ISSUE 15 | FEBRUARY 2013
League of Resilience A MASTERCLASS FROM MENA SATELLITE SOLUTIONS PROVIDERS ON SURVIVING AND THRIVING THROUGH MARKET TURBULENCE
REGISTER
CREATING SOLAR MAPS
CAPABILITY OVER COST
NEW AT CABSAT 2013
Abu Dhabi-based Masdar uses satellite imagery
End of the digital dark ages for maritime enterprise
Product quality initiative from Global VSAT Forum
SatellitePro Telco Roundtable on March 13, at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
crédit photo : Shutterstock
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SatellitePro Telco Rountable on March 13, 2013, at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai www.satelliteprome.com
EDITORIAL Publisher Dominic De Sousa
The doubters taking centrestage?
Group COO Nadeem Hood Managing Director Richard Judd richard@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9126
The year is barely a month old and it is acquiring an attitude. The sceptic is taking over and the adoring fans are subdued for the time being.
EDITORIAL
Just as we are lining up to cheer 2013 as the year of Ka-band deployment on a global scale, the sceptics are urging us to look beyond what they describe as the “hype”.
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 Abdul Kader Pattambi 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
Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0) 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 (0) 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.
Across the region, in countries such as Afghanistan and Yemen, consumer broadband over satellite is taking on new Ka-pabilities (sorry, could not resist that). The hiccups in installation, gaps in training and logistical challenges faced, would all make for pathbreaking learning experiences as satellite operators make deep inroads into specific verticals. Site-visits are key to the solutions provider – one would imagine some gaps in execution between the training in air-conditioned offices and the installation of antennas on rooftops in Afghanistan. Site visits are key to journalists as well. One such visit gave me the opportunity to watch a US consular official as she went about the paperwork around military-grade satcom equipment, essentially saying that the products should not find its way to Iran. With the turmoil in North Africa intensifying, the satellite industry is probably embedded in the action, albeit with a characteristic lack of flair as Louis Zacharilla, Director of Development, SSPI, puts it. Is this lack of flair not allowing the industry to rope in a larger pool of customers – the ones sitting on the fringes despite the falling price of satellite services? In an attempt to make that message somewhat loud and clear, our friends at Global VSAT Forum (GVF) have a useful initiative at CABSAT 2013 towards improving the quality of products and services in the industry. And speaking of CABSAT, you can submit your product releases to me at Supriya@cpdubai.com Supriya Srinivas Editor
In this edition: “Our clients are not concerned as to how the 99.97% availability will be met as long as it is met” - Hisham A. Ansari, Managing Director of HorizonSat – page 10
“This programme [with KACST] requires three full gateway facilities to support the traffic load from the 10 spot beams” - Ric VanderMeulen, VP of Business Development of ViaSat – page 32
“We are all targeting the same ‘pie’. This approach will definitely impact price because the only way to get clients, other than offering coverage, is price” - Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director of SkyStream – page 10
“The worldwide market for data over satellite is growing at around 4% a year, but in the MENA region it is growing at a very healthy 10% a year” - Andrew Ferreira, Project Manager, CABSAT – page 36
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CONTENTS
Issue 15 | FEBRUARY 2013
24
News
4
Not all bands are created equal Ka-band has an inflated advantage in market perception: White paper from Harris CapRock
Africa, satellite atlas... EIAST, ARABSAT, Globecast, Hughes, Belgium Satellite Services…
SatComms: Telcos/Broadcast SatVertical: Military/Government
10
The league of robust resilience Three MENA-based satellite solutions providers offer their views on the rollercoaster ride over the past decade and on the years to come
28 10 “The big concern is when the Americans pull out, there could be turmoil”
Testing ground for 4K
16
Masdar’s Research Engineer Yehia Eissa explains how satellite images helped develop UAE’s landmark solar atlas
SatVertical: Oil & Gas/Maritime
20
Louis Dubin of Comtech makes a compelling case for the SCPC option
30
SatVertical: Government
Satellite imagery for solar maps
Satellite backhaul in emerging countries
Michel Chabrol of Eutelsat believes satellites are the natural platform for broadcasting Ultra HD
30
“With HEVC and DVB-S3, we believe we should be able to transmit around five Ultra HD 4K channels”
Maritime enterprise: Evolving from the Dark Ages
32 Gateway to the Kingdom Ric VanderMeulen of ViaSat on the Ka-band satellite services for the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
SatEvents
36
Modern networked enterprises are unconstrained by physical and geographic separation; why should the maritime industry be any different, ask Jim Dodez and Rick Driscoll of KVH
New at CABSAT 2013 Product quality initiatives from the Global VSAT Forum
ISSUE 15 | FEBRUARY 2013
SatGuest
40 League
of Resilience A MASTERCLASS FROM MENA SATELLITE SOLUTIONS PROVIDERS ON SURVIVING AND THRIVING THROUGH MARKET TURBULENCE
REGISTER
CREATING SOLAR MAPS
CAPABILITY OVER COST
NEW AT CABSAT 2013
Abu Dhabi-based Masdar uses satellite imagery
End of the digital dark ages for maritime enterprise
Product quality initiative from Global VSAT Forum
SatellitePro Telco Roundtable on March 13, at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
On the cover: (L to R) Mazen Nassar, Riyadh Al Adely, Hisham Ansari
“The use and access to the space dimension is essential for our operations”
40
Overheard at Global MilSatCom What the military wants of MilSatCom
SatNews
Hermes Datacomms to provide managed WAN for Wood Group
Sam Murray, Account Manager, Hermes Datacomms
Hermes Datacommunications, a provider of Wide Area Communications to the upstream oil and gas industry, has won a contract from Wood Group to provide Managed Wide Area Network connectivity to support operations in the UK, Canada, Dubai, Cameroon, Sakhalin
Island and Kazakhstan for the services division, Wood Group PSN. The services are reportedly monitored and managed 24/7 from the company’s NOC (Network Operation Centre) in the UK and with support from country offices. Sam Murray, Account Manager, explained, “Hermes has developed a strong working relationship with the Wood Group and we continue to support the company as their users requirements evolve.” Hermes Managed Services approach provides value, the company claims, to Wood Group PSN by proactive price reductions from providers and a networkownership approach. Hermes’ Point-ofPresence (PoP) at London Telehouse is reportedly central to the network.
4 | SatellitePro | February 2013
Thomas Müller as Head of Astrium Satellite Products unit
Astrium is reportedly strengthening the Astrium Satellite Products unit with the appointment of Thomas Müller as the new head. He also becomes the new head of site at Astrium in Ottobrunn. In addition, Thomas Müller will be responsible for Astrium’s globalisation strategy focussing on products for spacecraft and satellites. www.astrium.eads.net Morten Hagland Hansen as RigNet’s VP Business Services
www.hermes.uk.com
Belgium Satellite Services increases capacity with Eutelsat over MEA
Eutelsat Communications and Belgium Satellite Services (BSS), have announced a long-term contract for 46 MHz of C-band capacity on the Eutelsat 10A satellite. The contract reflects BSS’ ambition to step up its activity in Africa and the Middle East, and follows its acquisition, completed last month, of Intersat, a provider of satellitebased data solutions with offices in Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. The new capacity on Eutelsat 10A will reportedly allow BSS to
KEY APPOINTMENTS
expand VSAT services for a client base of more than 150 businesses, NGOs and government administrations built by Intersat in more than 25 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and to develop new business. Networks will be managed by BSS using its teleport in Lessive (Belgium) and ground station equipped with iDirect technology. Nitin Dhawan, CEO of Belgium Satellite Services said: “Thanks to the extensive C-band footprint on Eutelsat 10A satellite, we can build a strong platform for service provision across the African continent and the Middle East. We are now positioned to strengthen our response to businesses and multinationals in demanding enterprise sectors, including the banking sector, that need secure and scalable networks.” www.bssteleport.com
Hansen’s primary responsibility will be to work across the sales, engineering, operations, products/solutions and marketing functions as RigNet develops, provisions and supports remote communications solutions around the world. www.rig.net
YahLive’s GCC HD Academy roadshow in Jeddah
YahClick terminals deployed in key regional markets
Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO, Yahsat
Working in partnership with local service partners, YahClick has been rolled out in five countries namely; Afghanistan, Angola, Iraq, Nigeria and South Africa with the YahClick service set to be fully operational in the remaining countries through the Middle East, Africa, Central and South West Asia by the end of 2013.
Iraq seeks VSAT support from US The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) operations and maintenance services along with related equipment to the Iraqi Government. The package also includes supply of 75 VSAT equipment suites, which comprises 1.8m VSAT terminals, block-up converters (BUCs), lownoise down converters (LNBs), required cables and components, iDirect e8350 modem, network operation and dynamic bandwidth equipment and iMonitor software Under the estimated USD 125m FMS, Iraq has reportedly requested the supply of VSAT operations and maintenance services, among others. www.dsca.mil
To date, Yahsat has a network of working relations with a total of 30 service partners across 28 countries throughout the Middle East, Africa, Central and South West Asia. The company claims that more than 25, 000 YahClick terminals have been ordered in the first three months of the soft launch. With services of up to 15Mbps and package deals starting from a reported USD 20 to suit a variety of audiences, YahClick’s early subscribers include a mix of energy, construction, agribased verticals, SME, NGOs and individual users. Commenting on Yahsat and YahClick’s progress, Yahsat CEO, Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani stated; “YahClick’s satellite broadband service provides a refreshing new alternative to unavailable, slow, congested or frequently disrupted internet for the region’s urban, rural and remote communities.” www.yahsat.ae
Emirates passenger makes first cell phone call on A380
SwiftBroadband is reportedly powering the world’s first in-flight mobile phone service on board an A380 aircraft. The first recorded A380 in-flight call was reportedly placed to China while the aircraft cruised at 11,500 metres (37,700 ft) above the Arabian Gulf.
