the chance to bring vastly improved connectivity with better performance. Customers will experience greater reliability, better quality voice calls and be able to stream video and enroll in e-learning applications.” www.o3b.com
THURAYA CERTIFIES REDPORT OPTIMIZER, XGATE
ETIHAD LAUNCHES EIGHT NEW LIVE IN-FLIGHT CHANNELS IN NOVEMBER UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has introduced eight TV channels which will broadcast live news and sport. Available from November, the new channels include BBC World News, BBC Arabic, euronews, Sport 24, CNBC, Japan’s NHK World Premium and CNN. Sky News Arabia will follow in the coming months, according to the carrier. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “In-flight entertainment is a key part of the guest travel 4 | SatellitePro | December 2013
experience and the introduction of eight live channels from brands such as Sky News Arabia, CNN and BBC, as well as top global action on Sport 24, will be a fantastic addition to Etihad Airways’ flights.” All eight news and sport channels are available on 21 Etihad Airways wide-body aircraft, however, this will increase to 37 widebody aircraft by the end of 2014. www.etihad.com
Thuraya and RedPort Global, a provider of data and throughput optimisation services, have announced the successful certification of the RedPort Optimizer satellite WiFi router and the RedPort XGate satellite email and data service software. Thuraya’s clients can now use the RedPort Optimizer for ship-to-shore and remote land-based data email and other data services via computers, laptops and smartphones, including those from Google Android and Apple iOS. The RedPort Optimizer is currently used with the Seagull 5000i to optimise email communications onboard commercial vessels operating across Thuraya’s coverage area. It enables a vessel operator to stay in contact with crew 24/7 and to optimise ship operations while controlling costs. Its firewall ensures there are no unintended data transmissions that could result in unexpected airtime bills. www.thuraya.com
ASTRIUM EXTENDS KU-BAND VSAT COVERAGE WITH EUTELSAT, SES Astrium Services is expanding its global VSAT coverage following the signing of new separate Ku-band capacity agreements with Eutelsat and SES. Enhanced capacity on Eutelsat’s E36B will provide improved services and more bandwidth for Astrium customers operating in the Mediterranean and Middle East, in addition to the area North of Norway and Russia (Barents Sea). Astrium offers coverage from multiple satellites over these regions, ensuring high service performance and availability for ship-owners operating there. New Ku-band capacity on SES’ AMC-21 satellite will provide more comprehensive coverage over the United States, enabling Astrium customers operating in the oil and gas and inland marine sectors to have better connectivity. As part of the capacity extension deal with SES, Astrium moves from AMC-9 to AMC-21, which provides enhanced signal and coverage over the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and part of the North Atlantic Ocean, so customers will see improved performance and availability of their satellite services, says the company.
MTN, SES renew critical capacity agreement for Indian Ocean Region Communications service provider MTN and global satellite operator SES have renewed a critical capacity agreement to deliver high-speed broadband to vital shipping routes throughout the Indian Ocean Region. The deal marks the latest milestone in a long-term global maritime partnership. A multi-year deal meeting global demand for reliable communications and content services in the Indian Ocean Region, MTN has secured capacity on several transponders aboard SES’ NSS-12 satellite to offer reliable connectivity for applications as varied as the connectivity needs at sea. Corporate network services, passenger and crew communications and lifestyle entertainment offerings are being delivered to vessels travelling one of the world’s largest oceans and busiest shipping routes serving the African and Asian coasts and port cities in Australia and Antarctica. Ship operators and their guests and crew count on MTN services to meet a broad range of offshore demands, including the need to keep passengers and crew happy and connected to family and colleagues around the world. Satellite-delivered high-speed broadband also enables MTN customers to remotely monitor their operations at sea real-time from anywhere. MTN relies on multiple SES satellites to serve its maritime customers around the world. “This renewed agreement with SES underscores our commitment to the Indian Ocean Region and serves as a testament to our confidence in SES satellites, people and expertise. SES has been an important partner, as MTN continues to grow and expand its mobility service offerings as well as its new hybrid-network. This innovative solution allows partners to seamlessly switch from satellite to terrestrial broadband, maximising the bandwidth delivered to each vessel and others in their fleets for the best and most reliable performance and cost efficiencies,” says Zafar Khan, Vice-President of Systems and Space Engineering for MTN. www.ses.com
www.mtn.com
www.astriumservices.com
SIGNALHORN TO CONTINUE MANAGING OFFSHORE VESSEL NETWORK IN AFRICA
GLOBECAST, CCTV SIGN AFRICA DEAL Globecast has signed a new contract with China Central Television (CCTV), China’s state broadcaster. Under the agreement, Globecast will deliver CCTV-français, the network’s French-language channel, on the SES-4 platform to West African viewers as part of Canalsat, a package of more than 130 channels, radio stations and services. Canalsat is operated by CANAL+ Afrique, the region’s pay-TV bouquet. Globecast is providing a complete solution to bring the CCTV channels to the point of uplink, including contribution, encryption and encoding. CCTV currently delivers seven of its 30 channels throughout Europe and Africa via Globecast platforms. www.globecast.com www.xxxxx. www.cntv.com
Signalhorn has been selected for the operation and management of a pan-African network for one of the world’s leading providers of offshore service vessels to the global energy industry. Under the terms of the three-year contract extension, Signalhorn will provide a missioncritical, multi-megabit communications network to its customer’s key African locations in Angola, Nigeria and Cameroon. The contract renewal builds upon Signalhorn’s four-year relationship delivering satellite and terrestrial links for this customer, and reinforces Signalhorn’s commitment to customer care, quality assurance and delivering trusted networks. “With 40 years of experience providing hybrid communication solutions, we are able to serve this and other customers who are operating in ever more remote, deeper and increasingly hostile environments to meet the world’s energy demand,” says Gary Bray, Signalhorn’s VicePresident of Oil and Gas Sales. Signalhorn delivers the service to the
customer’s network across the African continent through regional points of presence and its teleports located at technical centres in Germany and Switzerland. Signalhorn’s service includes communications for the company’s core networks, crew welfare, contractors, and regulatory and safety requirements. www.signalhorn.com
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 5
SatNews
EIAST successfully launches Dubai Sat-2 The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) successfully launched its Dubai Sat-2 into outer space on November 21. The satellite lifted off from the Yasny Launch Base in Russia, using the Russian Dnepr rocket launcher in co-operation with the Russian International Space Company (Kozmotras), under the supervision of EIAST representatives and team of engineers. According to EIAST, the UAE team of engineers at the ground station was able to communicate directly with Dubai Sat-2, which entered orbit 15 minutes and 33 seconds after its launch and accurately determined the path of the satellite. The bird, equipped with an electrical propulsion system, has automatically deployed the solar panels that represent the main source of power needed to run the satellite systems during its presence in outer space, which extends to five years from the date of launch. The satellite makes one full orbit around the earth in 96 minutes with 60% of its time facing the sun light.
