ISSUE 9 | AUGUST 2012
WALKING
THE TALK NOORSAT’S OMAR SHOTER TALKS PLAYOUT, POLITICS AND PROSPECTS
DESIGN FIRST
QATAR’S IFEC INITIATIVE
WETLANDS IN JORDAN
Design is not an afterthought for Network Operation Centres
Connectivity in-flight with Thales and Qatar Airways
Satellites map dwindling resources in Azraq
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EDITORIAL Publisher Dominic De Sousa Group COO Nadeem Hood
Anonymity in overdrive
Managing Director Richard Judd richard@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9126
In the past couple of weeks, there were one too many unnamed clients in the Middle East, signing substantial contracts for satellite capacity and imagery. So It was with some relief and relish that we published the news that the Jordan army had placed an order with Harris Corporation for tactical radios. Bravo Jordan army and their PR mandarins for opting to shed anonymity.
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 EDITORIAL Group Editor Broadcast Division Vijaya Cherian vijaya@cpidubai.com +97150 768 3435 Deputy Editor Supriya Srinivas supriya@cpidubai.com +971 55 105 3776 PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Design Director Ruth Sheehy ruth@cpidubai.com Graphic Designer Glenn Roxas glenn@cpidubai.com Database Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9147 Production Manager James P. Tharian james@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9146
However, we will see more of the ‘unnamed client’ category of press releases going forward, with the global defence industry shifting to Asia and the Middle East. According to the World Bank, military expenditure in the MENA region, as a percentage of GDP, averaged 5.5% during the last decade as compared to the world average of 2.5%. There is no doubt that these are trying times in the Middle East. At the same time, political upheaval has had a happy fallout – that of a mushrooming of TV channels across the Arab world. Ask Omar Shoter of Noorsat and he will tell you that the number of channels in the Middle East is far from excessive, considering the fact that the 22 countries in the Arab world share a common language and culture. I hope the interview with the CEO, a veteran in the satellite industry, gives you an inkling of the fine balancing act satellite capacity providers, in the region, have to master, positioned as they are, between the demands of officialdom and the viewers’ freedom to choose. These are weighty issues indeed that we could perhaps discuss, in person, when we meet at IBC. In the meantime, give us a preview of your products and solutions and help us make your participation at the annual event more productive. Supriya Srinivas Deputy Editor
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© Copyright 2012 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.
In this edition: “For broadcast, the orbital slot is critical. Once you are established at a hotspot, you will not lose your market share” Omar Shoter, CEO, NOORSAT – page 12 “We are focused on both crew and passenger capabilities and developing some of those capabilities locally in Doha. Local presence allows us to better engage with Qatar’s marketing and operations departments who play key roles in defining the features of a given application” Alan Pellegrini, CEO, Thales IFEC – page 34
“The satellite industry is not anti wireless. The satellite industry is anti interference. The wireless industry is one of the biggest customer groups for the satellite industry” - David Hartshorn, secretary general of GVF – page 22 “Hardware such as the Horizon VoIP PBX enables up to eight simultaneous calls from a single VSAT system, or MSS terminal operating over Inmarsat, Thuraya or Iridium networks. Such a VoIP solution can reduce monthly bills by as much as 50%” Pravin Raghavan, managing director, Tile Marine LLC – page 28
assess your Satcom requirements, whether you’re building a new facility, expanding a current one, relocating to an existing building, or just revamping the existing facility. We’ll discuss with you DOO RI \RXU RSWLRQV DQG KHOS \RX ÀQDOLVH \RXU UHTXLUHPHQWV We’ll guide you as you upgrade your network to achieve faster, more secure and cost-Âeffective results. FGC will
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CONTENTS
Issue 9 | AUGUST 2012
SatVertical: Maritime
News
28
4
Connectivity on the Horizon
Interference, education and the Olympics
UAE-based Tile Marine offers affordable connectivity solutions to crew
Arabsat, SES, Panasonic, Thuraya, Inmarsat, EIAST, Yahsat
SatVertical: Earth Observation
32 Cover story
12
9
Satellites plays a conservationist’s role
Walking the talk with Omar Shoter
SatVertical: Aviation
NOORSAT’s CEO in an exclusive interview with SatellitePro ME
34 In-flight connectivity: The big differentiator
SatDesign
18
Thales’ Alan Pellegrini on the new IFEC research centre in Qatar
Design is not an afterthought John Pepper of ColemSpice underscores the significance of design for control rooms
SatDebate
Protecting wetlands in Jordan
SatTechnology
36 34
22
Spectrum wars
Hiltron, Hughes, Lemko, Cobham, Romantis and more
SatEvents
40
David Hartshorn of the GVF outlines the challenges posed by LTE and WiMAX for the satellite industry
Simon Bull of Comsys explains the content and networking opportunities at VSAT 2012 and we take a look at the satellite companies participating at IBC 2012
SatTeleport
26
SatGuest
44
Satellite capacity costs Robert Bell of the World Teleport Organisation outlines a framework for a viable contract
44
Gleb Larionov of XSAT Fze gives us a glimpse into the extraordinary world of satellite phones
SatNews