www.inmarsat.com
Commercial entity to have hosted payload on ARABSAT’s Badr-7
Eng. Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO, ARABSAT
ARABSAT has finalised the mission definition for Badr-7 and confirmed the in-orbit delivery contract to the consortium of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space which has already started building the new satellite. In a ceremony in Riyadh, Eng. Khalid Balkheyour, ARABSAT President and CEO, Eric Béranger, CEO of Astrium Satellites and JeanLoïc Galle, CEO of Thales Alenia Space signed the contract which defines the new mission assigned to the satellite. CEO Balkheyour stated that ARABSAT has concluded a hosted payload deal on the new satellite, as reported by Satellite Today. He clarified that the commercial customer is not from the Middle East. The deal is reportedly the first commercial type of hosted payload contract signed in the Middle East. The new satellite, the first in ARABSAT’s sixth generation of satellites, will be colocated with ARABSAT satellites at the 26° East video hot spot known as BADR. It will extend ARABSAT’s in-orbit capacity at this location for direct-to-home television broadcast and telecommunications services, and will provide broadband services in Kaband with spot beam coverage. BADR-7 is based on the Astrium built Eurostar E3000 platform and is reportedly able to operate up to 24 transponders in Ku-band and 24 spot beams in Ka-band, as well as three transponders in Ka-band for additional services. www.arabsat.com February 2013 | SatellitePro | 5
SatNews
Hughes ships record number of broadband satellite terminals
Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes
Hughes Network Systems, LLC , has announced that it has shipped more than 487,000 broadband satellite terminals in 2012, the most ever in one year, bringing its cumulative number of satellite terminals shipped worldwide to more than 3.3 million. The company spokesman said that the consumer high-speed satellite internet
service in North America is growing at an accelerated rate since the launch of HughesNet Gen4 service in October 2012, powered by the EchoStar XVII Ka-band satellite with Jupiter high throughput technology—with a reported 200,000 HT terminals shipped in the last quarter of 2012. “Every one of those 3.3 million terminals is a testament to the trust placed in Hughes by our customers for their communications solutions,” said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. “It’s what drives us to innovate and continually advance our satellite technology and services— ensuring they succeed, so we succeed. And that hasn’t changed since we shipped the first VSAT terminal in 1986, nor has the pride in our people who make it happen.” www.hughes.com
UAE’s first satellite GlobeCast partners with YahLive atlas launched The UAE’s first atlas based on satellite images from DubaiSat 1 has been launched by Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), as reported by Gulf News. According to EIAST, the images in the atlas are more recent than those found on Google Earth and other websites The atlas, reportedly built entirely by a team of Emirati cartographers, engineers and researchers, is the first of its kind in the UAE and uses updated live images. The 127-page compilation includes 70 high quality images of 2.5m resolution each, showing various areas of the country in great detail, while a graphic road map compares each image, giving additional information. www.eiast.ae 6 | SatellitePro | February 2013
YahLive and GlobeCast, have announced a new partnership in which GlobeCast will provide YahLIve with a 24/7 monitoring and reporting service for YahLive’s satellite signals (video, audio and data) across the MENA region. A part of YahLive’s ongoing Customer Excellency (Customer First) programme, GlobeCast’s real-time monitoring and detection services will reportedly enhance YahLive’s quality control, maintenance and incidence response capabilities for its growing channel bouquet. The local monitoring and reporting initiatives will be based in GlobeCast’s regional monitoring centre in Jordan Media City (JMC), in Amman, Jordan. The agreement was signed by Georges Baroud, CEO of GlobeCast Middle East, and Mohamed Youssif, CEO of YahLive. www.globecast.com
Azerspace-1 satellite launch date announced
Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications and Information Technologies
The in-orbit launch of Azerspace-1 is scheduled on February 7. The satellite will be sent into orbit by the Ariane 5 ECA launcher from the Kourou spaceport (Guiana Space Centre), located in the northeast part of South America, French Guiana. The satellite will be launched into a geostationary orbit at 46 degrees east longitude, leased from Malaysia’s Measat Satellite Systems, owned by the Malaysian government. The Azerspace satellite manufacturer is American company Orbital Sciences Corporation. The satellite is designed to offer digital broadcasting services, internet access, data transmission, and to create multiservice VSAT networks and governmental communication. According to Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov, the total value of the project on launching Azerbaijan’s first satellite, Azerspace-1, is about USD 230 million. According to the minister, USD 16 million of this amount accounts for full coverage of the satellite’s insurance and about USD 1 million is to be spent on guaranteeing the insurance amount. The Azerspace-1 payload installed on the STAR-2 platform consists of 36 transponders -24 C-band transponders and 12 Ku-band ones. The frequency of the strip on each transponder is 36 MHz and the weight of the satellite is about 1,500 tons, according to Azerkosmos. The satellite exploitation term in the orbit will be up to 15 years. The service zone will reportedly cover Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia and North Africa. azercosmos.az
Turkey’s first observation satellite sends images
Turkish Science, Industry and Technology Minister, Nihat Ergün, told members of the press on Tuesday that the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Tubitak) started receiving clear images from Turkey’s first domestically made high-resolution observation satellite, Gokturk-2.
Ergün said the first images were from Turkey’s Antalya province and New Zealand’s Auckland region. He said the satellite was passing over Turkey four times a day and during those passages, images could be obtained from every part of the country. The images would be used mostly by Turkish Air Force Command, Ergün added. Göktürk-2 is Turkey’s first national high-resolution optical observation satellite was produced by Tubitak and the Turkish Aerospace Industry Corp. (Tusas). According to a written statement from Tubitak, the satellite will operate from approximately 686 kilometers above the Earth. www.tubitak.gov.tr
Nigeria to construct satellite by 2018 The Director, Centre for Satellite Technology Development (CSTD), Dr Spencer Onuh, has said the centre will train Nigerian engineers to design, test and Dr Spencer Onuh, fabricate a satellite. Director, Centre for Onuh, who disclosed Satellite Technology Development (CSTD) this in an interview in Abuja, as reported by The Tide Online, said the centre would work towards building human capacity that would enable the country to meet the target by 2018. He said the centre had trained over 50 Nigerian scientists, who were involved in the design, testing and launch of NigcomSat-1 and its replacement. www.cstd.nasrda.gov.ng
February 2013 | SatellitePro | 7
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SatLead
THE LEAGUE OF ROBUST RESILIENCE In a region that continues to see unprecedented changes brought on by wars and political upheaval, SatellitePro ME asks three satellite solutions providers who have weathered and thrived through the turmoil to offer their views on the roller-coaster ride over the past decade and on the years to come
10 | SatellitePro | February 2013
W
ith newspaper headlines barely keeping pace with changing political landscapes in the region, it is just as well that the MENA-based satellite service providers are in a business that allows them to shift from operations in Morocco to Afghanistan with the proverbial click of a button. Libya is today’s Iraq and Afghanistan, and there is talk of Syria becoming the next Libya – all in terms of opportunity for the satellite industry. But underlying this heady talk, there is what one solutions provider described as the industry breaking out into a rash of “ridiculous prices”. TDMA links are being reportedly sold for as low as USD 100 dollars per Mghz and whereas an SCPC link was being sold for as high as USD 5,000 dollars per Mghz five years ago, the market buzz is that prices being currently quoted are below USD 2,500 per Mghz. Asked about the drop in prices, Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director of SkyStream, a Dubai-based satellite solutions provider, says, “There is definitely an uncertainty in the market caused by supply and demand forces. At the VSAT 2012 conference, I had mentioned that while everyone is talking about new products and new verticals and expecting a huge demand, in reality, we are all targeting the same ‘pie’. This approach will definitely impact price because the only way to get clients, other than offering coverage, is price.”
Price drop: The short and mid-term views Post the onset of recession in 2008, when the satellite industry was still reporting an average year-on-year growth of 14.2%, there was a fear that if the recession lasted long enough, there would arise a situation of excess capacity with dropping prices. With a ringside view of the MENA market as it unfolds, Al Adely, takes a short and mid-term view of the impact of price fluctuations. “In the short term, everyone will be affected. I know of one company that has sold more Mghz than last year but their revenue has not increased proportionately. However in the long term, the industry will emerge stronger. In the past, because of the high cost for satellite capacity, we were limited to certain geographic and
Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director, SkyStream
market segments and products. The UAE, for instance was considered out of bounds because of the presence of terrestrial options. When prices go down, new regions and products open up, when, I believe, profit will be generated not on the space segment but on the value-added services such as design, technology, consultancy, training and maintenance.” This price-driven expansion of the market base will come about in the next couple of years, Al Adely believes. Libya – the new frontier? “Ridiculous” prices notwithstanding, the opportunity that Libya currently presents is undeniable. In a decade that has seen business move dramatically between Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, coping
In a decade that has seen business move dramatically between Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya, coping with turbulence is de rigueur for MENA-based satellite providers.
“While everyone is talking about new products and new verticals and expecting a huge demand, in reality, we are all targeting the same ‘pie’. This approach will definitely impact price because the only way to get clients, other than offering coverage, is price”
with turbulence is de rigueur for MENAbased satellite providers. “Libya is doing very well especially with Ka-band terminals. I am currently selling in the hundreds for broadband needs. Once the controls imposed by dictators are removed, there usually is an upsurge for information and that drives the demand for connectivity and all this is facilitated by the quick response satellite providers can typically offer. We expect Syria to be similar when the crisis is over,” says Mazen Nassar, CEO, Mena Nets FZE, a Dubaibased systems integrator and distributor. While SkyStream’s Al Adely concurs on the opportunities burgeoning in Libya, he plans to visit the country, get “dust on his shoes” and gauge the ground situation for himself.
Regulations: A double-edged sword Like the others, for Hisham A. Ansari, Managing Director of HorizonSat, a satellite services provider, Libya was always part of the coverage. Only now, matters have changed dramatically on the ground. “In Libya, we had a customer base before the fall of the regime and even through the turmoil, we supported some of the ISPs that were providing links to critical sites. The business is recovering slowly, and there is substantial demand, but general order in the country is not fully restored. While we have captured a portion of the business, we understand that a good portion is yet to be captured once the political situation becomes more stable.” However regulations, SkyStream’s Al Adely believes is not always good news February 2013 | SatellitePro | 11
SatLead
capacity and no takers. This has happened in Africa leaving many providers indebted. “The private sector needs to be treated as an ally. Historically, regulators do not follow the best practices which would involve a professional body managing spectrum and looking at the sector holistically from the commercial, economic and social points of view.”