EIAST ORGANISES, HOSTS 8TH MEETING OF ICG IN DUBAI EIAST organised and hosted the eighth meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), an organisation supported by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), from November 10 to 14 at The Address Dubai Mall. During the forum, chaired by Omran Sharaf, EIAST’s Director of Space Image Processing and Analysis, the attending members identified issues for discussion in future ICG plenary sessions and/or its working group meetings and presented draft recommendations with regards to assemblies held since the seventh meeting of the ICG. Final recommendations were reviewed at the end of the plenary sessions. EIAST also arranged a technical visit to its headquarters in Dubai to explore the technology and operation of DubaiSat-1, the UAE’s remote sensing Earth-observation satellite. www.eiast.ae
EUTELSAT 25B/ES’HAIL 1 GOES LIVE Eutelsat Communications and Es’hailSat’s jointly-owned EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 satellite is in commercial service at 25.5 degrees East. Traffic on Eutelsat’s EUTELSAT 25C satellite at 25.5 degrees East was transferred onto Ku-band transponders commercialised by Eutelsat on the new satellite in the night of October 28 to 29. This transfer has released EUTELSAT 25C for a new mission for Eutelsat at 33 degrees East. It was co-positioned in November with EUTELSAT 33A at 33 degrees East to bring additional capacity to this orbital location. EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 brings increased capacity to 25.5 degrees East to serve broadcasters, businesses and public agencies operating in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. www.eshailsat.qa
THURAYA SATSLEEVE WINS INNOVATION AWARD Thuraya Telecommunications Company has been named winner of the Innovation Award at the Lloyd’s List Middle East and Indian Subcontinent 2013 Awards. The mobile satellite services operator won the award for its Thuraya SatSleeve, the world’s first satellite adaptor that enables maritime and offshore users to stay connected from remote locations outside of terrestrial networks with their iPhone. The award judges recognised the SatSleeve’s ability to keep seafarers in touch with their loved ones as well as facilitating vital business communications for officers and crew when operating outside coverage of terrestrial networks. Compatible with iPhone 4/4S and 5/5S, the Thuraya SatSleeve supports voice calls, SMS and basic data connectivity in satellite mode. Users can pre-programme an SOS number into the Thuraya SatSleeve to contact a nominated first responder – a feature that works even without the iPhone connected. www.thuraya.com
6 | SatellitePro | December 2013
www.eutelsat.com www.xxxxx.com
MTN, SPARKS DISTRIX TEAM UP MTN Communications has selected Spark’s Distrix software defined networking (SDN) platform as one of the enabling solutions for MTN’s Nexus, the next generation communications eco system for the maritime vertical. Spark provides an SDN overlay solution designed to enable secure complex network communication across a range of technologies including satellite, cellular, microwave and Wi-Fi. Leveraging Distrix, MTN’s Nexus will deliver a reliable, fast and protected connection to transparently provide user session continuity across dynamic internet connectivity methods, without impacting the passenger or crew experience. www.mtnsat.com www.sparkintegration.com
FLEETBROADBAND TERMINALS APPROVED FOR XPRESSLINK Inmarsat has announced that FleetBroadband terminals manufactured by Intellian are now approved for use with XpressLink, Inmarsat’s fully integrated Ku- and L-band solution that utilises both VSAT and FleetBroadband terminals. XpressLink provides broadband speed data and voice connectivity across a fully redundant and highly resilient service for a fixed monthly fee. XpressLink also offers an easy upgrade path to Inmarsat’s forthcoming Ka-band service Global Xpress, which will achieve full global coverage by the end of 2014. “XpressLink has achieved great success in meeting the needs of ship owners thirsting for the broadband data speeds of VSAT combined with the reliability of L band. Today, we are able to add the dependability and long-term security of Intellian FleetBroadband terminals to the XpressLink offering,” said Frank Coles, President of Inmarsat Maritime. www.intelliantech.com www.inmarsat.com
THURAYA, VOCALITY SIGN DEAL FOR DEFENSE MOBILE MARKETS Mobile satellite services (MSS) Operator Thuraya and Vocality, a network router manufacturer for the defense and first responder sectors, have signed a strategic partnership agreement. The new deal enables Thuraya to provide Vocality solutions through its global network of service partners serving commercial and defense mobile satellite communications markets. Vocality’s ELITE Fusion platform is scheduled for launch early in 2014 and will be available for use on Thuraya’s network. The ELITE Fusion is a first responder communications platform combining voice, radio relay (push-to-talk), network routing and security for a complete field communications package. When integrated with Thuraya’s IP terminals, ELITE Fusion makes for a compelling portable communications platform. www.thuraya.com www.vocality.com
Satellite built by high school students successfully lifts off The first satellite designed and built by high school students was successfully launched on November 19 together with NASA’s PhoneSat 2.4 and 27 other small satellites. Launched from Wallops Flight Facility in the United States, the students’ TJ3Sat hitched a ride on board an Orbital Sciences Minotaur 1 rocket. Designed, built and tested by scholars at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, the TJ3Sat is not only the first of its kind to be launched, but the total deployment of 28 CubeSats is a record. More than 50 students worked on the CubeSat over a seven-year period as part of NASA’s Educational Launch of NanoSatellites programme, known as Elana. Once in orbit, the TJ3Sat will send and receive data from students and amateur radio users. The launch was run by the US military’s Operationally Responsive Space office, known as ORS-3, while the main payload is the Air Force’s STPSat-3. www.nasa.gov
CITIZEN LAUNCHES WORLD’S FASTEST SATELLITESYNCHRONISED WATCH Watchmaker Citizen has launched its Eco-Drive Satellite Wave - Air, reportedly the world’s fastest satellite-synchronised watch. According to the manufacturer, its advanced satellite timekeeping system delivers much higher reception sensitivity and is the world’s first light-powered watch with a full-metal case that receives time signals from navigation satellites. It engages atomic clocks of the closest orbital satellites circling the Earth from about 20,000km, and beams signals directly back to your watch no matter where you are. www.citizenwatch.com
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 7
SatNews
NETWORK INNOVATIONS BECOMES VALUE-ADDED RESELLER FOR GX
Eutelsat awarded long-term broadcast capacity deal in Algeria Eutelsat Communications and Télédiffusion d’Algérie (TDA) have announced the signature of a capacity agreement on the EUTELSAT 7 West A satellite. The long-term contract for one 72 MHz transponder opens access for TDA to Eutelsat’s flagship 7/8 degrees West video neighbourhood that broadcasts the largest line-up of TV channels across the Arab world to homes equipped for direct-to-home satellite reception. The free-to-air platform launched by TDA will assemble Algeria’s existing public channels in addition to channels expected to be licensed within the framework of the country’s strategy to open its broadcasting landscape. The channels will be available via EUTELSAT 7 West A to viewers across the Maghreb and North-West Africa. Reach will be extended to the whole of the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf with the 2015 launch of the EUTELSAT 8 West B satellite. www.tda.dz
www.eutelsat.com
FIRST GX SATELLITE ARRIVES IN KAZAKHSTAN, READIES FOR LAUNCH Inmarsat has announced that the first of its Global Xpress (GX) satellites – designated Inmarsat-5 F1 – has travelled from California to its launch site in Kazakhstan. The 6,100kg spacecraft departed from Los Angeles International Airport on November 9 aboard an Antonov AN-124 heavy transporter and arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on November 11. The spacecraft was constructed at Boeing’s El Segundo facility in California and is the first of three GX satellites scheduled to be launched by International Launch Services (ILS). Inmarsat-5 F1 is scheduled to be available to support a launch in December from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, located approximately 2,100 km southeast of Moscow, by a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. A fourth satellite has recently been ordered from Boeing. www.inmarsat.com
8 | SatellitePro | December 2013
Inmarsat has signed an agreement with Network Innovations, appointing the specialised managed satellite services provider as a value-added reseller for Global Xpress (GX), serving government markets in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Network Innovations has developed a wide range of custom solutions for government and military customers in some of the most demanding and remote environments around the world. Tim Harkema, President of Network Innovations, said: “We are pleased and excited to add Inmarsat GX to the portfolio of services we offer to our government clients around the globe. Combined with our value-added services and our experience in this market, the addition of GX will enable Network Innovations to continue to innovate and expand our offerings to fit the needs of these unique customers.” The first of three GX satellites - Inmarsat-5 F1 - is scheduled to be launched in December with full global coverage on course to be achieved by the end of 2014. www.inmarsat.com www.networkinv.com
ARABSAT NAMED MOST PROMISING COMPANY OF THE YEAR AT SATCON 2013 Arabsat has won the Most Promising Company of the Year award during the opening day’s ceremony of the SATCON 2013 Conference and Exhibition in New York City. The Annual Vision Award was presented by Satellite Markets and Research, Application Technology Strategy and SATCON on account of the company’s growth in the markets it serves and for having demonstrated long-term viability of its enterprise. Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of Arabsat, stated: “We are very pleased with this international award as it comes at the end of a very successful business year for Arabsat on both scales regionally and globally.” www.arabsat.com