Al Jazeera and Es’hailSat enter into strategic agreement Al Jazeera Networks (AJN) and Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote closer co-operation between the two companies regarding the strategic satellite infrastructure required by AJN to build its capabilities and extend its reach. Within the framework of the MOU, Es’hailSat will reportedly provide independent and strategic satellite solutions to meet Al Jazeera’s requirements for broadcast independence and sustainability, including the provision of satellite capacity and the development of orbital positions and ground services to support future expansion opportunities in new markets. The agreement was signed in Doha by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al Thani, director general of Aljazeera Media Network and Ali Al Kuwari, Es’hailSat’s CEO. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Jassim Al Thani, director general of Aljazeera Media Network, said:
“It is a major step forward that Qatar now also has its own satellite operator and we look forward to working closely Ali Al Kuwari, CEO, Es’hailSat with Es’hailSat in the future”. Commenting on the agreement, Es’hailSat CEO, Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari, said: “We are delighted to be able to work with Al Jazeera Networks on the development of satellite services over the long term.” With the first satellite - Es’hail 1 – under construction and future satellites planned, Es’hailSat can reportedly provide the necessary capacity to enable its customers to substantially increase their communications capability and to support Qatar’s commitment to meeting the sophisticated communications needs required to host FIFA’s World Cup in 2022. www.ictqatar.qa
Arabsat, Dubai Media Inc. to broadcast Olympics on six FTA channels Arabsat has announced that Dubai Media Inc. will launch six free-to-air sports channels on Arabsat satellites to broadcast the games and activities of the Olympic Games in London, live, from July 27 to August 12. Rashed Al Amiri, director of Dubai Sports Channel, said, “We are committed to our viewers towards providing them with the best available sports programming. Our Olympics viewers will enjoy a variety of sports such as, basketball, 4 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Eng. Khaled bin Ahmed Balkheyour, president and CEO, Arabsat
handball, gymnastics and other competitions, during the 2012 London Olympics.” Eng. Khaled bin Ahmed Balkheyour, president and
CEO of Arabsat, said, “We are pleased to develop our partnership with Dubai Media Inc. and to watch its continuous development, and we assure them of our commitment to provide them with the best services available.” Viewers can watch Dubai Sports channels on the following frequency: Arabsat Badr– 4, Frequency: 12130MHz, Polar: Vertical FEC: ¾ -27.5 Mb/s www.arabsat.com
SES-5 to provide capacity to Africa and the Middle East
SES-5
Recently launched SES-5 is to be positioned at the orbital slot of 5 degrees East and features 36 active Ku-band transponders and up to 24 active C-band transponders. The SES-5 satellite was designed and built for SES by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L). SES-5 has two Ku-band beams, one serving customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries and one serving SubSaharan Africa, as well as two C-band beams, one with global coverage and one with hemispheric coverage over Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The satellite provides Ka-band uplink capability, allowing for flexible operations between Europe and Africa. SES-5 is reportedly designed to deliver high performance and extensive coverage for Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, broadband, maritime communications, GSM backhaul, and VSAT applications in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Romain Bausch, president and CEO of SES, said: “SES-5 marks the second successful ILSProton launch in 2012 for SES and the third SES satellite delivered by Space Systems/Loral in the last ten months. SES-5 furthermore hosts the EGNOS payload for the European Commission. The powerful new satellite enters the global SES fleet as Number 51. ” www.ses.com
19 Top five FSS operators account for 70% of revenues In a market characterised by innovative capital investments, emergence of new players, and diverging performances, according to a report by Euroconsult, 2011 was a particularly important year for FSS operators as a number of countries announced their national satellite systems and several historically hot geographic markets such as Afghanistan and Africa saw decrease in business due to political changes or the arrival of fibre networks. The report titled: Company Profiles: Analysis of FSS Operators is a survey of active and pre-operational FSS operator with profiles of all 38 currentlyactive FSS satellite operators, plus nine companies that will launch commercial satellites in the near future. Wei LI, senior consultant at Euroconsult
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stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;FSS operators are becoming â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;smarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in investing their space assets. We see a number of partnerships, co-shared satellite, and hosted payloads announced in the last 18 months.â&#x20AC;? Other report findings include: Â&#x161; '/ ef[hWjehi ^WZ h[l[dk[i e\ ceh[ j^Wd US$100 million Â&#x161; Ceh[ j^Wd -- e\ Wbb <II ef[hWjehi increased the number of transponders leased throughout 2011 Â&#x161; (& ef[hWjehi ^WZ Ă&#x201C;bb hWj[i e\ .& eh ceh[1 [_]^j e\ m^_Y^ ^WZ Ă&#x201C;bb hWj[i e\ /& eh ceh[ Â&#x161; )("'*& JL Y^Wdd[bi WdZ '). :J> fWo#JL platforms were broadcast by satellite operators in 2011 www.euroconsult-ec.com
Number of FSS operators that had revenues in excess of US$ 100 million in 2011
Miranda Mills appointed VP Aerospace, Global Xpress for Inmarsat As VP for Aerospace, Mills will be responsible for developing all Global Xpress aeronautical services worldwide.