Hisham A. Ansari, Managing Director, HorizonSat
“Our clients are not concerned as to how the 99.97% availability will be met as long as it is met. It is up to us to stay ahead technically to ensure that we sustain our position in the market” across the MENA region. “In this part of the world, governments continue to believe in monopolies. Bahrain is an exception and one of the few countries that has liberated its market. At the end of the day, companies such as SkyStream are local entities and we are adding value, however small, to the local economies. “Moreover, technology undermines monopolies and regulators need to accept this fact sooner rather than later and encourage the growth of indigenous companies that can hold their own in the face of international competition. The current issues with VOIP are evidence that monopolies are short-sighted in approach. “In countries such as Libya, where regulations are not clear, I can operate aggressively but we have to be careful not to shoot ourselves in the foot. The onset of regulations typically brings in monopolistic tendencies on the part of governments and that leaves service providers with huge satellite 12 | SatellitePro | February 2013
‘Can do’ in the face of uncertainty In this uncertain scenario, it is difficult to make accurate forecasts unlike in markets such as Europe where insiders say, 90% of the business can be forecast. Muddying the situation for local solutions providers is the word ‘embargo’. To ensure that militarygrade satcom products are not shipped to Iran, solutions providers and other satcom dealers should expect a visit from the US consulate that would, as witnessed by this writer, involve extensive questioning and visits to warehouses, if any. Happily, it is all in a day’s work for providers who have over the years seen the ‘embargo’ shift across countries in the region. As a response to the uncertainty, there is an undeniable ‘can do’ attitude among solutions providers. Hisham Ansari of HorizonSat recalls an instance when, in response to a sudden demand for almost 110 megabits of Internet connectivity, his team was able to provide service via satellite within a span of three hours. In an uncertain market, providers are willing to unilaterally pass on the benefits of lower prices to customers to ensure that they do not consider other options. A client in hand is obviously worth his weight in gold for the satellite service provider. When a local broadcaster and an erstwhile customer approached Mazen of Mena Nets for the installation of a 4.5-metre antenna, the project had to be executed despite pricing and logistical odds. “Between the time the project was signed and the antenna manufactured and delivered, police regulations with regard to cranes had changed bringing in the added, unanticipated cost of USD 6,000. With an ingenious system of pulleys, trolleys and half a dozen Afghan workers, our team managed
Mazen Nassar, CEO, Mena Nets FZE
“I don’t want any of my customers or any of my product lines to be more than 10% of my income. In this market, you could end up selling only hubs for one year and so on. However, if that one sector slows down, companies have been known to go bankrupt” to get the antenna and pedestal onto the terrace. From the initial purchase order and the time it took to manufacture the antenna, to getting the client to renew their import code and finally changing the feedhorn from circular to linear, it has taken a year. Though the project has barely covered cost, it was important to service an existing client.” Diversifying to stay afloat As a certified GVF trainer, Mazen Nassar is often called upon by satellite operators to validate installations. While the satellite industry veteran concedes that it is a privileged position to be in, he reiterates a common mantra among solutions providers in the region about not putting all of one’s eggs in one basket. “ I don’t want any of my customers or any
SatLead
“With an ingenious system of pulleys, trolleys and half a dozen Afghan workers, our team managed to get the antenna and pedestal onto the terrace. From the initial purchase order and the time it took to manufacture the antenna, to getting the client to renew their import code and finally changing the feedhorn from circular to linear, it has taken a year... it was important to service an existing client.” - Mazen Nassar, CEO, Mena Nets FZE
of my product lines to be more than 10% of my income. In this market, you could end up doing broadcast for a whole year or sell only hubs for one year and so on. However, if that one sector slows down, companies have been known to go bankrupt.” Without sugar-coating the painful learning curves in the tumultuous decade that saw satcom go from boom to almost bust in the region, Riyadh Al Adely recalls : “About 10 years ago, all of us reacted to the huge demand from Iraq and Afghanistan and we started supplying to the US military and contractors. It was undoubtedly a boom time for us given our strategic presence in the region. However the situation soon stabilised and rapid roll-out was not 14 | SatellitePro | February 2013
required anymore. Budgetary restrictions came in when the realisation dawned that the war will take longer than expected and will be more expensive than anticipated. As the competition started to become very cutthroat, most of us started focussing on retail. We became resellers for companies setting up hubs in Afghanistan and in Iraq. “I then realised, around 2008, that we were creating competitors. SkyStream decided to shift course and work on verticals. However while we did offer capacity to verticals, the service was centered around the satellite space segment with little by way of value added services. “In 2010, the team realised that we needed to differentiate ourselves and we identified three verticals – maritime, military and oil and gas. With maritime, we have focused on the leisure yachts, with military, our focus has been the UAE, Iraq, Qatar and Yemen. And lastly with oil and gas, our focus is mainly on Iraq and Yemen.“ The focus on verticals has worked, says Al Adely. He is slated to open two offices in
Basra and an office in Baghdad to cater to the oil and gas sector. In addition, the company has bagged contracts with one of the largest mega yachts in the world that prompted Al Adely to invest in premium Ku-band capacity on Intelsat for the maritime sector. With a teleport in Germany scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2013, HorizonSat is most definitely on the path to expansion. The company initially provided data communication over satellite and with the setting up of the teleport, the Dubaibased satellite service provider plans to diversify into the broadcast vertical. “Broadcasting brings in long-term stable customers. As a service provider, we have always believed in catering to a diversified range of customers from ISPs to government entities including oil and gas verticals” says Ansari. “As a satellite capacity and service provider, you have a wide market to cater to and you can shift from region to region within the satellite coverage. You need to have good partners in each country
“In 2010, the team realised that we needed to differentiate ourselves and we identified three verticals – maritime, military and oil and gas” - Riyadh Al Adely, Managing Director of SkyStream
and carefully chose them as they make a substantial contribution to the stability of service in terms of troubleshooting and maintaining installations. The ability to be at the forefront of new satellite technologies in order to optimise link budgets and performance is a vital ingredient in sustaining one’s niche as a satellite capacity and service provider,” asserts Ansari. He adds, “We believe Horizonsat is the largest hub operators using iDirect broadband technology in the region. “In 2005, we were one of the first few companies to run higher modulation services like DVB-S2 when it was launched.” HTS, Ka, O3b: Looking ahead Commenting on the year ahead and future trends, Hisham Ansari, believes Ka-band has its advantages but will face regulatory challenges over the MENA region due to the spot beams design. “In Saudi Arabia, for instance, you cannot run a satellite link unless the gateway is
located in Saudi Arabia and the current architecture of Ka-band satellites does not always support this. Perhaps future Kaband satellites will address this issue.” Bucking the popular view, Mazen believes consumer broadband in Afghanistan will slow down drastically after the Americans pull out. “The big concern is when the Americans pull out, there could be turmoil and the money would resultantly dry up. If a war breaks out, it may bring in a different kind of market for the satcom industry, but we could be entering a difficult market situation.” From O3b to Yahsat, Eshailsat and Intelsat’s EPIC, Mazen covers his bases by saying “we will sell everything”. He adds that more Ka-band additions to the geostationary belt are planned from Es’ShailSat, TurkSat and others. This is in addition to the existing Ka platforms provided on YahSat, Avanti’s Hylas I,II and EutelSat’s KaSat. In addition, there is the EPIC platform from Intelsat, the expected launch of O3b and other technological
developments. Mazen believes that these offerings coupled with a growing demand for mobile communications and smaller, more powerful terminals will be the future growth trend. “At Mena Nets. we plan to exhibit the ThinKom flat panel antenna at CABSAT. This, we believe will provide a smaller, lighter and less costly mobile terminal that can replace the traditional fly away and manpack antenna. I also expect increasing sales of satcom-on-the-move antennas such as the ThinSat 300 that mounts discreetly on the roof top of a compact vehicle.” Commenting on the merits of the O3b system, he observes: “O3b is betting on high power, but hardware wise they will need two motorised antennas and they will in theory have downtime because of the way the two dishes will rotate to receive the satellite. Moreover the satellite is not geostationery and there will be blind spots. The installation, I believe, will be expensive and complicated. While EPIC is also an amazing idea and the company has the history and money power to ensure success, it is not an industry-wide technology.“ The industry is in flux as the “ridiculous” prices demonstrate, but the message, in Al Adely’s words is still not loud and clear to the potential customers. “Once lower prices become the norm, the military will have more satcom-based applications. Governments will implement long-term remote education projects when they realise that satellite capacity and running costs are affordable. The same with telemedicine and SCADA applications. The message is not yet loud enough for the potential customers to consider space segment as viable. “Satellite solutions providers that persist with the old culture believe that they will make money only on the space segment. Two years ago, it was close to 100% of revenues for most solutions providers. My aim is to make the space segment 40% of our revenues. Just as aggressive price reductions have brought more business into places like India, I believe, it is a matter of time before we expand our markets with revenues coming from value-based services as against just the space segment.” PRO February 2013 | SatellitePro | 15
SatVertical: Government
SATELLITE IMAGERY FOR SOLAR MAPS Research Engineer Yehia Eissa was a part of the team that created UAE’s solar maps, and he shares with SatellitePro ME, an overview of the two-year exercise that started with studying satellite images at Masdar’s receiving station to creating a model more suited to the unique environmental conditions over the region
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oining the Abu Dhabi-based Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in 2010 as a Master’s student in the Water and Environment Engineering programme, Egyptian-born Yehia Eissa considers himself privileged to be part of the team that created a satellite-based solar mapping tool developed and validated at Masdar and utilised for producing 15-minute solar irradiance maps, along with monthly and yearly solar irradiation maps for the UAE’s Solar Atlas. Commenting on its uses, Eissa, now a Research Engineer, says, “Solar maps have many uses and helping in locating appropriate sites for solar power plants, is one of them. More significantly, solar maps are critical in knowing which solar technology should be used depending on factors such as direct radiation, diffused radiation and so on.” Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director, Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment, Masdar Institute, explained the need for a regional model thus: “While
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in theory the UAE receives the same if not far more solar energy than Europe or North America, in reality the dusty atmosphere cuts out as much as 90% of the sun’s energy during a heavy dust storm. Even on cloud-free days, there is often far less solar energy than might be expected for such a hot and sunny country.” To ensure future projects are more realistic, there was a need to create a locally relevant model. Satellite images from the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation satellite were used to create accurate solar maps. Ground stations used for collecting data, according to experts cannot compare with satellite images in terms of the comprehensive information, offered by geostationary satellites for the region under study. Still, data collected at ground stations are necessary to calibrate and validate satellite-based models. Initial application of existing models The project began in 2010 and the team