SatEvents
BENEFITING THE MENA REGION
The special satellite segment of the annual Broadcast Summit & Awards’ event acknowledged valuable ingenuity, awarding three industry players with accolades 10 | SatellitePro | December 2013
Editor’s Choice Award WISEBAND Wiseband received the Editor’s Choice Award for its auto-deploy antenna franchise concept, something pioneering within the Middle East and Africa. Going above and beyond the requirements for such an award, Wiseband’s new venture was found to have the potential to notably benefit not only the region’s industry, but the people from this part of the world as well. Ahmed Hassan Afify, Wiseband’s CEO, received the award during the ceremony. He discussed the implications of winning this accolade as well as the upcoming year. How does it feel to receive this award? “It is a great feeling to have this venture acknowledged and to be part of the BroadcastPro Summit & Awards’ festivities. We are a 20-man team and we’ve worked very hard to develop this business. To have this recognition is very rewarding but equally encouraging – we look forward to the coming year when we can continue to sell our franchises and see those that have already been sold come into fruition. What are your hopes and the expected market reaction? “While we saw a gap in the market that we jumped to fill, we also intended to offer
a solution to the problem facing the Middle East and Africa, where the expertise needed to manufacture and develop antennae is largely lacking. We hope to revolutionise the antenna market, whereby shipping costs, time constraints, import taxes, maintenance and service challenges can be omitted, and at the same time create the opportunity for new avenues of business. While a franchise means that resellers have a quality product to offer, the business can also lead to the creation of new jobs. The benefits that come with this venture is an added highlight for our team.” What is your goal for 2014? “In the coming year, we will be focused on sales and looking to increase our presence across numerous geographical markets and sectors. We are focused on putting together a topnotch sales team that can take the business to great heights. While quality and ingenuity are our hallmarks, something else that really sets us apart from others in the market is our customer service. We offer around-theclock support to customers irrespective of their location. We have our own server and our own trouble-shooting tools, meaning we are able to work from anywhere in the world at any given time. December 2013 | SatellitePro | 11
SatEvents
Outstanding Achievement NEWTEC Newtec won the Outstanding Achievement accolade for its pivotal role in developing and defining the DVB-SX, successor of the DVB-S2 standard. The S2 Extensions will benefit the entire satellite industry by drastically increasing efficiencies that help to lower Capex and Opex, enabling service providers and broadcasters to launch new offerings more profitably. Talking about the significance of winning such an award, Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec, discusses his outlook for 2014, the challenges and his goals. How does it feel to receive this award? Newtec’s engineers continuously create new technologies and innovations for the satellite industry, with the aim to make it a better medium to connect people. Getting industry recognition for our hard work over the last two years makes it all worthwhile and we are truly grateful to the judges for understanding the importance of the work done on the S2 Extensions. What else can we expect from you in the near future? Efficiency gain is what it is all about and these S2 Extensions boost video distribution networks by 20% and 37% in other professional applications compared to DVB-S2. There 12 | SatellitePro | December 2013
is still lots more we can do to increase efficiency and our R&D department is already working hard on the next big thing. We are enabling our industry to push more data, more TV channels, higher quality video and Ultra HDTV to customers and consumers at a lower cost. What are your ambitions for 2014? We will further help our customers increase their quality of service and reduce their operational expenses. With our technology solutions, we’re enabling satellite operators, VSAT service providers and broadcasters to launch new profitable services. We will continue to promote the introduction of the new DVB standard as this will benefit the entire satellite ecosystem and end users around the world. What is your outlook for the upcoming year? We expect a big transition in the industry to adopt Carrier ID as a means to reduce the impact of RF interferences. And we expect more data and video to be transported over existing and new highthroughput satellites. The S2 extensions are a key enabler to make this viable. Last but not least, we anticipate that more consumers and businesses will connect over satellite for internet access.
Satellite Operator of the Year O3B NETWORKS O3b Networks received the Satellite Operator of the Year award, the requirement for which involved having a project or operation whereby the MEA region and the lives of the people living there would be benefited. In June this year, O3b’s first four Kaband satellites were launched with more birds on the way. The people that will be directly affected by O3b services are those that need internet access the most. Dedicated to serving the “other 3 billion” who don’t have adequate high-speed, low-latency internet, if any at all, O3b is targeting users in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to other under-served markets in Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. While the amount capacity selected and type equipment deployed would affect overall costs, the price of using O3b capacity stands to be reduced by 30-50% compared to existing geostationary (GEO) satellite services. GEO satellites are used for around 20% of the trunking across the Middle East and Africa, where fibre is extensively lacking. Mohamed Sadek, O3b’s General Manager for the Middle East, received the award and discussed the company’s milestones. How does it feel to receive this award? O3b is very honoured to
be recognised as Satellite Operator of the Year. We are dedicated to providing high-speed, low-latency broadband to more than 3 billion people around the world who are unconnected or underserved. We are very excited that our commitment had been validated by the event organisers. What company milestones and goals can you share? Our starting milestone was the launch of the first four O3b satellites, which roared skyward on June 25. We expect to launch the next four satellites in early 2014 and be in full commercial operation by mid-2014, fulfilling our promise to bring high-speed broadband to the other 3 billion. Full commercial operation is our goal for 2014, and additional capacity will likely be available with a third launch at the end of 2014. What is your outlook for 2014? O3b has signed customers in all emerging markets and we expect that momentum will continue to build, with additional customers finding the proposition of affordable high-throughput, low-latency middle-mile connectivity very compelling. You can expect the highest throughput at the lowest cost per Mbps of any satellite service. December 2013 | SatellitePro | 13
AND THE WINNERS ARE… The broadcast industry’s premier event paid homage to the hard work, ingenuity and heightened talent that makes the Middle East a brighter place. The BroadcastPro Awards lauded 16 players, giving away coveted accolades to the deserving recipients below
Innovative Production of 2013 REAL IMAGE PRODUCTIONS
Best Long-Form Production of the Year 1/350 BY THE GOLD MINE FILMS
Outstanding Social Media Project of 2013 PEETA PLANET
This entry went beyond storytelling to create something spectacular on the editing table. The winning entry was chosen based on the quality of production and the overall packaging of the programme.
Directed by Danish Farhan, the winning entry was awarded for the importance of the story, the value of the production and the visual artistic language. It’s a moving account of Down’s Syndrome in Oman.
A brainchild of Emirati brothers Peyman and Mohamed Parham Al Awadhi, the series opened to rave reviews on Dubai One and has been enjoying constant fan following on various social media platforms ever since.
Twofour54’s studios were completely transformed this summer for a Syrian production called Hammam Shami. Handiwork of UAEbased Production House, the sets recreated Damascus city’s hammams as they looked back in the 1950s.
ASBU BroadcastPro ME 2013 Innovative Project Award REPORTERS
Lighting Installation of the Year OASIS ENTERPRISES
Broadcast Project of the Year MBC MASR
MENA Systems Integrator of 2013 AV SOLUTIONS
Oasis PPD’s impressive repertoire of work has won it previous accolades. Not the one to sit on its laurels, its projects have continually surpassed its previous ones as the company strides ahead with better and bigger projects in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
MBC Masr surpassed all records by pulling off the project within a very tight timeframe, amidst political volatility. Thanks to relentless determination, the facility went on air on time and gave local viewers an unbiased perspective of the market.
AV Solutions has gone beyond the call of duty and undertaken projects in a high-risk zone. This company has undertaken several projects in its native Iraq with the vision of participating in the reconstruction of the country’s broadcast infrastructure.
Reporters is a news production and post production facility with HD studio and control room, newsroom system, editing, graphics and portable filed cameras, offering hands-on news reporting, presenting and training. 14 | SatellitePro | September 2013
Studio Set of the Year HAMMAM SHAMI
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 14
SatEvents
Best Multi-Platform Project of the Year OSN PLAY After contentious debate between the judges in this category regarding whether the original screen should be included or not, OSN Play was finally declared the winner. OSN Play is the region’s first online TV viewing platform. Launched in March 2012, the service allows subscribers to access OSN content through an internet connection on multiple devices.