Thuraya appoints Sanford Jewett as VP Marketing
Sanford Jewett brings his expertise in international markets to Thuraya and will play, according to the company spokesman, a major role in leading the expansion of Thurayaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global marketing strategies. Sanford has over 25 years of experience in the wireless, internet and satellite industries.
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SatNews
Y1B satellite successfully tested in ISRO to build third launchpad orbit, handed over to Yahsat Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, have successfully completed the in-orbit testing of the Y1B satellite, conducted from the Yahsat control centre in Abu Dhabi (UAE). Yahsat CEO Tareq Abdulraheem Al Hosani said: “I am pleased with the work carried out by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space in the in-orbit delivery of our second satellite.” Y1B is now ready to provide operational communications services for commercial and governmental clients with its Ka-band multi-beam technology. Y1B reportedly offers secure communications and high throughput broadband solutions to its customers in the Middle East, Africa, SouthWest and Central Asia. Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are co-prime contractors of the Yahsat turnkey contract. Y1A and Y1B satellites are built
K Radhakrishnan, chairman, ISRO
on Astrium Eurostar E3000 platforms with telecommunication payloads from Thales Alenia Space. www.yahsat.ae
Dubai’s satellite enables disaster relief efforts In the most devastating aftermath of the tsunami, waves bulldozed their way 10 kms (six miles) inland in Japan on March 11 2011. The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) applied its satellite to help disaster relief teams determine and manage the scale of the event. When the disaster expanded to the nuclear power stations as a result of one of the most powerful earthquakes Japan has ever experienced, DubaiSat-1 could reportedly map the extent of the destruction, across the disaster area that had 6 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Images of the Fukushima plant before and after the disaster
restricted access by land, sea and air. “When the danger levels rose and people started fearing leaks from the nuclear reactors, these were no-go zones for most people,” recalled Salem Humaid Al Marri, director of project management & space
missions department at EIAST. EIAST also participates in UN-SPIDER, a United Nations platform for spacebased information for disaster management and emergency response. www.eiast.ae
With plans for 60 missions over the next five years, the Indian Space Research Organisation will develop a third launchpad at its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh to meet the growing demand. It would include construction of a new vehicle assembly building, mobile pedestals, umbilical towers, emergency exits, ground escape system, crew ingress and egress systems, safety bunkers, material handling equipment and related electrical systems. “We are planning to have a third launchpad at Sriharikota to cater to our future missions,” ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan told the Press Trust of India (PTI). He said the new launchpad would help ISRO augment the frequency of missions, which was necessary to meet its ambitious targets. “We plan to launch 24 missions over the next 24 months, which include our communication satellites and some foreign payloads,” he said, adding that over a fiveyear period, the space agency has plans to launch 60 missions. The new pad could also be used for launching Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk-III) carrying heavier satellites as also by the reusable launch vehicle, India’s own version of a space shuttle. It is also part of ISRO’s plan to develop a dedicated ‘Space Park’ next to the space port at Sriharikota. www.isro.org
140K Abu Dhabi city municipality calls for removal of satellite dishes from rooftops, terraces The Abu Dhabi city municipality has called upon landlords, tenants and occupants of residential buildings, villas, apartments and commercial premises to remove the satellite television dishes along m_j^ YWXb[ [nj[di_edi1 m^_Y^ Wh[ h[fehj[Zbo mushrooming in a haphazard manner on the walls, rooftops and balconies of these buildings. The disorderly installation of satellite dishes and cables reportedly triggers the accumulation of dirt and turns them into hotbeds for the breeding of insects and rodents, besides damaging the waterproofing of the roofs in case the dish is fixed directly on j^[ Ôeeh ikh\WY[1 m^_Y^ h[ikbji _d j^[ b[Wa_d] of the washing and rainwater into the highest floor, impacts the building structures, and hinders rescue operations in emergency cases. The municipality notified property owners
not to allow the installation of more than four satellite dishes on the rooftops of their Xk_bZ_d]i1 m^_Y^ ^Wl[ je X[ fei_j_ed[Z Wj W distance from the edges of walls in a way that will not disfigure the general appearance. It also cautioned them against installing these dishes at balconies of residential flats and villas. www.adm.gov.ae