The largest photovoltaic (PV) plant in the MENA region located in Masdar City
“[The project] spans computer sciences, civil and environmental engineering, atmospheric science and remote sensing through satellite data processing. Our satellite receiving station captures a terabyte of image data – a full hard disk’s worth – every week, all of which must be processed in near real-time” - Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director, Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment, Masdar Institute
began by using existing models devised by researchers in Europe and North America. Commenting on the results of using existing models, Eissa states: “We found that there was a general overestimation in terms of direct radiation and an underestimation of the dust component. Moreover, the models devised elsewhere typically focus on cloud cover. Overall, we have less than 20% cloud coverage in the UAE, where dust and humidity are more significant. We therefore decided to devise our own model that takes into account the local environmental conditions.” To create the solar atlas, the team needed to take into account the impact of airborne dust and water vapour on solar energy. While the project towards developing solar maps began in 2010, the final working model came to shape in March 2012 after rigorous process of tests to prove its accuracy in local conditions. As per a press statement issued by Masdar in June 2012: “Following a launch at the Rio+20 Earth Summit 2012 held
in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the monthly and annual solar maps have been made available online to the public. In addition, we provide live updates every 15 minutes and this is available to our stakeholders that include – The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Environment AgencyAbu Dhabi (EAD), UAE National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), Masdar Power, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the World Energy Council (WEC), among others.” Interest in electricity from solar powered plants is reportedly increasing in the GCC countries. The targets set by individual governments for electricity production from renewable energy sources are: Abu Dhabi: 7% by 2020; Dubai: 5% by 2030; Saudi Arabia: 16-GW PV and 25-GW CSP by 2032; Kuwait: 5% by 2030; Oman: 5% by 2020 and Bahrain: 10% by 2030. Testing the accuracy of the model Eissa explains, “Among the preliminary steps undertaken when the project started in 2010 was to collect data from the Masdar Institute’s satellite receiving station. We receive images from Meteosat Second Generation, a geostationary satellite every 15 minutes. With our model calibrated according to the regional environmental conditions, each set of data is used to calculate the intensity of solar radiation.” To develop and validate the model, ground measurements were taken into account. Eissa recalls: “We have access to six ground stations across the UAE that have collected measurements for a period of four years. We calibrated our model using data from three stations and tested it with data from two totally independent stations taken in a different year. We based our accuracy on the independent stations that were not used to calibrate our models.” While Eissa did visit a couple of grounds stations out of personal interest, the rigorous process of testing the validity of the model over the two-year period was conducted in-house at the sprawling February 2013 | SatellitePro | 17
SatVertical: Government
Exterior view of Masdar Institute Campus, Masdar City
“We receive images from Meteosat Second Generation, a geostationary satellite every 15 minutes. With our model calibrated according to the regional environmental conditions, each set of data is used to calculate the intensity of solar radiation” Yehia Eissa, Research Engineer, Masdar Institute
Masdar campus in Abu Dhabi. The near real-time solar maps reportedly divide the UAE into patches of nine kilometres square, and offers measurements every 15 minutes for each patch. Monthly and annual maps are presented at the same spatial resolution (i.e. 9 km2). Regional significance of the solar atlas “We have images from the satellite since 2004 and with the model, we have been able to produce solar maps showing long-term variability that would enable decisions on various environmental projects including deciding on the optimal location of solar power plants, ” explains Eissa underscoring the larger significance of the landmark project for the region. While the beta version of the Solar Atlas was released in April 2012 with an official announcement on the sidelines of the earth summit in Rio de Janeiro, the monthly and annual solar maps have been freely available online since early 2013 and can be accessed by governmental organisations, researchers or private enterprises for assessing the technical feasibility of any proposed renewable energy project. The significance of the project is best described in the words of Dr Taha 18 | SatellitePro | February 2013
Ouarda, Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at Masdar Institute: “Innovation in the field of renewable energy lies in developing state-of-the-art techniques that are adapted to the local climate and environment. Of-the-shelf tools are not necessarily adapted to produce adequate results in the UAE and the GCC countries. Such developed tools can then be used and adapted in other countries with similar conditions, like the Gulf region as well as the Sahel region in Africa. The centre in Abu Dhabi will share its knowledge and empower others to draw from its ideas and actions for a sustainable future.” Speaking to SatellitePro ME, Yehia Eissa made it seem like it was all in a day’s work, although, the atlas project for a region would be a complex and challenging process. Giving us a glimpse into the range of expertise the project called for, Dr. Ghedira is reported to have said: “It spans computer sciences, civil and environmental engineering, atmospheric science and remote sensing through satellite data processing. Our satellite receiving station captures a terabyte of image data – a full hard disk’s worth – every week, all of which must be processed in near real-time.” PRO
SatVertical: Oil & Gas/Maritime
MARITIME ENTERPRISE: EVOLVING FROM THE DIGITAL DARK AGES
Jim Dodez, VP of Marketing and Strategic Planning, KVH
Rick Driscoll, VP of Products and Services, Mobile Broadband Group, KVH
Communications capabilities are more important to the financial success of a maritime enterprise than communications costs and the challenge for vessel owners is to select the best solution to optimise connectivity ROI, say Jim Dodez, VP of Marketing and Strategic Planning, and Rick Driscoll, VP of Products and Services, Mobile Broadband Group, KVH Industries Inc.
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he digital revolution in commercial maritime markets is hindered by high communications costs, say Jim Dodez, VP of Marketing and Strategic Planning, KVH and Rick Driscoll, VP of Products and Services, Mobile Broadband Group, authors of a presentation by KVH industries Inc., on the benefits of maritime satcom for the enterprise. “The economics of the internet fall apart when you’re paying USD 10 to USD 20 per Mb. Fortunately, competition is driving costs down. Maritime VSAT services are on an average less costly than legacy L-band service and communications costs are typically less that 0.3% of the total operating costs of a vessel, “ affirm the authors. The growing need for connectivity, say Dodez and Driscoll, is undeniable and enhanced connectivity will create a ‘ripple effect of productivity and efficiency through an enterprise’. “The challenge is meeting the growing need for connectivity across the current maritime sector. The indisputable fact is that broadband connectivity provides maritime businesses with a competitive weapon to reduce costs, enhance revenues, and drive profitability.” While new maritime regulations are being enacted that will create new requirements for onboard IT capabilities, Dodez and Driscoll believe that a
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communications system designed only to meet a company’s prior year requirements will be inadequate the day it is installed. “The new maritime digital revolution should aim to empower an organisation with enhanced connectivity. Modern networked enterprises are unconstrained by physical and geographic separation, and why should the maritime industry be any different? The challenge lies in choosing the service offering the best ROI and not compromising on capabilities to minimise communications costs.” Information logistics – managing your IT&C resources The authors believe that the high cost and slow speed of legacy L-band connectivity has resulted in fragmented, inefficient operations at many maritime organisations. The answer lies in being proactive with regard to information technology and communications (IT&C) management and deploying advanced satellite services offer bandwidth management tools to enhance the enterprise’s overall network performance. “Modern maritime VSAT services reduce cost of connectivity while providing the critical capabilities enterprises will need to remain competitive. Like any other valuable onboard resource, bandwidth needs to be managed and optimised. Proactive IT&C
Offshore Connectivity in Perspective Insurance Maintenance & Repair
21%
21%
Other
21% Satellite Communications
.3% Manning Costs
21%
Fuel Costs
46% Port Charges
21%
Providing the capability to save 10% on fuel is worth 150 times more than a 10% savings in satcom costs!
Source: KVH Industries, Inc.
management will keep costs under control while assuring high quality connectivity for mission critical applications.” Optimising voyage planning Enhanced navigation data empowers the captain to make better decisions, say Dodez and Driscoll. “Connectivity provides real-time access to weather, currents, and sea condition data. In addition, being connected allows for interactive collaboration with shorebased route planning specialists. This would help towards better planning in terms of working through route congestion and improving accuracy of port scheduling.” Underlining the advances made in satcom technology, the authors state that connectivity optimises overall vessel performance. “New sensor technology enables improved monitoring of hull, propeller, bunker consumption, and engine performance. Moreover, data can be transmitted onshore for expert analysis of the performance of not just the captain, but that of the vessel and the fleet.” Compliance with regulations Significantly, connectivity helps vessel owners to comply with regulations. “For instance, the electronic documentation submission to speed arrivals/departures such as the Electronic
“Modern networked enterprises are unconstrained by physical and geographic separation, and why should the maritime industry be any different? The challenge lies in choosing the service offering the best ROI and not compromising on capabilities to minimise communications costs” Notice of Arrival and Departure (eNOA/D) submissions for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and electronic submission of documentation for cargo, vessels, and/or crew. In addition, improved voyage planning owing to better data connectivity will help vessels comply with the new MARPOL Annex IV regulations regarding sewage disposal, among other requirements by the international convention for prevention of pollution from ships.” The authors add: “Better data enables reliable voyage planning thus helping to avoid faster than necessary voyaging
followed by loitering to wait for scheduled port time or cargo availability. Slow voyaging offers a significant opportunity to save valuable bunker fuel. While fuel consumption is primarily a function of vessel size and speed, on a typical containership, fuel consumption above 14 knots increases exponentially with increased speed.” Controlling vessel manning costs Connectivity, say Dodez and Driscoll, reduces turnover by improving crew morale. “Connectivity allows crew members to stay in touch with family, friends, and their lives ashore. Lower turnover saves on recruiting and training costs. Connectivity helps vessel owners meet the regulatory requirements for MLC 2006 (Maritime Labour Convention 2006). Enhanced communications can be provided through affordable VoIP calling, email, and access to social networks and entertainment and access to news can be provided via internet café service.” Connectivity helps reduce training costs required by International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) of 2010. The authors clarify: “Distance learning and web-based curriculum allows any course to be delivered in any language to any vessel at any time. In addition, vessel owners can seamlessly enhance security with the use of biometrics to verify crew member identity, remote testing for drug/alcohol use and with the electronic submission and verification of crew member certifications.” Connectivity enables remote office integration with the onboard ERP and HR systems with contemporary satcom technology allowing for dedicated isolated networks for operations and crew. “With the ability to design efficient synchronised databases and cloudbased applications, and move onboard administrative tasks to less costly and centralised shoreside personnel, connectivity helps eliminate redundant data entry,” say the authors. They add, “Onboard logistics planning improves with February 2013 | SatellitePro | 21
SatVertical: Oil & Gas/Maritime
Typical mini-VSAT Network
Source: KVH Industries, Inc.