Best Live Broadcast Project THE 21ST GULF CUP OF NATIONS, TWOFOUR54 INTAJ A sports event was to be held in Bahrain. Someone was needed to provide international broadcast services, overcome the specific challenges of live broadcast and acknowledge the particular priorities of GCC governmentowned stakeholders. Twofour54 intaj was able to meet these demands based on the expertise they previously applied in Yemen for the game’s previous editions. 16 | SatellitePro | December 2013
ASBU BroadcastPro ME 2013 Technical Achiever Award AFZAL LAKDAWALA, HEAD OF PROJECTS & PLANNING AT DMI Previously, Lakdawala was Arab Media Group’s Director of Broadcast Operations, responsible for the team that helped AMG become a full-fledged tapeless television network. Prior to that, he was Zee Network’s VicePresident of Broadcast Services.
Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast DAVID BUTORAC, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF OSN David Butorac has been instrumental in ensuring the launch of channels, the launch of the company’s multimedia platform and for the partnerships that went beyond catering to Western expats to targeting Arabs with original productions, as well as the Filipino and South Asian communities.
MENA Special Recognition Award SAUDI BROADCASTING CORPORATION
MENA Broadcast Trendsetter MY-HD
Comprising seven state-ofthe-art 3000 sq.m production centres, the project includes a main archive and DR facility. All seven cities are connected by the MENOS network, which means that people who want to produce programmes together can do so from the closest centre to them even if they live in different cities.
We recognise this very special company for its efforts to transform the pay-TV industry in the region. It is attempting to bring the HD experience to the vast majority by offering it at an affordable price. With a clear vision to transform TV viewing in the region, MY-HD impressed the judges for combining quality with affordability and quickly rising from nothing to an HD platform.
Online Entertainment Platform of the Year ICFLIX
State Broadcaster of the Year DUBAI MEDIA INC
Icflix isn’t the first of its kind in the market. Istikana TV, for instance, has been around for the last two or three years. Likewise, there’s also Cinemoz. However, it is correct to say that this is the company that has put in the investment necessary in order to really make the industry look at streaming as a potential viable mainstream revenue option. And this is even though traditional TV is not icflix’s first screen.
State broadcasters have huge legacy equipment, massive inhouse workforce that needs to be accommodated somehow or the other, and a lot of red tape. DMI has achieved a lot in the last two years and is gradually moving its entire operations to support HD and 3G. This is a traditional award for a not so traditional player. They have recently made massive inroads into online streaming as well as applications.
SatEvents
“4K SERVICE IS INEVITABLE”
The challenges are there, the start will be slow and it will be difficult, but 4K is a reality, say experts During the BroadcastPro Summit & Awards’ conference, eminent industry players put their heads together to talk 4K, addressing standards, high-efficiency video coding (HEVC) and the factors to determine whether it’s all hype or reality. The following are the key points raised during the 4K panel discussion. Moderated by Robert Taylor, Programme Manager of Al Jazeera Workplace Transformation Project at Al Jazeera, the subsequent debate covers the hurdles, drivers and inevitability of 4K. Eutelsat’s Cristiano Benzi: It’s true that for satellite operators, we have a problem in delivering 4K content. This is because of the nature of the signal, the replacement of the set-top box. We are working extensively in trying to get the maximum out of HEVC, 18 | SatellitePro | December 2013
whether it is making a high-definition compound or whther it is to deliver highdefinition content. Al Jazeera’s Robert Taylor: We’re talking about the challenge for the incumbent broadcasters to handle such a service. So does this open up the market to other people? We have the story of the Xbox and Playstations that are coming out. We understand that they don’t support 4K games but they do support 4K video. There is also the topic of telcos being the new broadcaster. So is this just the thin edge of the wedge even further? Ericsson’s Simon Bigg: It is certainly true that of everything that can be done on demand, 4K is easier because you can have progressive download. I think that is a market that the people who are particularly strong
in terms of the delivery part of the platform will be pushing, why wouldn’t they? If you look at the UK and part of Europe, the big driver is the live sports event, then live events of any kind. And this is where you have the challenges. So yes, it is the thin edge of the wedge, but I don’t think the wedge gets too fat too quickly. MBC Group’s Nick Barratt: Judging by what the movie studios in the United States were talking about several years ago about Playstation and Microsoft, I think over the course of a decade or so, the movie studio and the content providers will start breaking their ties with the middleman broadcasters. I think they’ll have the ability to interact with their customers directly and we’ll be left with the live stuff, the events and sport that you can’t do any other way.
Robert Taylor: It’s an interesting story, but I can’t help but think about the déjà vu of this whole thing. Considering the challenges of HD initially, we’ve done this before. We launched these channels and they became the norm. The set-top boxes caught up, the production systems caught up and now it’s the utter norm, you can’t get anything else. Simon Bigg: “But it’s a little different because if you remember we started to offer HD back in 2004-2005, but at that time in places such as the United States and Australia, they had already been broadcasting in HD for a while, they had decided to offer this already five or six years earlier. So what this meant was that there was already a lot of content available, a lot of studio infrastructure and equipment did exist, it had all been developed. This made it much easier for new operators to come in and get their eco systems going because it wasn’t actually brand new. Yes, there were issues and having to understand how operators can relate to subscribers and sell the value of HD to them. But this time with 4K, we are starting lower down. We have to go through all these education processes and we don’t have all the infrastructure in place. We are facing a much slower start up. So if we found HD hard, then 4K is going to be even harder.
But while it’ll take time, it’ll get there. Cristiano Benzi: I’d also like to mention that in a discussion with a Japanese broadcaster, they said they didn’t even consider 4K because they were targeting 8K. They mentioned that the target date is 2020 to start real broadcasting of DTH, with a system in place and everything. Let’s not forget that Tokyo has been awarded the Olympic Games in 2020, so this would be a significant driver for 8K and to get the necessary support from the Japanese Government. Simon Bigg: The Asians, namely the Koreans and Japanese, are pursuing this very aggressively. I don’t know their economic models, but they seem to be very keen on having some 4K channels up and this appears to have been decided on previously. Nick Barrat: But the question is what is the driver for the customer. In the end, it’s about money. If 4K is going to be more expensive and we have to invest in it, are customers going to be prepared to pay more money to watch the Premier League, for example? Robert Taylor: There is a surprising driver here, which I took note of in the retail shops, particularly in Qatar, where very shortly after we saw 4K coming into NAVS there was a Sony 4K domestic TV on display. Yes, there were a lot of zeros in the price, but it
was already there in the stores. And I bet someone will want it. OSN’s Mark Billinge: This goes back to the argument of who is driving the market, the manufacturers or the consumer? I think it’s natural progession: following 4K will come 8K and the next step beyond that will also come. I believe it’s inevitable that it will happen, the only question is how quickly will it happen. It touches a little on 3D vs HD, but I think that when it gets there, it will be more sustainable than 3D. It’ll have a slow initial start and then it’ll start to grow, albeit as a slower pace than with HD. PRO
4K Panelists • Mark Billinge, CTO at OSN • Nick Barratt, Senior Broadcast Manager at MBC Group • Simon Bigg, Head of R&D for Compression Business Line at Ericsson • Cristiano Benzi, Director Line of Business Video and Broadcasting at Eutelsat • Moderator Robert Taylor, Programme Manager of Al Jazeera Workplace Transformation Project at Al Jazeera
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 19
SatCase Study
“We believe in empowering locals and we focus on training and developing their skills. We send one or two of our engineers to implement the project, but to also train the locals, transfer knowledge and ensure they have the necessary certification so that in the future, they can handle technical issues” VALENTINA ANDREEA CARACAS, Marketing – Sales Assistant at Afrikanet
20 | SatellitePro | December 2013
EDUCATING CHAD
Disparities and huge distances between universities in Chad are coupled with limited internet access and security issues. Afrikanet helps solve this conundrum with Ku-band VSAT, video conferencing and satellite connectivity Only 2.1 people out of 100 use the internet in Chad. This compares with 87 out of 100 people in the United Kingdom, says Valentina Andreea Caracas, Marketing – Sales Assistant at Afrikanet. The main reason for such a low percentage of internet users in the land-locked country north of central Africa is limited access. Looking beyond business, healthcare, communications and even entertainment, poor connectivity poses a major problem in educating the countrymen, explains Caracas. “Education is key to developing Africa’s future leaders of tomorrow. Unfortunately, countries such as Chad still struggle to give its people access to higher education, especially access to communications technologies. We often say that the ‘Generation Y’ is interconnected but we seem to forget that this is only true in developed countries. Chad is geographically an expansive country with poor road infrastructure. The distance between the capital N’Djamena and Abéché, eastern Chad, is around 750km. The distance between N’Djamena and Moundou in southern Chad is around 500km. So not only does the country lack good travelling facilities, but it takes a long time to go from one major city to another. “On top of this there are also security problems. All this has led to international
professionals not willing to give lectures to universities outside the capital. And the eminent professors that were travelling to give lectures would require extended periods of time in order to make their way to various destinations around the country.” A viable solution to this predicament, explains Caracas, was to bridge the gap between universities by enabling them to share information, and encouraging cooperation and exchange of good practices. This would even out the quality of education by helping some academic institutions outside of the capital city to raise the standard, while the reach of educational access would be increased. In order to do this, communications technologies needed to be deployed, explains Caracas. “Our main objective was to give Chadian students access to the worldwide knowledge, to give students from other cities the opportunity to attend the lectures that had been available only in the capital city. Deploying video conference systems in the main university in N’Djamena enabled universities from other regions to have access to the same lecture in real time: a solution that mitigated the security risks associated with travelling as well as saved time.” Initially, the contract involved three universities, but this increased to seven December 2013 | SatellitePro | 21
SatCase Study
tertiary level institutions, including N’Djamena University, Adam Barka University of Abéché (UNABA), the Institut Universitaire des Sciences et Techniques d’Abéché (IUSTA) and L’Institut Universitaire Polytechnique de Mongou (IUPM). The contract was awarded in 2010 and will be runing for five years.