Nigeria receives two Earth observation satellites Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology, professor Okon Bassey Ewa said, on receiving the satellites, that they would be used to resolve many developmental challenges until the country obtains radial satellites with advanced features that will bring lasting solutions to the security threats in the country. Surrey Satellite Technology Limited from the United Kingdom officially handed over the satellites to the Minister in Abuja, after completing the paper work. Both satellites, when fully
deployed, will reportedly deliver large amounts of earth observation data. The immediate deployment of the satellites to crisis areas to observe and proffer lasting solutions to nagging issues such as security in the
northern region and flooding and degradation in the south of the country, will be the next line of action. Speaking on the other satellites owned by the country, the Minister noted that Nigeria SAT 2 and Nigeria SAT X will also be useful in surveillance and monitoring, disaster mitigation and management. He also added that they will be used in damage assessment, relief operations and infrastructure development. www.sstl.co.uk
Number of users in South Africa still on dial-up internet connection
Thuraya helps fundraising mission
Wissam Al Jayyoussi with the Thuraya XT handset
Wissam Al Jayyoussi is travelling along the historic Silk Route from the Middle East to Southeast Asia by motorbike. He has completed another leg of his 60,000km “Goodwill Journey” on reaching Chelyabinsk, Russia, the 15th stop on his 22-country voyage. Wissam, a Jordanian national with Palestinian roots, embarked on this journey to create awareness and raise funds for the first freestanding pediatric cancer centre in Palestine. The satellite communications equipment provided by Thuraya has reportedly helped Al Jayyoussi to stay in contact with his sponsors and his Dubai-based team as well as to upload photos, videos and other material from the epic journey. Al Jayyoussi expects to complete the trip in approximately 132 days. “Thuraya is committed to serving humanity. We are delighted to be supporting Al Jayyoussi on his inspirational project,” said Samer Halawi, Thuraya’s CEO. Among the equipment provided by Thuraya is the Thuraya XT handset for phone calls and for online tracking. As he was driving through the mountains of Balochistan in Pakistan, the Thuraya XT fell off his motorbike. Several miles later, Wissam realised he was missing his Thuraya. Luckily, he had the last coordinates from the phone, which later helped the police locate it. When found two days later, the phone was reportedly still on! www.thuraya.com August 2012 | SatellitePro | 7
SatNews
Emirati students undergo training Executive MBA programme on space at NASA The director general of the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT), Dr Abdul Latif Al Shamsi, made an inspectional visit to the training camp at NASA in Houston where 25 Emirati students are undergoing intensive training in space technology. Al Shamsi was accompanied by Eng. Abdul Rahman Al Hammadi, director of services and support at the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The trip was organised by Space EdVentures, which runs technology and science courses for students. The Emirati students from the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) were sent to NASA to undergo a week-long training at Space Centre in Houston. The students are given training in various space technology areas and machines including the robotic Mars Rovers, which retrieve rock samples from the planet. Meanwhile, Hussain Al Ansari, CEO of Space Ed-Ventures, said, “It is so important to
In all, 25 Emirati students are undergoing intensive training at NASA
build on what students learn in school.” The selected students aged 12-18 underwent a special selection process. Out of 128, only 25 students were selected based on merit and their fluency in English. http://point.iat.ac.ae
Harris Corporation receives US$ 30 million order from Jordan Harris Corporation, has received a US$30 million order to provide the Kingdom of Jordan with tactical radios that will provide advanced communication capabilities in the next phase of the deployment of a modernised C4ISR system for its military. The Harris Falcon III and Falcon II radio family will deliver the voice and data communications core for the country’s new command and control system. “Harris is delivering 8 | SatellitePro | August 2012
tactical C4ISR solutions to our customers around the world with systems that address the widest range of mission applications,’’ said Brendan O’Connell, president, International Business, Harris RF Communications. “Our products, systems and
support are leading the transformation of tactical communications globally.’’ The latest order is a follow-on to a US$ 26 million order, announced in February, in support of Jordan’s C4ISR system. Falcon III is the next generation of radios supporting the U.S. military’s Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requirements, as well as network-centric operations worldwide. www.harris.com