vessels directly ordering parts and supplies and coordinating delivery at the next port. Lastly, in line with upcoming regulations, the need to physically deliver and load CDs will give way to the efficient, virtual delivery of Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) chart updates.” Reduce maintenance and repair cost Dodez and Driscoll reiterate that connectivity on vessels, among other benefits, enables onshore support to remotely monitor onboard equipment. “Critical tasks such as tracking maintenance schedules and diagnosing signs of equipment failure through condition-based monitoring/alarms are enabled. Connectivity facilitates early repair to avoid catastrophic failures, cutting costs and down time. In addition, the cost of maintaining bulky paper systems in multiple locations is reduced with electronic access to e-documentation (such 22 | SatellitePro | February 2013
as Shipdex, a maritime standard protocol for production and exchange of electronic data between equipment makers and ship owners) thus providing faster and easier electronic access to specific data.” Moreover, remote access to onboard PCs and other IT equipment allows for remote updates and repairs including software and virus protection updates. Lastly, onboard connectivity ensures enhanced security on vessels. The authors explain: “Better monitoring and management through remote surveillance/ CCTV will result in reduced insurance costs and minimise expenses around security breaches. Vessel safety is enhanced through ongoing virtual consultation between security managers and vessel captains for route planning and liaison with maritime security organisations for latest threat information. Better crew healthy is ensured through video conferencing consultation with shoreside doctors to treat injuries or
medical problems.” Going beyond connectivity and its obvious advantages, Dodez and Driscoll believe that connectivity can be a key differentiator for fleet owners by offering better visibility to customers. “Vessel tracking and reporting with real-time updates helps customers manage their supply chain and keep track of their shipments. Fleet owners can emphasise their MARPOL compliance efforts thus offering customers “green” shipping as part of their “green” supply chain.” Overall, Dodez and Driscoll believe that every significant operating cost can be reduced by improved connectivity and that communications capabilities are more important to the financial success of a maritime enterprise than communications costs. PRO Excerpts from the Satcom 101 Webinar Series by KVH Industries, Inc
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SatVertical: Oil & Gas/Maritime
NOT ALL BANDS ARE CREATED EQUAL Ka-band is widely viewed as “the wave of the future� for satcom. The perception may change, according to this white paper from Harris CapRock, as the capabilities of Ku-band HTS systems become more widely known
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he use of spot beams allows both the Ku-band and Ka-band systems to achieve high spectrum efficiencies. Further, HTS systems in both bands use ultra-wideband transponders and frequency reuse. These features create an economy of scale that allows satellite operators to offer bandwidth at attractive and comparable prices. However, this advantage is eroded when a Ka-band system sacrifices link performance in favour of coverage by using larger spot beams. This approach is currently being utilised by a to-be-launched global maritime-based service. These factors are not discriminators between the Ku-band spot and Ka-band small spot systems, but Ka-band large spot systems do not fare as well from this perspective. As a result HTS Ku spot systems actually tend to demonstrate a cost per bits per second that is more favourable than Ka, when compared at the same link availability, design requirement and at larger spot beam sizes. Coverage Spot beam systems are by their nature limited in coverage. Each spot beam generally covers at most a few thousand square kilometres. However, some HTS systems provide large fields of spot beams that collectively create continental and even global coverage, whereas others offer only a relatively small number of fixed or steerable spots in targeted areas. Ku-band spot beams and Ka-band large spot beams are similar in beamwidth and so are generally comparable
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in system coverage. Ka-band small spot beams, however generally cover only about 10% or 15% of the area covered by a large spot beam and these spacecraft tend to offer less total spot beam coverage Flexibility and bandwidth portability The commitment to the development of an HTS system represents a substantial and long-term investment of resources, not just for the satellite operator but also for network providers and customers as well. The anticipated lifetime of these systems is greater than a decade, and yet their target marketplace is dynamic. Over the long term, the energy, maritime and government sectors are subject to transformation or disruption by factors such as new mineralogical discoveries, changes in shipping patterns, or international crises. Thus it is advantageous to be able to relocate services and capacity to respond to major changes in the marketplace. Multiple satellite systems with near global
“At this time Ka-band has a somewhat inflated advantage in market perception. In general, all frequency bands have their place in satellite communications. It is the application environment that tends to determine the appropriate band, rather than a satellite fleet operator’s band of choice on a particular satellite constellation”
Over the long term, the energy, maritime and government sectors are subject to transformation or disruption by factors such as new mineralogical discoveries, changes in shipping patterns, or international crises. Multiple satellite systems with near global coverage such as some of the Ku-band and Ka-band large spot systems can respond to these changes more readily than the small spot Ka-band HTS systems
coverage such as some of the Ku-band and Kaband large spot systems can respond to these changes more readily than the small spot Ka-band HTS systems. Ku-band HTS systems and Ka-band systems with other frequency backup have the additional benefit that their VSAT links can, if necessary, be reallocated to traditional systems, albeit in some cases at a loss of service performance if the backup service operates in significantly longer wavelength such as L or UHF bands. Ability to recover from satellite failure A great deal of Ku-band satellite service provided by traditional spacecraft is available virtually everywhere in the world. On the other hand, Ka-band service is relatively sparse. Many Ka-based systems are also proprietary or closed networks that require specific satellite modem technology or configurations that are not available from other providers. Thus, in the event of a failure on an HTS spacecraft resulting in loss of service to a spot beam or
This means that sub-metre sized consumer grade terminals cannot deliver the speed or link availability typically required by industrial installations. Larger Ka-based terminals of 1.2M or greater are not yet produced in meaningful quantities and therefore remain more expensive than Ku-band terminals.
beams, it is possible to mitigate the service impact by migrating customers in the affected area to an alternate Ku-band satellite. This back-up capability is less likely to be available at Ka-band. A similar back-up service could be provided adding a backup service for Ka-band in Ku-band or some other satellite band, but that would require additional ground terminal hardware and on-site electronics.
Conversion cost Harris CapRock currently manages over 4,000 VSAT terminals located around the world. Transitioning any significant fraction of these customers to Ka-band would represent a substantial investment. On-the other-hand, Kuband terminals can be transitioned from their current satellite to a new spot beam satellite simply by repositioning the antenna.
VSAT and equipment costs Ka-band VSAT systems are less common in the marketplace and therefore can be more expensive than Ku-band systems of similar performance. While “mass market” systems designed primarily for direct-to-home users are becoming more available at low price points. These systems are generally not suitable for industrial environments in terms of both performance and hardware reliability. In addition as discussed below, the realities of RF propagation drive performance requirements for larger Ka-band earth terminals.
New spectrum availability One of the chief selling points for Ka-band satellite services is that the spectrum is relatively unused, while the lower frequency satellite bands are all heavily subscribed. The use of spot beams at any of these frequencies allows a much higher frequency reuse which greatly multiplies the data throughput that can be achieved in the available bands. Spot beam designs in HTS spacecraft offer a way to extract much more efficiency and coverage out of currently available Ku space segment spectrum. February 2013 | SatellitePro | 25
SatVertical: Oil & Gas/Maritime
“Many industry pundits speculated that C-band would all but disappear from use in VSAT applications. Quite the contrary, C-band continues to grow as an important band in industrial, military, and especially maritime applications where atmospheric interference is particularly acute” Service reliability The much smaller wavelength and higher frequency of Ka-band makes its links far more susceptible to disruption from weather and other atmospheric disturbances than Ku-band links. The use of spot beams improves Ka-band performance, but links with Ku-band spot beams remain much more reliable. Obtaining the same level of link availability (say 99%+) in a Ka spot beam, would require exponentially more transponder power than a comparable link and antenna size in Ku-band. It is therefore much more difficult and expensive to provide high availability and reliable services in Ka-band than in Ku-band – particularly in regions where heavy rainfall is common. Customer market perception Ka-band satellite services have gained general customer acceptance and Ka-band is widely viewed as “the wave of the future” for satcom. Ku-band satcom is generally viewed as business as usual and it does not excite the imagination of VSAT customers. This perception has been in part created by marketing hype over Ka, promoted by fleet operators in the consumer or maritime mass markets. However, this perception is overstated and does not fit all application environments. A similar phenomenon was observed in the 1980’s when Ku-band systems first appeared. Many industry pundits speculated that 26 | SatellitePro | February 2013
C-band would all but disappear from use in VSAT applications. Quite the contrary, C-band continues to grow as an important band in industrial, military, and especially maritime applications where atmospheric interference is particularly acute. This perception may change as the capabilities of Ku-band HTS systems become more widely known, but at this time Ka-band has a somewhat inflated advantage in market perception. In general, all frequency bands have their place in satellite communications. It is the application environment that tends to determine the appropriate band, rather than a satellite fleet operator’s band of choice on a particular satellite constellation. Customers with “industrial-grade” operations in remote and harsh locations, like energy exploration and production, mining, commercial maritime, and government demand highly reliable communications services and have ever increasing bandwidth requirements. While Ka-band HTS can be quite competitive for customer services that do not require particularly high reliability, such as consumer broadband access, they generally do not enable the bandwidth or link availability required by industrial customers, without an excessive, and therefore costly use of spacecraft power and resources. PRO Excerpts of a white paper from Harris Caprock titled: “Not all bands are created equal”
System Integrators and Ground Operators Regional Resellers and Authorized Distributors Installation, Maintenance, Training and Turnkey Voice - Video - Data - Internet - GSM Backhaul - Broadcast MENA NETS PROVIDES 4 ACTIVITIES TO THE MENA REGION: i. System integration where we design and provide solutions over satellite ii. Supply hardware as resellers and authorized distributors of many manufacturers like ASC Signal, Skyware Global, Cobham, Xicom/Comtech, Anacom, Codan/CPI, NJR, SMW, iDirect, Thomson, etc. iii. Ground operations which includes installation, technical support, maintenance repairs, etc iv. Training and consulting such as the GVF HOST.