Overcoming obstacles
“We aim to achieve a greater goal than simply giving internet access. We are diminishing the information gap that has been alienating Chadian students from the global community” 22 | SatellitePro | December 2013
One of the challenges regarding this type of project is in really knowing the country, explains Caracas. “This is why at Afrikanet, we always develop our projects with local partners. For this contract, we’ve worked with the team of Infotel, a local telecommunications company. This has afforded us with valuable local knowledge but it also helped us while we were working in unsecure areas across the country,” she says. Partnering with native entities and investing in local human resources is an important practice for Afrikanet, says
Caracas. Not only is it part of the company’s ethos, but it promotes sustainability, she explains, adding that another challenge was working in severe weather conditions, when temperatures can reach highs of 45C. “We believe in empowering locals and we focus on training and developing their skills. Usually, for our contracts, we send one or two of our engineers to implement the project, but to also train the locals, transfer knowledge and ensure they have the necessary certification so that in the future, they can handle technical issues. “Another challenge was in financing the project and the fact that as a company, we had to be very flexible. The problem with working with public institutions is that they don’t pay upfront, so we’ve had to finance the project. Afrikanet provided part of the equipment for free, including modems, antennae, low-noise block downconverters (LNB) and block upconverters (BUC). As part of our commitment to support educational institutions and to bring internet to
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SatCase Study Technical challenges
African students, we engaged ourselves in delivering this huge task. “Through this project, we aim to achieve a greater goal than simply giving internet access – the implications of the projects goes beyond this; we are diminishing the information gap that has been alienating Chadian students from the global community. When we started the project, we knew that we’d be faced with financing it and the likelihood of having payment delays. “We also had to be flexible because during summer, for example, there are no students on campus, so this impacts the bandwidth supplied as well as the afferent payment. 24 | SatellitePro | December 2013
“Afrikanet was lucky from this point of view, because we had been working closely with Telesat who was flexible during contract negotiation. We also used Arquiva teleport and its infrastructure to solve technical issues”
“One of the technical challenges was regarding the video conference system. To have video conference, you need high-speed internet. We can say that Afrikanet was lucky from this point of view, because we had been working closely with Telesat who was flexible during contract negotiation. We also used Arquiva teleport and its infrastructure to solve technical issues.” The solutions deployed included a Kuband VSAT as well as the video conference systems. Equipment for the VSAT included iDirect’s Evolution X3 Modem, BUCs, LNBs, a Nano Station and MikroTik routers as well as two Andrew antennae – 1.8m and 1.2m. The video conference system included a Polycom QDX 6000 codec and power cables. In addition to Afrikanet, the project’s system integrator was Infotel. For the service-level agreement, Afrikanet has committed to providing technicians within 48 hours to troubleshoot anywhere within the country, but within two hours for issues in the capital or Mondou city. “The satellite connectivity used is Ku band from Telesat T11N and Intelsat IS 903, with some migrated to Amos 5 on C-band,” says Caracas. The required skills for this project include radio frequency engineering, VSAT certified technicians, Cisco certified technicians and a satellite telecommunications project management to make sure that the project is delivered on time, says Caracas, adding that in addition to skilled professionals, Afrikanet’s expertise and partner network played a part in winning this contract. “Afrikanet won this contract because of our vast experience. Since 1999, we have been deploying projects all around the African continent: Cameroun, DRC, Senegal, Chad, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Angola, Togo and more. We deliver highquality solutions at competitive prices. We offer skilled and certified engineers and 24/7 technical support. Our partnership approach also played an important role in winning this contract. Through our network of partners, we ensure that we have presence all over the continent and we can easily reach our clients.” PRO
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SatVox Pop
THE BEST OF 2013 It has been a busy year and as the end is fast approaching, it’s a good time to acknowledge the milestones, highlights and good moments. SatellitePro caught up with several industry players who shared their experiences as well as their outlook for the year ahead
26 | SatellitePro | December 2013
Q
How has 2013 met your expectations set at the beginning of the year?
MOHAMMED ALHAJ, COO of Gulfsat We had set ourselves some stiff targets for 2013 at the beginning of the year. Though we have not achieved all of them yet, we are nearly there with the remainder of the year still to go. Therefore, we are reasonably satisfied. ABDULLA AHMAD AL-QEMZI, Head of Media and External Communications at EIAST Actually, 2013 hasn’t met my expectations. This has been a year of upheaval! First of all, EIAST was restructured and I got so confused in adapting to my new boss’ style of work. The results are still appearing on daily basis, however, this restructuring has put me a little bit closer to the director general, who never stops showing me support. He told me the best words I’ve ever heard in my career: ‘I trust you.’ SPANDAN KAR, GIS Solutions Manager at Space Imaging Middle East In terms of product launches and project completion, we met all our milestones. Last year we had planned to make 2013 ‘the year of web GIS’ for Space Imaging Middle East. We remained on target and within a year, we have gained a substantial amount of experience and expanded our portfolio in GIS application development for the web. From that perspective, 2013 has been a great year. AHMED HASSAN AFIFY, CEO of Wiseband The year has been better than expected! We’ve been expanding into new vertical markets such as oil and gas and we’ve secured two big contracts with major players in the industry. We’ve also introduced the first franchise business model to the satellite industry and have the first franchise operational in United States.
“We set out to grow both voice and data revenues as well as get real momentum in Asia. We have definitely achieved our goals” T. SANFORD JEWETT
“Last year we had planned to make 2013 ‘the year of web GIS’ for Space Imaging Middle East. We remained on target and within a year, we have gained a substantial amount of experience and expanded our portfolio in GIS application development for the web.” SPANDAN KAR
MAZEN NASSAR, MD of Mena Nets I had expected broadband VSAT in Iraq and Afghanistan to slow down and for Libya to pick up. I also expected to see movement in the new Ka-band terminals. Now that we’re approaching the end of the year, I see that all of this has happened. Ka band is no longer unknown and both the Iraq and Afghanistan markets have slowed down drastically. TORSTEN KRIENING, MD at Kriening International To date, 2013 has fully met my expectations! The year has been outstanding – especially compared to the last two years. ROGER FRANKLIN, President and CEO of Crystal Solutions Dealings in the international markets are heating up and there’s good positive growth occurring in many parts of the world. T. SANFORD JEWETT, Vice-President of Marketing at Thuraya The year 2013 has been an outstanding one where we set out to grow both voice and data revenues as well as get real momentum in Asia. We have definitely achieved our goals.