Four years ago the International Space University (ISU) – based in Strasbourg, France – introduced their Executive Giving us an overview of EMBA MBA programme is Torsten Kriening, a current (EMBA12) that is student of the ISU’s EMBA focused on space programme. He manages activities. Kriening International – a This programme Berlin-based business development company is designed to support individuals involved in space enterprise and who, in turn, want to further develop their careers and their businesses. It is specifically designed to lend an international focus to, and understanding of, the space sector. As a result, each teaching session, throughout the course, is conducted in a different location around the world, such as Strasbourg, France, Adelaide, Australia, Colorado and Washington, DC, among other venues. The modular nature of the programme reportedly allows professionals to remain dedicated to their jobs, while investing in their careers and future, along with like-minded colleagues from around the world. At the same time, the nine residential weeks in various locations around the world during an 18-month period is aimed at creating a balanced curriculum towards providing the necessary skills for doing business in the space sector. The current EMBA12 class includes selected executives from around the world. Around 60% are from Europe, with the remaining 40% split evenly between the Middle East, North America and the Asia-Pacific. In all, 14 different countries are represented. The present class is the largest yet, as the number of participants has more than doubled from 13 in the last EMBA class, to 24 this year. Among the topics covered in the ISU’s Executive MBA curriculum are space business, space policies and international law, strategic management and finance and space project management. www.isunet.edu
2000
Number of hours of satellite coverage the Olympics will generate
Satellite industry gears up to deliver interferencefree transmissions for the London 2012 Olympics Significant strides forward have been reportedly made since the announcement at IBC, in September 2011, of the introduction of Carrier ID in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games in order to assure quality DVB satellite transmissions of the world’s most-watched sporting event, expected to generate over 2,000 hours of satellite coverage. Satellite operators, led by Eutelsat, Intelsat and SES, whose combined orbital assets represent almost 60% of global commercial satellite capacity, have completed the process of adapting their earth station information tables to include Carrier ID information so that they can read, extract and interpret data. Carrier ID is a stamp on uplink signals that will enable satellite operators to more efficiently identify transmissions to their satellites and thereby accelerate coordination with earth station operators in the event of signal interference. Quality assurance of DVB satellite transmissions has engaged the satellite community at large, including satellite operators, encoder and modulator manufacturers, broadcasters and uplink providers. The effort is also supported by three international associations: the World Broadcasting Unions-International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG), the GVF (Global VSAT Forum) and sIRG (satellite Interference Reduction Group). Modulator and encoder manufacturers, accounting for the vast majority of satellite transmission equipment used by broadcasters and service providers, have developed new models and system upgrades for Carrier ID use. They include Adtec Digital, Comtech EF Data, Ericsson, Fujitsu, IDC, Newtec and Vislink. Leading broadcasters, agencies and service providers have also updated their systems to be Carrier ID ready. In a joint statement on this collective initiative, David Bair, CTO of Eutelsat,
“Never before have broadcasters, satellite operators, uplinkers, and manufacturers collaborated to implement an initiative with the sole objective of improving the quality of satellite television services for millions of viewers”
Dick Tauber, Chairman of WBU-ISOG and VP Transmission Systems and New Technology at the CNN News Group
Martin Coleman, executive director of the Satellite Interference Reduction Group
Thierry Guillemin, CTO of Intelsat, and Stewart Sanders, SVP, customer service delivery at SES, said: “This is the first phase of a long-term collaborative undertaking to implement Carrier ID in order to further raise the bar of quality to our broadcast customers. It underscores our constant quest to improve technologies and procedures to deliver the highest standards of service.” Martin Coleman, executive director of the satellite Interference Reduction Group, David Hartshorn, Secretary General of the Global VSAT Forum, and
Dick Tauber, Chairman of WBU-ISOG and VP Transmission Systems and New Technology at the CNN News Group, said: “The satellite communications and broadcasting industries are to be commended for this breakthrough. Never before have broadcasters, satellite operators, uplinkers, and manufacturers collaborated to implement an initiative with the sole objective of improving the quality of satellite television services for millions of viewers.” www.suirg.com August 2012 | SatellitePro | 9
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SatLead
WALKING THE TALK WITH OMAR SHOTER A The CEO of Jordan-based NOORSAT, Omar Shoter, faces knotty political questions while overseeing a rigorous 24/7 operation over two of the Arab world’s hotspots. Speaking to Supriya Srinivas of SatellitePro ME, Shoter believes that matters will resolve sooner than later and that good content will always prevail
12 | SatellitePro | August 2012