THESE 4 ACTIVITIES ARE DELIVERED THROUGH 6 PRODUCT LINES: i. Earth station antennae (3.5 meter to 9.4 meter) from ASC Signal ii. VSAT antennae (75 cm to 2.4 meter) form Skyware Global iii. Mobile satcom (on the move and on the pause) from Cobham iv. Outdoor electronics: TWTs, BUCs, LNBs, Feeds, etc from Xicom/ Comtech, NJR, Anacom, Codan/CPI, SMW, etc v. Indoor electronics: broadcast encoders, decoders, multiplexers, video servers, power supplies, combiners, splitters, routers, satellite modems, redundancy controllers etc from Thomson, Paradise/Teledyne, iDirect hubs/modems and others. vi. Installation, maintenance, support, logistics and training (GVF) and turnkey solutions involving system integration of all activities and product lines to provide customers with a complete end-to-end product. The objective is simple: meets customer needs with the latest technologies at the best price/quality mix delivered through experience.
www.menanets.com MENA NETS FZE Building Jafza 15, Unit 15-419, Jebel Ali Free Zone, POB 261670, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Office: +971-4-887 6606, Fax: +971-4-8876605 Email: info@MenaNets.com
SatComms: Telcos/Broadcast
While not all SCPC solutions are alike, the latest ones have focused on key efficiency areas: modulation, FEC, frame encapsulation and protocol optimisation
SATELLITE BACKHAUL IN EMERGING COUNTRIES: THE TECHNOLOGY CHOICE Louis Dubin, Vice President of Product Management, Comtech EF Data, makes a case for the use of SCPC technology
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he rural cellular market in emerging countries has changed significantly in the past couple of years. Newer usages and technologies have helped reshape the landscape. Social networking, smart and feature phones, sophisticated voice and data plans have all fuelled the uptake of mobile communications and further reinforced the need for high data traffic. These changes have implications on satellite backhaul. High throughput requirements with excellent quality of service (low jitter, low latency) have become crucial. Quality of service has to be guaranteed. Any limitation can immediately lead to dropped calls, degraded user experience, revenue loss and customer churn. All of this must fit within
the mobile operator’s stringent OPEX and CAPEX objectives. In order to address the challenges, the available solutions have followed two general trends: J:C7 LI7J m_j^ j^[ YedY[fj e\ i^Wh[Z bandwidth I9F9 m_j^ Z[Z_YWj[Z XWdZm_Zj^" [\ÓY_[dYo and performance The TDMA VSAT operates under the assumption that not all remote sites of a mobile network will require high traffic capability at the same time. This allows for overbooking of the capacity, but containment of CAPEX and OPEX. However, this is often an inaccurate and generally costly misconception.
“The choice of the technology is at a turning point in emerging markets today. From the remote village which only needs voice capacity to the affluent tourist resort where customers use their smartphones to upload their vacation videos, the requirements’ gap is wide”
CAPEX and OPEX end up increasing quickly as the bandwidth and capital equipment have to be provisioned for a larger shared carrier. Ultimately, even though individual sites need much less bandwidth than the total shared capacity, they are burdened with the larger aggregate TDMA carrier. Secondly, when traffic picks up and most remotes reach higher levels of traffic at the same time (which is often the case in mobile networks), the classic issues with an oversubscription model become apparent. Suddenly there is not sufficient bandwidth to support the user base. Calls are dropped and data is lost, all during the most profitable peak hours. Add to this, the latency and jitter induced by TDMA due to the need to frequently re-allocate the bandwidth with the shared technology and the lesser ability to convey real-time voice and data traffic, the impacts on quality of service are significant enough that they require measures to be taken to review the satellite backhaul technology strategy. SCPC technology has a different concept. Here, the system dimensioning is made such that quality of service is always guaranteed particularly at peak traffic. Low jitter and latency, and low packet losses ensure that the mobile operator can provide a performing and efficient service. The latter is a determining factor today in deploying a successful satellite backhaul solution. While not all SCPC solutions are alike, the latest ones have focused on key efficiency areas: modulation, FEC, frame encapsulation and protocol optimisation. Advanced modulation capacity combined with better FEC helps increase spectral performance and maximises throughput or power. Optimised frame encapsulation eliminates overhead, which can hamper throughput, jitter and latency. Header compression addresses IP protocol overhead; payload compression also reduces the bandwidth required for user traffic. In the end, there can be up to 100% overall capacity improvements over TDMA and brings direct benefits to quality of service, OPEX (less cost for the satellite bandwidth) and CAPEX (lower requirements on BUC and antenna). The choice of the technology is at a turning point in emerging markets today. From
the remote village which only needs voice capacity to the affluent tourist resort where customers use their smartphones to upload their vacation videos, the requirements’ gap is wide. Subscribers expect to be able to initiate a voice call and to seamlessly watch streaming content at any moment. Quality of service has therefore, become a key component. Hence the technology choice relies upon a single option: SCPC. It is the only one which guarantees QoS and best optimises CAPEX as well as OPEX. PRO
Agree or disagree? We welcome your views on the SCPC/ TDMA debate at Supriya@cpidubai.com
The SatellitePro Telco Roundtable The SatellitePro Telco Roundtable takes the IP trunking and mobile backhaul discussion forward, as we open the stage to candid analysis of established backhauling solutions over satellite, the potential of extending 3G and LTE solutions over satellite, integrating high throughput satellite capacity towards extending your customer base and building mutually beneficial partnerships. The SatellitePro Telco Roundtable on March 13, 2013, in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai, allows you to engage with leading regional end-users in an open, sales-pitch-free discussion forum. Entry is free for Telco and Mobile Service Providers. Moderated by David Hartshorn, Secretary General, Global VSAT Forum (GVF)
At a glance: Date: March 13, 2013 Venue: Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai Registration:www.satelliteprome. com/telco-roundtable
February 2013 | SatellitePro | 29
SatComms: Telcos/Broadcast
TESTING SPACE FOR 4K Satellites are the natural platform for broadcasting Ultra HD content owing to their bandwidth availability and coverage, says Michel Chabrol, Director Digital Cinema, 3D and Ultra HD – Eutelsat, in conversation with SatellitePro ME, as he invites the industry to test Eutelsat’s demo Ultra HD channel What work was involved on the part of Eutelsat to bring about this Ultra HD channel? The launch of this demo Ultra HD (4K) channel reflects a longstanding objective by Eutelsat to support the broadcast industry along its continuing path of innovation. We launched demo HD and 3D channels as these formats took shape so it was logical to repeat this initiative for Ultra HD. From an operator’s perspective, being able to deliver sufficient bandwidth for Quad HD (four Full HD streams) transmitted at 40 Mbit/s is our main contribution, in addition to filming some of our own 4K content. We also chose to operate in progressive mode at 50 frames per second which gives a heightened sense of reality. Since the channel’s launch on January 8 we have had even higher than expected interest from content providers, set manufacturers and pay-TV operators to test the transmission chain. Elaborate on your strategy going forward. The objective with the demo channel is to provide a platform that enables all actors in 30 | SatellitePro | February 2013
“With HEVC and DVB-S3, we believe we should be able to transmit around five Ultra HD 4K channels at 50 or 60 frames per second in a 36 MHz transponder” the broadcast chain to test the performance of their equipment and the end-to-end chain. We are inviting stakeholders to come to us with their content and equipment to help this product move forward. Do you believe, in the future, this will be a growth area for the satellite industry vis-à-vis the broadcast vertical? Satellites will be a natural platform for broadcasting Ultra HD content owing to their bandwidth availability and coverage, so we see this as a logical growth area for our business.
Hollywood studios are already embracing 4K as the next theatrical presentation format and making eight megapixel 4K images a new standard. Recent examples include The Hobbit that Andrew Jackson produced with 48 frames per second to further heighten the sense of reality
However, ground still needs to be covered to improve compression and achieve industryaccepted standards. To bring quality Ultra HD content to the home, the new HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) compression standard should allow a significantly lower bit rate than current prevailing codecs (eg. H264/MPEG-4 AVC). HEVC is generally considered by the industry to be one of the key elements towards wide deployment of 4K and 8K resolution. By 2015, DTH operators could also benefit from DVB-S3, a new broadcast modulation standard which could coincide with the availability of set-top boxes with HEVC chipsets operating up to 60 frames per second. All these add-on technologies may represent significant improvements for reducing bandwidth and supporting quality image delivery. With HEVC and DVB-S3, we believe we should be able to transmit around five Ultra HD 4K channels at 50 or 60 frames per second in a 36 MHz transponder. This would be with a bitrate per channel a little higher than one current MPEG4 HD channel but with four times the resolution and double the frame rate for a more exciting and comfortable viewing experience. And of course, as always in our industry, content has to be generated and pay-TV operators will decide on when they want to start commercially phasing in Ultra HD. Cinema and documentaries are expected to be the first type of thematic channel to take advantage of the immersive experience of
“HEVC is generally considered by the industry to be one of the key elements towards wide deployment of 4K and 8K resolution... The equipment that will be needed to be changed with the arrival of HEVC is the encoders on the transmit side and set-top boxes for consumer reception�
Eutelsat launches Ultra HD (4K) channel As the television and cinema industries accelerate their progression towards Ultra HD (4K), Eutelsat Communications has announced it is launching a dedicated demonstration Ultra HD channel for Europe on the Eutelsat 10A satellite. Delivering a resolution of eight million pixels, four times the resolution of HDTV, Ultra HD (4K) is poised to mark the next big leap forward in the immersive viewing experience. The new channel will reportedly operate in progressive mode at 50 frames per second. It will be encoded in MPEG-4 and transmitted at 40 Mbit/s in four Quad HD streams Eutelsat is partnering with ATEME, a video compression solution provider to the broadcast industry, for the transmissions that will be uplinked to the Eutelsat 10A satellite from its teleport in Rambouillet, near Paris.