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 27
SatVox Pop
Q
What was the coolest/funniest/ best moment of 2013?
MOHAMMED ALHAJ The best moment was certainly bagging a new contract worth USD 2 million from a high profile client in the oil and gas industry. This further strengthened our foothold in this vertical market. We toiled really hard for this deal and the result was indeed very sweet to say the least. The funniest moment has to be when one of my colleagues nicknamed the E8WC, a temporary gap filler satellite, the ‘WC’ due to its inferior coverage areas when compared to the hot birds such as the E7WA and E8WA. As for the ‘coolest’ moment, we are still waiting for the onset of winter in Kuwait. ABDULLA AHMAD AL-QEMZI The coolest and funniest moment of 2013 was when I was the MC for an event. While I was introducing the speakers on stage, one of the organisers notified me that a VIP was present and that I should thank him for coming. As I started writing the thank you note, the presentation on stage suddenly came to an end. So I ran to the stage and froze trying to control the panic. I had to improvise, which was the first time in my life to do such a thing! While saying my thanks, I began to mumble and got the VIP’s organisation mixed up with another one with a similar name. Then I remembered the name but still didn’t get it 100% right. Afterwards, the organiser came to me with a broad smile, put his hand on my shoulder and said: ‘I don’t care about the confusion; I’d rather thank him like that than to not have thanked him at all. SPANDAN KAR One of the best moments of the year was seeing three of our projects displayed at the stands of Dubai Municipality, Dubai Land Department and Dubai Statistics Center at GITEX-2013. It was a proud moment for the Space Imaging Middle East team as our hard work had paid off with appreciation from clients and visitors alike. AHMED HASSAN AFIFY The best moment of the year was reading a Kuwaiti newspaper about Wiseband’s satcom-on-the-move (SOTM) solution that helped to solve a problem during an oil rig fire through an engineer working remotely from Houston,
28 | SatellitePro | December 2013
“The best moment was certainly bagging a new contract worth USD 2 million from a high profile client in the oil and gas industry. This further strengthened our foothold in this vertical market” MOHAMMED ALHAJ
Texas. I’m happy to know that awareness of SOTM products and services is on the rise regarding how they can be an essential element for the crisis management departments across the Middle East and Africa. MAZEN NASSAR This year, I saw the rare sight of a sabotaged marine fibre optics cable, which cut off communications for millions of people. It was a good moment for me because I was there to witness why satellite is needed as a back-up for when fibre communications are lost. Another reason for the good moment was the beautiful day and lovely beach-side location, which had an unusual rock, dubbed Elephant Truck for its natural resemblance, sitting across the bay. Altogether it was an interesting story where technology was the protagonist: the good (nature), the bad (the sabotage of the cable) and the ugly (the political motives to cut the cable). TORSTEN KRIENING Great opportunities opened their door this year! Speaking at MilSatCom Abu Dhabi was one of these moments. And then many new contacts and projects followed. MilSatCom Abu Dhabi is an event worth visiting. ROGER FRANKLIN I can’t really talk about the best moment of the year, if you know what I mean? T. SANFORD JEWETT One of the best moments that we had this year was unveiling the SatSleeve at SATELLITE 2013 where the industry got their very first look at the device. Their positive reaction and the subsequent sales for the product confirmed that we had a really innovative new satellite product.
Q
What challenges are you looking to tackle in 2014?
MOHAMMED ALHAJ Increasing our market share in the MENA broadcast market, coping with the threat of new players and new technologies, and identifying new opportunities for vertical and horizontal diversification are on the cards. ABDULLA AHMAD AL-QEMZI I have a project idea in mind that I want to introduce to the director general to get his support and approval before I start executing it. I have a strong belief that this project, if born, will positively transform the EIAST. It will be very challenging but I want to do it. SPANDAN KAR We have done tremendously well this year, both in terms of meeting clients’ expectations and mastering the latest technologies and innovations. Naturally, the challenge for the next year would be to expand on this and surpass our current achievements. We are very excited about venturing into newer technologies in the field of GIS and contributing our ideas to this technological evolution. AHMED HASSAN AFIFY Next year’s challenges include hiring new sales guys for our team, as finding qualified and talented salesmen proved difficult in 2013. MAZEN NASSAR I expect to see a rise in broadcast and less broadband. I look forward to a few new projects and new opportunities with a better global economic outlook, especially on the back of the hype should Dubai win the World Expo 2020. Furthermore, if the Syrian conflict ends, then we may see new markets come up to rebuild Syria with the quick implementation of satellite communications to fill the gap until fibre and other infrastructures are restored in the country.
“If the Syrian conflict ends, then we may see new markets come up to rebuild Syria with the quick implementation of satellite communications to fill the gap until fibre and other infrastructures are restored in the country” MAZEN NASSER
TORSTEN KRIENING The challenges I’m looking to tackle next year include new horizons in satcomms and other areas that will appear – and this drives me! I’m upbeat because I believe the Middle East is gaining back the business. ROGER FRANKLIN The challenge for 2014 is managing growth, which is a great challenge to have. T. SANFORD JEWETT The year ahead will see us innovating by expanding our product portfolio to cater to new markets and sectors including maritime. Watch this space as we will be making exciting new announcements in the first part of the year. We also plan to continue expanding and enhancing our distribution channels and to dramatically grow our business in Africa. PRO
“Watch this space as we will be making exciting new announcements in the first part of the year. We also plan to continue expanding and enhancing our distribution channels and to dramatically grow our business in Africa” T. SANFORD JEWETT December 2013 | SatellitePro | 29
SatVertical: Telco
30 | SatellitePro | December 2013
IMPACT OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION Explosive data traffic rates, customer intolerance of network disruptions, insatiable demand for connectivity everywhere and revenues being tapped by other players: telcos are under a lot of pressure. SatellitePro ME explores the changes, challenges and opportunities facing the vertical market and the region’s part in today’s telco boom Customers are increasingly demanding connectivity anywhere, any time. To boot, they are very intolerant of network disruptions or degradation, says Dr Samer Taha, CEO of Waseela, a leading regional telecom and ICT systems integrator. It seems that the more people use the internet, the more they want it. And considering the prevalence of connected devices, from smartphones to tablets and the like, this demand is headed to insatiable proportions at an exponential rate – perhaps we’re already there. But what does this mean for telco players? “The explosive growth in data traffic and changes in customer expectations and behaviour are causing tremendous pressure on the profitability of telco operators. They are being forced to continuously invest in networks infrastructure to handle the exponential growth in data traffic, while on the other hand, these telco operators are not able to charge and bill the corresponding applications causing this massive data traffic in a fair way relative to the network resources consumed by these bandwidth-hungry applications,” says Taha. To add to this pressure, explains Taha,
today’s digital revolution has afforded various other players, such as content providers and app developers, new business opportunities, but these involve revenues being tapped from the telcos. “The changes in the telco vertical brought about by the digital revolution have created opportunities for content providers and app developers, and these have resulted in outstanding successes in recent years. But these content providers and app developers are diverting revenues toward themselves away from telco operators, who end up suffering from high Capex and Opex without being able to generate equivalent revenues,” says Taha. The challenges facing telcos are tough, adds Gerardo Canta, the Managing Director of the Middle East for Accenture – Communications, Media and Technology. People are addicted to data and will seek out anyone offering it, he says. “Customers want a breadth of digital offerings at their fingertips and are open to receiving those offerings from the best provider irrespective of who that may be. This is a big challenge for telcos, which need to be up-to-speed with innovations, controlling December 2013 | SatellitePro | 31
SatVertical: Telco
“By 2020, mobile data traffic is expected to increase 1,000-fold on at least 50 billion internet-capable devices. This represents huge opportunities for whoever will be able to rise to the challenge of having network capacity that sustains the expected quality of experience” GERARDO CANTA, Managing Director of the Middle East for Accenture – Communications, Media and Technology
32 | SatellitePro | December 2013
costs and optimising operations while at the same time, competing against new actors such as OTT (over-the-top) players. Consumers want ubiquitous coverage — a network that follows them everywhere and provides compelling user experience anywhere. Network providers will need to pay special attention to constantly upgrading their networks and offering innovative subscription packages – or it may be difficult to stay in the game,” says Canta.