year ago, a MENA-based satellite operator said in unequivocal terms that they are just the carriers and not arbiters of content. A year down the line, a lot has changed with countries in the region objecting to channels being aired on political grounds. Satellite operators are being asked to account for the content they carry and my first question to NOORSAT’s Omar Shoter was whether this was a fair demand of satellite operators. “We would not feature obviously objectionable content such as pornography and material offensive to the region’s social and religious sensibilities. Other than that the content that we offer is driven by broadcasters catering to the region,” responds the satellite industry veteran. He adds, “It is not fair to make the satellite operator accountable for content. Usually in such a case, the party offended would sue the channel in a court of law. The satellite operators will always implement the court’s orders. In the absence of legislation, people and governments expect the satellite
200
Number of TV and radio channels broadcast by NOORSAT
“In the absence of legislation, people and governments expect the satellite operators to fall in line with their way of thinking”
operators to fall in line with their way of thinking. As I stated earlier, in obvious cases, we can help readily, but with political views aired on channels, it is difficult to decide one way or the other.” Forums to help regulate rival claims On finding a meeting ground, Shoter believes that it is easier said than done. “You need respective governments, satellite operators, major broadcasters and regulatory bodies to sit together and resolve this though a forum such as the Arab League. In the meantime, it is a fine balance that we have to maintain. I personally ZedÊj j^_da m[ Wh[ \WY_d] W X_] fheXb[c1 eventually only good content will prevail.” As the first fully privately owned satellite service provider in the MENA region, established in 2004, NOORSAT offers satellite capacity at hotspots over the Arab world from the locations 25.5° E and 7° W. In addition, NOORSAT has expanded its satellite capacities at 8° W, 3° E and 85.15° E, to cater to the video and telecom sectors. With broadcast “accounting for the biggest chunk of business, though not by far”, in Shoter’s words, NOORSAT is currently transmitting more than 200 TV and radio channels that serve a broad audience of viewers from the Middle East, East Asia, North Africa and parts of Europe.
THE TELEPORT NETWORK “NOORSAT started as a small operation in Bahrain and it grew as the business expanded. We have chosen world class suppliers to build the teleport such as Thomson, Play Box, Newtec, Andrew, IGP and Telicity, among others. We broadcast more than 200 TV channels, and the broadcast business forms a good share of our revenue but the telecom and non-DTH video services are significant too.” In addition, NOORSAT has teleports in Greece (Lavrio) and Italy (Rome)
Surge in occasional-use service The past year has seen a surge in demand for satellite capacity, says Shoter. “The recent political upheaval in the region, like any other high profile activity, does increase demand for satellite TV, video and telecom services, and creates new opportunities. NOORSAT was lucky to have ample satellite capacity that connects Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, [and one] that gave us the opportunity to be a leading provider for the August 2012 | SatellitePro | 13
SatLead
THE HD INITIATIVE Shoter states: “NOORSAT carried the first commercial DTH HD TV Bouquet in the region for our partner OSN. The success of this bouquet has been significant and encouraged OSN to plan for more HD channels”
greatly increased demand for the occasional satellite TV service.” The increased business however did not come without problems. “Political differences and conflicts bring with them the unpleasant jamming of satellite services. On our part, we can only geo-localise the source of interference and notify concerned authorities. In addition, there are pressures to allow the broadcast of certain TV channels and to stop others.” The past few months and days have seen MENA-based operators approaching the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) with claims and counter-claims of deliberate interference. Regional governments have raised objections about interference and objectionable content. There was also the much-talked about move by Bahrain TV from 26 deg East to 7 deg West. It is not probably the easiest time to be in the business of providing satellite capacity and Shoter believes the close-knit professional team he heads and the absence of pressure from the owners who, having worked in the media and telecom sectors, understand the business well – all this has allowed NOORSAT to become the region’s third biggest satellite capacity provider after Arabsat and Nilesat, in a relatively short span of time. 14 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Three decades of experience OMAR SHOTER’S CAREER AT A GLANCE - InterSat 1983-1984: operations - ARABSAT 1984-1995: marketing manager and operations centre - Inmarsat 1995-1996: regional director Middle East - ARABSAT 1996-2004: asst. D.G. marketing - NOORSAT 2004: Present (CEO)