Ultra HD followed by sport which may also look to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro as a powerful launch platform. What do the satellite and teleport operator need to do in terms of technology, logistics, training, deployment and other related areas, to be prepared for Ultra HD? Hollywood studios are already embracing 4K as the next theatrical presentation format and making eight megapixel 4K images a new standard. Recent examples include The Hobbit that Andrew Jackson produced with 48 frames per second to further heighten the sense of reality. Eutelsat is present in this market with an electronic delivery network already deployed for cinemas at 700 sites in 20 European countries. They are equipped to receive 4K files which can be transferred at 70 Mbit/s or up to 140 Mbit/s by coupling two transponders. Satellite transponders are already fully Ultra HD-compatible. The equipment that will be needed to be changed with the arrival of HEVC is the encoders on the transmit side and set-top boxes for consumer reception. PRO February 2013 | SatellitePro | 31
SatComms: Telcos/Broadcast
GATEWAY TO THE
KINGDOM ARABSAT and ViaSat collaborated on the development of ARABSAT5C to add a 10-spot beam, highcapacity Ka-band payload that was purchased by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). In conversation with Ric VanderMeulen, VP of Business Development, ViaSat
Why do you believe KACST approached ViaSat for the broadband project? King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is an independent scientific organisation reporting to the Prime Minister. KACST is both the Saudi Arabian national science agency and its national laboratories. The science agency function involves science and technology policy making, data collection, funding of external research, and services such as the patent office. It is our belief that KACST sent the request for tender to a number of potential competitors that had been involved in high-capacity Ka-band spot beam systems. We are the network and end-user terminal supplier to our own Exede internet direct-to-home and enterprise systems, as well as the network and end-user terminal provider to Eutelsat Tooway (KA-SAT), Canada’s Explornet, and NBN Co systems. ViaSat also supported ARABSAT in the redesign of its 5C satellite. Specifically, we supported the implementation of the Ka-band spot beams and how they should operate with the ground segment to optimise the network and end user terminal performance. It is our understanding that KACST purchased the full capacity of the ARABSAT 5C Ka-spot beams for the betterment of broadband high-speed access across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Our role is enabling KACST. The KACST contract, valued at approximately USD 70 million, includes gateways, network operation facilities, and end user terminals to implement the services using high-
32 | SatellitePro | February 2013
capacity Ka-band capacity hosted on the ARABSAT-5C satellite. What is the scope and nature of the project? This project is essentially the same as we have performed in the past. Though there are specific programme differences, these programmes are quite similar. The biggest difference in this effort is in the scale of the programme. In the case of ViaSat-1, KA-SAT, and NBN Co, the entire satellites systems have been focused on broadband high-speed access. In this case, ARABSAT 5C has a primary mission and the Ka-band broadband high-speed access consisting of 10 spot beams, is a hosted mission. Thus, the scale of the effort is less from the broadband high-
ARABSAT-5C
speed access perspective. Specifically, this programme requires three full gateway facilities to support the traffic load from the 10 spot beams, a core node facility to centralise the traffic, a network operation centre, and a family of end-user terminals to support fixed consumer, fixed enterprise, portable enterprise, and mobile enterprise end-users. What are the typical challenges that you will face while executing this project? Our challenges is in the delivery, installation, and initial operation of this vast communication capability. Thought it could be considered a small portion of the ARABSAT 5C satellite, the capacity provided by the 10 Ka-band spot beams is the equivalent to over three and a-half complete Ku-band satellites. Our challenge, since the satellite was already on-orbit, has been to establish the complementary ground network and integrate with the satellite on schedule to expedite the start of broadband highspeed service. What will the nature of involvement be from your partners , High Capabilities
“This programme requires three full gateway facilities to support the traffic load from the 10 spot beams, a core node facility to centralise the traffic, a network operation centre, and a family of end-user terminals to support fixed consumer, fixed enterprise, portable enterprise, and mobile enterprise end-users” Technologies Co. Ltd (HICAP) and Modern Technology Co. Ltd (MOTECO)? We have had a successful long-standing relationship in the KSA with both HICAP and MOTECO. Our relationship has led to several successful projects. In this programme, HICAP is key to performing much of the civil works for installation, support, and engineering of the three gateway facilities including the nine-metre antenna systems. MOTECO supports us in overall programme effort including developing and enhancing end-user channel support. As a vertically integrated Ka-band broadband company, providing satellite design, ground infrastructure, and service operation support, what has your experience been with KA-band so far? Our focus has been on constantly improving satellite bandwidth economics. The surprises [with Ka-band] have not been limitations, but what can truly be done to improve satellite bandwidth economics. We are not competing with fibre; however, we believe our greatest opportunity is in focusing on competing with less capable terrestrial fixed access networks, including telco twisted pair copper plant, lower-end cable systems, and mobile wireless networks that are used for fixed access. With ViaSat-1, we believe we have
ViaSat to enable Ka-band satellite services for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has selected the Ka-band satellite system from ViaSat Inc. as the service platform for its National Satellite Data Network. The KACST contract, valued at approximately USD 70 million, includes gateways, network operation facilities, and end user terminals to implement the services using Ka-band capacity hosted on the ARABSAT-5C satellite. ARABSAT and ViaSat collaborated on the development of ARABSAT-5C to add a 10-spot beam, highcapacity Ka-band payload. “With our National Satellite Data Network, we will serve our customers with exceptional speeds and capacity throughout the Kingdom,” said H.E. Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, president of KACST. “The key to two-way broadband is maximising capacity or bits available to the end users to be served,” said H.E. Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel . “To accomplish that, our satellite and our satellite services include key attributes from the ViaSat-1 and Eutelsat KA-SAT satellites.” ViaSat will perform the programme in cooperation with its KSA teammates MOTECO/HICAP.
established a new high watermark for capacity. With 134 Gbps of capacity, this single satellite has more capacity than all prior satellites covering the US. The key to these successes has been our vertical integration providing engineers access to every critical component and process in the design and production chain. What is the current status of ARABSAT-5c? It is our understanding that ARABSAT 5c is operating in its orbital position performing its primary mission. The hosted Ka-band broadband high-speed access within the KSA will be operational after completing a formal testing programme in the first half of 2013. PRO February 2013 | SatellitePro | 33
SatTechnology
NASA BEAMS MONA LISA As part of the first demonstration of laser communication with a satellite orbiting the moon, scientists with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) beamed an image of the Mona Lisa to the spacecraft from Earth
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T
he iconic image travelled a reported 240,000 miles in digital form from the Next Generation Satellite Laser Ranging (NGSLR) station at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Md., to the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) instrument on the spacecraft. By transmitting the image piggyback on laser pulses that are routinely sent to track LOLA’s position, the team reportedly achieved simultaneous laser communication and tracking. “This is the first time anyone has achieved one-way laser communication at planetary distances,” says LOLA’s principal investigator, David Smith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “In the near future, this type of simple laser communication might serve as a backup for the radio communication that satellites use. In the more distant future, it may allow communication at higher data rates than present radio links can provide.” Typically, satellites that go beyond Earth
orbit use radio waves for tracking and communication. LRO is reportedly the only satellite in orbit around a body other than Earth to be tracked by laser as well. “Because LRO is already set up to receive laser signals through the LOLA instrument, we had a unique opportunity to demonstrate one-way laser communication with a distant satellite,” says Xiaoli Sun, a LOLA scientist at NASA Goddard and lead author of the Optics Express paper, posted online today, that describes the work. Precise timing was the key to transmitting the image. Sun and colleagues divided the Mona Lisa image into an array of 152 pixels by 200 pixels. Every pixel was converted into a shade of gray, represented by a number between zero and 4,095. Each pixel was transmitted by a laser pulse, with the pulse being fired in one of 4,096 possible time slots during a brief time window allotted for laser tracking. The complete image was transmitted at a data rate of about 300 bits per second. The laser pulses were received by LRO’s LOLA instrument, which reconstructed the image based on the arrival times of the laser pulses from Earth. This was accomplished without interfering with LOLA’s primary task of mapping the moon’s elevation and terrain and NGSLR’s primary task of tracking LRO. The success of the laser transmission was verified by returning the image to Earth using the spacecraft’s radio telemetry system. Turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere introduced transmission errors even when the sky was clear. To overcome these effects, Sun and colleagues employed Reed-Solomon coding, which is the same type of errorcorrection code commonly used in CDs and DVDs. The experiments also provided statistics on the signal fluctuations due to Earth’s atmosphere. PRO
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SatEvents
“We are expecting more than 310 satellite companies at CABSAT 2013”
The 2013 edition of CABSAT that runs from March 12 to 14 at Dubai World Trade Centre, will be moving into a new expanded format in Halls 1-8, says Andrew Ferreira, Project Manager, CABSAT in conversation with SatellitePro ME
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Your team has reported a 15% increase in size since last year. What does this mean in terms of participation especially from the satellite industry? We are expecting more than 310 satellite companies at CABSAT 2013. Following a sell-out 2012 edition, CABSAT will be moving into a new expanded format in Halls 1-8 at the heart of the venue in 2013. This move will facilitate greater sectorisation as well as dedicated product areas and conference areas. Newcomers in 2013 include Harris Caprock, Siemens, AsiaSat, TerraSat and Thuraya. The major satellite service providers such as ARABSAT, Eutelsat, Yahsat, Intelsat and CISCO, among others are back at CABSAT. Companies that have expanded their presence are NoorSat, Gulfsat, CeTel, Intelsat, SES, Talia, BSS Teleport, O3b Networks, Triax, Essel Shyam, Fulan, Elber, Conax, Appear TV, Advanced Media Trading, MediaCast, Future Art Broadcast Technology, AV Solutions, Vizrt, Qvest Media, Broadcast Solutions, Canon, Hitachi, First Gulf Company, Harmonic, Rohn
NEW at CABSAT 2013 Africa in Focus Alongside the technology feature areas, 2013 sees a new dedicated “Africa in Focus” zone on the exhibition floor. VIP Visitor Programme Designed to ensure that C-level executives make the most of their time at CABSAT, the programme offers exclusive networking opportunities as well as dedicated events and access to a special lounge. Quality products trail Earth station equipment that has been submitted to approval measures conducted in co-ordination with the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) Product Quality Assurance Framework will be spot-lighted during both the CABSAT MENASAT Summit and in the CABSAT Exhibition Hall.
“The worldwide market for data over satellite is growing at around 4% a year, but in the Middle East and North Africa region it is growing at a very healthy 10% a year” Andrew Ferreira, Project Manager, CABSAT
Comtech EF Data to showcase new CDM-760 at CABSAT 2013
The new CDM-760 builds on Comtech EF Data’s family of trunking modems. It provides, the company claims, ultra wide band symbol rates, near theoretical performance with minimal implementation loss, the DVB-S2 Efficiency Boost technology, Super Jumbo Frame Ethernet support and other value-added features.