Challenges and opportunities David Hershberg CEO of Globecomm, a telecomms and satcomms provider, adds internet protocol (IP) into the mix of challenges, explaining that if tackled correctly, overcoming this challenge can prove to be very advantageous. “The digital revolution in particular depends on the use of IP. It is both a challenge and a great opportunity. The challenge is to learn a whole new way of communicating for voice, data and video. This involves working to make these IP systems that are developed for terrestrial use able to work efficiently by satellite, involving methods of reducing
overheads and error correction, acceleration and encoding. The opportunity that we have taken advantage of is common protocol that can be used for all services. By getting into IP by satellite in 1995, we have developed systems using common technology for all forms of communication, which allows a small company like ours, for example, to compete in many markets such as cellular, media and internet. The emergence of cloud computing and media on the internet has led to a requirement for more and more bandwidth,” says Hershberg. The digital revolution has created numerous business models, says Hershberg, adding that the new subsequent opportunities that have been afforded are set to mature. “OTT services by internet have grown at a very fast rate as well as hosting wireless data services, ISPs, IP video, maritime broadband and tactical communications, machineto-machine, mobile media and interactive training. The fastest growing part of our business is data usage by our cellular clients’ upgrades to 4G and LTE. One of the fastest growing markets is cyber security, a number
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SatVertical: Telco of new entities have been started to pursue this market. The new Ka-band satellites launched by Hughes and ViaSat that are providing more than 15 times the available bandwidth compared with earlier satellites are helping to meet this increasing demand. “Providing secure broadband capabilities worldwide including VSATs on vessels, highthroughput tactical terminals with auto acquisition, new broadcast centres, Ka-band hardware and systems are all emerging opportunities that will mature,” he says.
MENA mobile data boom
“The digital revolution in particular depends on the use of IP. It is both a challenge and a great opportunity. The challenge is to learn a whole new way of communicating for voice, data and video” DAVID HERSHBERG, CEO of Globecomm
34 | SatellitePro | December 2013
Within the next seven years, traffic of mobile data is set to increase 1,000-fold, says Canta. If telcos are already feeling the pressure currently, then the near future is really going to turn up the heat. “By 2020, mobile data traffic is expected to increase 1,000-fold on at least 50 billion internet-capable devices. This represents huge opportunities for whoever will be able to rise to the challenge of having network capacity that sustains the expected quality of experience,” he says. According to Dataxis, a provider of global business intelligence for telecomms, TV and media, the Middle East and North Africa is a significant contributor to this mobile data boom. And the principal enabler behind this is satellite, says Hussein Oteifa, General Manager of the Middle East at SES. Because fibre is lacking in many parts of the MENA region, he explains, demand for data couldn’t be met without satellite. “Today, there are more than 450 million mobile subscribers in the MENA region, according to Dataxis. This number is set to rise by another 100 million in the next two years. Satellite is already an active enabler in the telco boom in the MENA region. SES has been present in the region for more than a decade, providing satellite capacity to customers rolling out GSM backhaul networks in areas where there is limited terrestrial infrastructure. In these inaccessible areas, satellite is an ideal infrastructure that can very quickly be deployed, ensuring profitability and low operating expenses for our customers.” According to Oteifa, SES sees growth in the telco vertical continuing and on the back of this, the company is working closely with
Oman, Iraq, Libya and Saudi Arabia. “This is to ensure that we are ready to provide the capacity and expertise that are needed in those markets to grow our customers’ business both in the MENA region and beyond,” he says. Oteifa attributes part of the data traffic boom in the region to the affordability of mobile phones and subscriptions. “The cheaper cost of mobile phones and the different tier of mobile packages that have been offered by telco operators have contributed greatly to the telco boom in the MENA region. As the worldwide economy evolves, millions of people in this region who were unable to afford mobile phone subscriptions are finally given the chance to connect to their loved ones almost instantly. “There are also some governments in the MENA region who aim to fulfil universal service obligations and have been actively rolling out terrestrial networks and laying the infrastructure that easily enable telco companies to provide mobile backhaul services. In recent years, the rising popularity of smartphones combined with the growing demands of the rapidly rising affluent population that is increasingly accustomed to being connected anytime, anywhere has also resulted in a swelling demand for data, cloud and managed satellite services. The popularity of data packages and value-added services present a huge opportunity for service providers and this is where we believe satellite can help as well.” While the digital revolution has presented new opportunities for other players, which in turn draws revenues away from telcos, satellite can assist telcos to increase their revenues, explains Oteifa. “For the past five years, governments in the UAE, Oman and Qatar have been investing heavily in terrestrial networks. On the other hand, mobile companies have been launching 3G and 4G networks to feed the escalating demand for access to mobile internet. In order to ascertain that their networks are fully covered, mobile companies are now turning towards satellite operators to ensure there is coverage over the remote and inaccessible parts of the countries. Satellite operators can quickly provide the bandwidth needed for a telco that is keen to venture into providing triple play services.” PRO
SatInterference
ENGAGING THE USERS
CARRIER ID
36 | SatellitePro | December 2013
STEPS TO TAMING THE BEAST Interference is the satellite industry’s biggest foe. But interms of trying to tackle this matter, the year has been positively eventful. While a lot of discussion about satellite interference has taken place, milestones have also been achieved. David Hartshorn, Secretary General of GVF, and Martin Coleman, Executive Director of IRG, talk about the challenges still to come There has been a great deal of talk in recent years about the effects of satellite interference, although it is widely recognised that it only affects a small number of services. The industry has also been discussing the steps that need to be taken in order to minimise it. It hasn’t all just been talk, though, action has been taken, too. This year, we have also seen a plethora of major milestones, brining us that much closer to our goal of controlling the beast. Both the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) have played a key role in making these accomplishments happen, alongside a number of other groups, such as the Word Broadcasting Unions - International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) and the Radio Frequency Interference - End Users Initiative (RFI-EUI). Realising these accomplishments has also involved support from across the satellite industry.
Engaging the users “Naturally, satellite users are an important group to engage, as they are at the sharp end of feeling its effects. However, they come from such a wide cross-section that it is no mean feat to engage every user group
across the globe. It is a challenge, though, that GVF and IRG are keen to meet and we have begun the steady process of doing just that. GVF in particular organises a number of user events such as its maritime event, which took place in Washington during the Satellite 2013 show, where interference featured heavily on the agenda,” says Martin Coleman, Executive Director of IRG. “One of the biggest milestones this year was within the broadcast community, thanks to a collaboration with the RFI-EUI, launching a two-prong effort to improve the quality of satellite newsgathering (SNG) services worldwide. The first phase of a programme tested operators of SNG systems on the skills necessary to reduce the occurrence of SNG-based interference. The two groups have also been jointly promoting the use of SNG terminal equipment that has been tested and approved in coordination with GVF’s industry framework. The initiative has been well-received and it is hoped to take it forward some more into 2014.” Another key user-related milestone was the issue of a document defining the applicable performance requirements and test procedures for GVF Type Approval of comms-on-the-move (COTM) antenna
systems (GVF105), says David Hartshorn, Secretary General of GVF. “Of course, this is also particularly relevant to SNG trucks, but also many other user groups using mobile equipment, such as the military and maritime. The document is intended to serve as a best-practices guide for interpreting international regulatory specifications for the purpose of GVF Type Approval of COTM VSAT terminals. It adds guidance for testing parameters that are unique to COTM terminals, and should greatly improve the process and understanding for those involved. GVF is also in coordination with the US Department of Defense regarding COTM Earth station testing and approvals.”