The emergence of regional satellite operators across the MENA His challenges, however, are increasing with the emergence of Qatar’s Es’HailSat and Abu Dhabi’s Yahsat. Es’HailSat in particular has a 54.5% stake on Eutelsat 25A at 25.5 deg East. Will this prompt NOORSAT to revisit its business model that is based on leasing satellite capacity mainly from long-time partners, Eutelsat, I ask Shoter? “When the existing Eurobird 2 satellite operational at 25.5 deg East, is replaced in 2013, Es’hailSat and NOORSAT are to use capacities available on this new satellite, as per the arrangements specified in the joint venture agreement between Eutelsat and Qatar. “Our business on 25.5 deg East is not expected to be negatively impacted because Es’hailSat will cater mainly to Al-Jazeera and others, and NOORSAT caters to its own group of well-established customers. Moreover, NOORSAT has much more business from the main hotspot in the region of 7 deg West for DTH TV service and from other satellites for non-DTH TV and telecom services.” Giving an inkling into the collaborative approach that has underpinned NOORSAT’s success, Shoter adds, “We are committed to continuing our strategy of cooperating and working with new and existing regional satellite
2004 providers and compete in a positive way, and in this particular instance, we are committed to cooperating and working closely with Es’hailSat.” Catering to the verticals The broadcast sector, Shoter concedes, offers a stable platform for the company given that telecom and other sectors are vulnerable to the vagaries of the economy and other factors. “For broadcast, the orbital slot is critical. Once you are established at a hotspot, you will not lose your market share. “ Going counter to the mantra of the day, Shoter believes in restricting the provision of end-to-end services to the DTH sector. “We mWdj icWbb Xki_d[ii[i je ]hem1 m[ ZedÊj like to compete with solutions providers on the ground. While the VSAT sector is thriving owing to the coverage we provide, we have not tapped into cellular backhaul. “We have managed to lease all of our bulk
“Our business on 25.5 deg East is not expected to be negatively impacted because Es’hailSat will cater mainly to Al-Jazeera and others, and NOORSAT caters to its own group of wellestablished customers” capacities to big users, as raw bandwidth lease. Also the need to provide equipment and the fierce competition from fibre optic bandwidth suppliers, are some of the reasons we have not entered cellular backhaul.” Growing demand for hotspots Facing the happy prospect of high demand for capacity on 7 deg West, Shoter predicts that by the “end of this year or the beginning of next year, there will be a rise in capacity costs
Year NOORSAT was established
due to lack of capacity. By 2015, we will have more capacity on the hotspot. The DTH TV market will continue to grow, more channels will convert to HD and eventually, those who broadcast on more than one hotspot will have to review the effectiveness of this strategy against real viewership, cost and benefits.” He does not see the growth in TV channels, across the Arab world, as being excessive. “Europe has a huge number of channels despite the fact that they have very little in common amongst them. The number of channels catering to the 22 Arab countries that have a common language, common history, religion and social background, need not be justified. I believe we should have more TV channels than Europe.” No plans for Africa, yet He sees NOORSAT growing in the region. Africa is not on the anvil. “Africa does not have a hotspot that serves
SatLead
THE OCCASIONAL SATELLITE TV SERVICE “NOORSAT was lucky to have ample satellite capacity that connects Europe, Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, [and one] that gave us the opportunity to be a leading provider for the greatly increased demand for the occasional satellite TV service”
the entire region. That should have been decided years ago – it may be a little late to get all the TV channels on one hotspot. You need the right orbital slot, the right operators and the willingness for others to move. We are not moving out of the Arab world when it comes to DTH. While North Africa is attractive, and a number of players are moving into that region, we will grow in our areas of strength.” Looking ahead, Shoter believes that it is inevitable that new regional satellite service providers will enter the market for political, security and financial reasons. “International players will keep coming too, given the potential for growth across the Arab world. “Users will seek better options that are cost-effective in the telecom sector, and, eventually, players will have to merge or create joint ventures, to remain viable. On the other hand, the DTH TV business may get more fragmented and the present status of having two hotspots, dominating and serving the Arab world, with varying degrees of success, may change drastically, either eliminating or changing the nature of competition.” Ringside view of the evolution of the ME satellite industry From working in a government controlled 16 | SatellitePro | August 2012
“The DTH TV market will continue to grow, more channels will convert to HD and eventually, those who broadcast on more than one hotspot will have to review the effectiveness of this strategy against real viewership, cost and benefits”