CETel ranked fastest growing teleport in Germany
When coupled with the native Super Jumbo Frame Ethernet interface, the CDM-760 can reportedly process Ethernet frames at greater than 1.2 million packets per second The CDM-760 trunking modem reportedly supports symbol rates of 1 ksps to 150 Msps and data rates up to 314 Mbps simplex and 628 Mbps duplex. Demonstrating an industry breakthrough, the company claims, these data rates can be achieved when using 8PSK, 16APSK or 32APSK modulation. When coupled with the native Super Jumbo Frame Ethernet interface, the CDM-760 can reportedly process Ethernet frames at greater than 1.2 million packets per second. Hall 1 Stand C1-31
According to the World Teleport Association’s annual rankings for the Top Teleport Operators of 2012, CETel (Central European Telecom Services GmbH), a German teleport and satellite service provider, is ranked third in the category “Fastest growing teleports in the world” and thereby the fastest growing teleport in Germany. “Being ranked as fastest growing teleport in Germany for the fourth time is a great honour for us,” stated Guido Neumann, CETel Group’s Managing Director. Hall 1 Stand B1-10
Romantis to introduce new features for its UHP VSAT platform
Romantis, a vertically integrated group of companies, reportedly manages more than 600 MHz of full-time satellite capacity in EMEA offering permanent and occasional-use
bandwidth. At CABSAT 2013, Romantis will showcase the next-generation Universal Hardware Platform – a tool to reportedly deploy VSAT networks of any size and topology. The platform has been reportedly deployed in 60+ networks across the world. The platform can, the company claims, handle high speed transmissions (up to 86 Mbps sustained IP throughput) and supports VLAN, multi-level QoS, codec-independent handling of real-time traffic and TCP acceleration. At its heart, reportedly, is a super-compact, low-power consumption (8W) software-defined satellite router which processes 28,000 packets per second and can be configured as a TDM/TDMA hub for up to 252 users (expandable to 8,000 and 64,000) or a hubless mesh node or a 86 Mbps IP DVB-S2 modem. Hall 1 Stand 102
More products at www.satelliteprome.com
February 2013 | SatellitePro | 37
SatEvents
Products and Creative Media Solutions, among others. During CABSAT, are there any conferences being organised for the satellite sector? The GVF MENASAT Summit will take place again at CABSAT 2013 on March 13 and 14: The MENASAT @ CABSAT Satellite Summit, presented by GVF in cooperation with DWTC as part of the CABSAT exhibition, has developed a reputation for in-depth and invaluable discussions covering the current hot topics for the satellite industry. This year, CABSAT will feature the importance of product quality as a key factor when selecting satellite communications earth station equipment. What do you believe is driving the growth in participation among satellite service providers? There are a number of applications beyond the two fundamental applications of satellite contribution – carrying live programmes around the world – and direct-to-home satellite broadcast. One of the most obvious is the growing use of data over the internet. Simple twoway terminals from companies like Thuraya mean that high-speed broadband can be provided anywhere, without the expense of building overland infrastructure like laying fibre cables. That is particularly important in geographies where there are large distances between relatively small communities, such as deserts in the Middle East, and emerging economies in Africa. The worldwide market for data over satellite is growing at around 4% a year, but in the Middle East and North Africa region it is growing at a very healthy 10% a year. This affordable, easy-to-set-up IP data communications platform is also increasingly used for broadcast applications. News crews can arrive at a news venue, wherever it is, quickly set up a simple Ka-band satellite station and be online to the base computer network, with voice over IP phones and deliver broadcast pictures and sound within just a minute or two, all with equipment that fits within the norms of a standard airline luggage allowance.
38 | SatellitePro | February 2013
Product quality initiative from GVF at CABSAT
David Hartshorn, Secretary General, GVF
Earth station equipment that has been submitted to approval measures conducted in co-ordination with the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) Product Quality Assurance Framework will be spot-lighted during both the CABSAT MENASAT Summit and in the CABSAT Exhibition Hall. According to the GVF spokesman, this feature of CABSAT 2013 is of value, both to the communications industry and the broadcast and telecom user communities. As satellite communications have become more popular, the number of earth stations entering the marketplace has increased dramatically. With millions of fixed and mobile satcom terminals now planned for production, GVF’s Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) reportedly aims to represent the global satellite industry – including satellite operators, earth station manufacturers and integrators – as they coordinate industry testing and type approvals that help characterise the quality of satcom equipment. Information about type approvals, and those products that have already been tested, will be a centrepiece of the CABSAT 2013 programme. During the MENASAT Summit, industry presentations will be delivered on the GVF Product Quality Assurance Framework and how it serves as a path through which manufacturers can have their equipment type-approval tested. This, the GVF claims, will provide an opportunity for the Middle Eastern satellite communications industry to learn how they can take advantage of the programme and apply approved products to the solutions offered to their customers. The main advantage of type approved products, according to the GVF release, is that satellite end users are able to introduce
antenna systems that have demonstrated compliance with industry-approved specifications. Users will be able to examine those products in the CABSAT Exhibition Hall, where a Quality Products Trail will help identify exhibiting manufacturers who have approved earth station products. The approved products available in the CABSAT exhibition will include systems designed for broadcasting and consumer broadband, as well as enterpriseclass terminal equipment for fixed networks and for state-of-the-art communications on aircraft, trains, ships, and vehicles. The GVF MRA, the release states, aims to be the industry mechanism through which the approvals are co-ordinated and guidance is provided for manufacturers and satellite operators pursuing GVF MRA Testing and Satellite System Operator Type Approval for VSAT equipment. Authorised Test Entities (ATEs) ATEs are an organisation or individuals authorised by the GVF MRA WG to witness GVF MRA Testing and to certify the completeness and accuracy of the measurement results and of the data package. To improve the efficiency of satellite operators’ type-approval procedures, a consensus-based “Mutual Recognition Arrangement” (MRA) was established through the MRA Working Group. Using this framework, once a type approval is provided to a manufacturer by any one of the participating satellite operators, other operators may mutually recognise the results of the tests conducted during the first operator’s typeapproval process, so that the tests aren’t repeated unnecessarily. The advantage of Type Approval is that satellite end users will be able to introduce type approved antenna/earth station units, without the need for full verification testing or certification of the performance characteristics, by simply notifying the satellite operator, as foreseen within the application form. The GVF may be delegated by a satellite system operator to perform the Type Approval process on its behalf, through one of its Authorised Test Entities (GVF/ATE). In this case the satellite system operator will recognise and honour the GVF Type Approval on an equal footing with those performed in the past.
Information about type approvals, and those products that have already been tested, will be a centrepiece of the CABSAT 2013 programme
“Companies can apply for benchmarking in multiple areas�
Riaz Lamak, Liaison - GVF / President, Mahdi Bagh Computers
“At CABSAT, we will launch the GVF initiative. It is a process of benchmarking purely for the satcom sector. From areas such as installation to earth station operations and beyond, we are preparing documents that will spell out the criteria for quality. Domain knowledge specialists, who are veterans in various areas of satcom deployment and technology will be empanelled with the GVF and they will be available to conduct audits. “Companies can apply for benchmarking in multiple areas depending on their range
of activities. The thorough audit conducted will include past history among other factors. Once they meet the criteria set by the GVF, they will receive certification for a period of 24 months. If companies are not up to the mark either in terms of equipment used or training of manpower etc., we will recommend measures and conduct an audit at a future date. Companies thus certified will be featured in an online database allowing for satellite operators and other global service providers to contact them. Companies will also be evaluated on their staff strength and commercial standing, so as to give global providers a transparent format to evaluate competencies. “We believe that the certification process will heighten the need for quality and as a byproduct, network design will improve and interference will reduce and enhance the general acceptability for satellite-based connectivity. Secondly, large satellite operators will be able to function more effectively with certified partners in various regions as compared to flying down their technical resources in case a link goes down.�
The GVF MenaSat Summit @ CABSAT 2013 The MenaSat @ CABSAT Satellite Summit, presented by GVF in cooperation with DWTC as part of the CABSAT exhibition will span the entire week from March 11 – 15, 2013.
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‘The High-Capacity Satellite Summit’ will take place on March 13. The programme will provide the satellite, and wider communications industry, an opportunity to engage on advanced satellite system topics including: t 5IF 5FDIOPMPHZ 3FHJPOBM .BSLFU $POUFYU PG High-Capacity/Throughput Satellites t (MPCBM 3FHJPOBM 4BUFMMJUF 0QFSBUPST BOE High-Capacity Satellites t .BSLFUT 7FSUJDBMT -FWFSBHJOH UIF )JHI Capacity Solution t 0&.T (SPVOE *OGSBTUSVDUVSF 5IF )JHI Capacity Equipment Manufacture Context
On March 14, ‘The Satellite Interference Prevention Summit’, will be held in collaboration with IRG (the satellite Interference Reduction Group), where delegates will learn about the challenges of satellite interference specific to the MENA region, and better understand both the causes and possible solutions, as well as contribute to the discussions. It will cover: t *OUFOUJPOBM +BNNJOH 4PVSDFT 3FTQPOTFT t *NQSPQFS *OTUBMMBUJPOT BOE 5SBJOJOH $FSUJmDBUJPO t 4VC 4UBOEBSE &RVJQNFOU BOE 5ZQF "QQSPWBMT 12" &BSUI 4UBUJPO %FTJHO GPS i$PNNT PO
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February 2013 | SatellitePro | 39
SatGuest
“THE USE AND ACCESS TO THE SPACE DIMENSION IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR OPERATIONS” Military personnel engage with commercial satcom players
“A
long with assurance of availability, the question users ask is whether the service is responsive and accountable. As users, we have enjoyed flexibility with a choice of capabilities and services. The contractor is more responsive and quicker than any traditional procurement channels. More significantly, the suppliers deliver against specific realtime situations and as users, we pay for what we use. The services are managed with the commercial staff scrutinising value for money and the contractor pays ‘credits’ for poor performance. In addition, a number of non-core services have been made available. “Keep the MoD updated with potential solutions/technological advances and understand the Defence Core Network Services’ approach and how the industry can play into it. While the future landscape is fluid, there is a need to optimise use of existing networks, exploit emerging technologies, challenge traditional assumptions and engage continually with the satcom industry.” Lt Col Gareth Smith, UK Army Royal Signals officer “The traditional dimensions of sea, land and air are extended with the dimensions of information and space. The dependency on space-based assets requires an assured access to that dimension. An ownership of space capacity is yet unaffordable, but is to be realised through partnerships. The use and access to the space dimension is essential for our operations.” Military Strategic Vision outlined by the Netherland’s Chief Of Defence Staff in March 2010
40 | SatellitePro | February 2013
“Satcom is an essential component for information superiority and autonomy of French forces, and should take into account the increase in information exchanges for military operations and the need to adapt to new threats. Moreover, while implementing new systems, legacy systems should be taken into account.” Col Arm Christophe Debaert, Head of Syracuse III programme and Milsatcom, Direction Générale de l’Armement, MoD, France “When you look at emerging user requirements, current operations have resulted in a much higher demand for Ultra High Frequency (UHF) than anticipated. In addition, there is also a significant increase in Super High Frequency (SHF) in addition to using commercial bandwidth.” Commander Andy Rayner Royal Navy, UK MoD
Afghanistan, it is of a fixed nature and it is enduring. It is land focused and heavy in terms of ISR requirements. The fixed infrastructure is characterised by high bandwidth and resilient ISR-rich services to the lowest tactical levels. Operation Ellamy in Libya was uncertain, fast and agile in terms of speed with air and maritime forces used heavily. There is risk aversion when it comes to contemporary operations. There is also expectation of complete connectivity from Day Zero with dissemination to all levels to minimise the risk of decisions. The nature of the conflict has changed with the demands for information superiority that are agnostic of operation size. Rich information is demanded at all levels of command.” Wing Commander Nik Smith, UK MoD
“When it comes to contemporary operations, such as Operation Herrick in
Presentations made at Global MilSatCom 2012, UK
connecting people across horizons
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