Carrier ID Carrier ID, or CID, has been a huge focus over the last couple of years, particularly for IRG, explains Coleman. “For anyone who has missed it, CID is the addition of a low-power spread spectrum carrier underneath the host carrier of a video or data transmission. It is an important part of the solution to mitigate day-to-day carrier interference as it helps to pinpoint the source of interference quickly and efficiently, thus enabling faster December 2013 | SatellitePro | 37
SatInterference
ACTION PLAN
CHALLENGES
“CID is an important part of the solution to mitigate day-to-day carrier interference as it helps to pinpoint the source of interference quickly and efficiently, thus enabling faster resolution” MARTIN COLEMAN, Executive Director of IRG
38 | SatellitePro | December 2013
resolution. During the course of 2013, plenty of progress has been made in the implementation of CID, starting with the approval by the DVB of a CID specification (DVB-CID), quickly followed by the issue of a standard by ETSI.” An agreement was also reached with the Space Data Association (SDA) for the development of a global CID database, a key element to providing the process and systems to implement CID. Additional major milestones for CID this year came in the form of resolutions from the WBU-ISOG. These support the requirement that by January 1, 2015, all new model modulators and codecs with integrated modulators purchased by end users for video uplinking should contain
DVB-CID. The WBU-ISOG also states that all satellite operators by the same period should start the transition to use CID for all SNG, DSNG and any other new uplink transmission services. The resolutions also deal with uplinkers of single carrier per channel (SCPC) and multiple carriers per channel (MCPC) video and data transmissions, which, according to WBU-ISOG, should include CID functionality in all current and future requests for proposal, with immediate effect. “As mentioned above, the new ETSI standard CID technology is much more efficient than the previous NIT version. Therefore, the WBU-ISOG is pushing for the phasing out NIT in preference to the ETSI standard by January 1, 2018,” says Coleman.
“These milestones are certainly helping to set the wheels in motion for wide scale global implementation of CID, yet we still have a way to go!”
Action plan An important breakthrough was made during a recent meeting of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) in Tunisia earlier this year, where a significant action plan was agreed upon, adds Hartshorn. “The action plan is aimed at establishing a public awareness campaign to highlight that intentional interference will not prevent the media message being delivered,” he says. The plan includes guidelines around training, working to establish shortand medium-term training plans for all broadcasters, aimed at ensuring best practice in operation and maintenance of satellite uplink systems, thereby greatly reducing errors. It also includes Earth station approvals to ensure SNG terminal equipment is tested and approved for use, reducing the risk of equipment failure. Regarding CID, it ensures that members and users in the region implement CID in line with the WBU-ISOG mandates, enabling fast resolution when interference occurs. Lastly, the plan’s guidelines includes regulatory and political actions, continuing to work with the regulatory bodies such as the ITU to develop these initiatives. “This action plan was further endorsed following the recent WBU-ISOG meeting in Rio de Janeiro, where the group took the decision to approve and adopt the plan,” adds Hartshorn.
Challenges ahead According to Hartshorn, 2013 has been a very successful year for implementing satellite interference prevention initiatives. “However, there is so much more ground still to cover. For example, GVF has trained more than 8,000 students around the globe, which is an astounding figure, however, it is estimated that there are still 20,000-40,000 untrained field technicians out there. It is GVF’s main aim to reach all VSAT installers with training. “As for equipment, GVF has tested and approved equipment from nearly
50 manufacturers, but there are many others still to be tested. Our intention is to encourage anyone purchasing new satellite equipment to first check our GVF-MRA approved equipment catalogue and only purchase products from those companies listed. This should also have the knock-on effect of encouraging other manufacturers to get their equipment up to spec and approved.” The other main goal for 2014 comes back to Carrier ID. At the recent IRG conference in Rio de Janeiro, Coleman set a goal to achieve 100% CID for the 2014 World Cup. All major satellite operators are implementing CID monitoring and detection systems and many users are either CID-ready or are ensuring compliance by the end of 2014. “Some simply need help learning how to turn it on. Therefore, for IRG, the focus will be on further education to help that group understand what is involved and help them verify whether their current systems and equipment are, indeed CID-ready. Again, IRG has a list of CID-ready products on its website,” says Coleman. Another technology that IRG is working to improve is geolocation. “Geolocation is indeed a technology necessity for combatting satellite interference. As the market evolves for geolocation, better tools and processes are becoming available. By improving geolocation technologies, we can locate the source much more efficiently, improving accuracy to help pinpoint a precise location. One of the key goals for IRG over the coming months is to improve and standardise geolocation procedures, data gathering and reporting, for all types of geolocated interference. Better records and a common format will help us get a better understanding and spot the patterns that will enable us to characterise and resolve issues more easily and thus help improve predictive techniques of when it may reoccur,” explains Coleman. “Crucially, if we had to highlight one thing that has made us successful thus far, it would have to be the co-operation, between groups, satellite operators, manufacturers, users, and regulators. Therefore, going forward into 2014, that will remain a huge priority for both groups.” PRO
“GVF has trained more than 8,000 students around the globe, which is an astounding figure. However, there are still 20,000-40,000 untrained field technicians out there. It is GVF’s main aim to reach all VSAT installers with training” David Hartshorn, Secretary General of GVF
December 2013 | SatellitePro | 39
SatGuest
VSAT: IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN Resilient and on the rise, VSAT has a prominent place in the future, says Mazen Nassar of Mena Nets, and mobility is the name of the game
I
“
wish I could predict the future or at least control it. If this were possible, I would make fattening food healthy. But all I can do is imagine and wish. My view of the future is that there will be a lot of mobility. It will be a continuation from what we are seeing today: a lot of mobile VSAT such as communications on the pause – including flyaways, manpacks and trailers – and communications on the move (COTM) and the like. Demand for mobility is on a steep rise, especially with oil and gas, government and military, and broadcast markets,” says Mazen Nassar, Managing Director of Mena Nets. “I also assume that higher throughput and lower prices will give VSAT a lot more market share, since the price in the past has hindered its popularity. I imagine that flat-panel dishes will probably become popular, too.” VSAT has proven its resilience, says Nassar, explaining that over numerous years, he has witnessed its ups and downs, but VSAT is currently a peaking trend. “Early on, ISPs and GSM operators started to find VSAT as a solution for areas not covered by fibre. Then while fibre was on the rise, VSAT was still a much faster deployment. Fibre then came and took a market share away from VSAT. But VSAT came back into remote areas in the Arabian Gulf and in Africa. Then by the turn of the century (when the world did not end and the millennium bug myth was eliminated), the wars in
40 | SatellitePro | December 2013
Afghanistan and Iraq were a big fat boom for the industry in the region.
Iraq opened up “The Iraq war indirectly opened up the borders. Prior to the war, Iraq was extremely closed to the outside world in terms of satellite TV and VSAT. However, just days after the US military took over Baghdad, even while former President Saddam Hussein’s whereabouts were unknown, shipments of direct-to-home and VSAT were making their way in huge quantities. The market grew very fast. Prior to the wars of Afghanistan and Iraq, the shipments were in ones and twos and they were usually direct to end users who were running their GSM, ISP or government
networks. However, after the war, military consumption fueled the market, service providers and network operators mushroomed building networks for internet and VoIP, and many new satellite-related companies were born, mainly in Dubai, Iraq and Afghanistan. “Today, we see banks, homes and cars asking for VSATs, unlike 15 years ago when most of the demand was from telcos, governments, militaries and ISPs. “I hope that the VSAT industry will keep getting more efficient and keeps reducing costs to eventually compete with fibre. Unlike what many believe, satellite is more reliable than fibre as well as many of the other connectivity solutions. It is also more secure and more private.” PRO
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