industry to watching satellite TV enter individual homes, to helping create hotspots over the Arab world, Shoter has had a ringside view of the often dramatic changes in the MENA-based satellite industry. “While the first Gulf war triggered the era of satellite TV in the region, the buildup to HDTV, for instance, has been more gradual. In any case, this is a business where you cannot relax. Our business model of leasing and sub-leasing satellite capacity is based on the bond we have created with Eutelsat. Free of overheads associated with the manufacture and launch of satellites, we are able to offer competitive prices. “What I take personal pride in is our efforts to ensure that the private channels that we host are given a sense of security and a platform to communicate their political and social views.” He takes pride in the fact that NOORSAT’s coverage allows broadcasters to reach Arab communities in Europe and ethnic minorities across the Middle East. Despite the ubiquitous nature of television across the Arab world and the many ‘moons’ since television entered our homes, Omar Shoter remains far from jaded and reiterates, “It is a privilege to be able to bring television into the homes of people and allow them access to programming of their choice.” PRO
SatDesign
DID YOU FORGET TO DESIGN? Design is not an afterthought given the technical nature of the industry, says John Pepper, Director, ColemSpice, as he explores the implications of forgetting the design
Good chairs with armrests
A
ll too often, in our highly technical, skilled industry, design takes a backburner, when creating the infrastructure, whether that is a new control room or an office. However, it is precisely because our industry is so technical that design is important. A designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nightmare I have come across many a project where the equipment has been ordered with no thought as to how that will fit into the given space. It is often assumed that it will just fit and the important part is purely the equipment needed. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve hence seen situations where all this equipment is squeezed into the space with millimetres to spare. In fact, I even remember one satellite control room where the room was so dark that visitors had to stand still for a few seconds to adjust to the lighting conditions, before being blinded by the high-screen contrast set at an unhealthy viewing level. Understanding amongst the industry is beginning to improve. Operations and facilities management are far more receptive
18 | SatellitePro | August 2012
The NOC wishlist
138
Number of DTH pay-TV channels broadcast by satellite operators in 2011
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August 2012 | SatellitePro | 19
SatDesign
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“It is commonly believed that the new flat panel monitors that have replaced energyhungry CRT monitors in purpose-built consoles, can just be dropped onto a desk, ignoring the established ergonomic principles of seating height/posture, viewing angles and proper cable management” - John Pepper, director, ColemSpice
these days to the need for professional 24/7 working environments, and there are even certain European directives supporting this. However, it is commonly believed that the new flat panel monitors that have replaced energy-hungry CRT monitors in purpose-built consoles can just be dropped onto a desk, ignoring the established ergonomic principles of seating height/posture, viewing angles and proper cable management. If anything, the new technology of networked NMS monitor and control tools, combined with high capacity ITC & IP networked office administration systems, put a greater work load on the operations staff and entails a subsequent requirement for quick response to satellite incidents or customer payload services. More than meets the eye Often the design is perceived to be a luxury, but, in actual fact, it is an important piece of the puzzle and a valuable tool to be used to productive effect. Of course, part of achieving effective 24/7 routine and quick turnaround, is about the equipment and the operational staff, but a well-planned environment will help those workers use the control room effectively, because the screens will be at the right height, because a specific console will be alongside another related piece of equipment etc.
20 | SatellitePro | August 2012
As well as creating a productive environment, it does also come down to pure aesthetics. For most satellite operators, the control centre is a tangible asset representing their operations, and as such, it is often the area they will take potential and existing investors, as well as other visitors. A well-planned control room, which incorporates good quality finishes, will be seen as commensurate with the operator’s services and product. The resulting overall impression will, in its own right, be a marketing asset. Planning for longevity In today’s world, technology is moving at an alarming rate. By the time a control centre is completed, there could already be new technology and features to be added and so it is more important than ever to design and plan carefully, ensuring that new technology can be added without needing to completely redesign the entire room. The best way to achieve this is by ensuring the right people within the company are involved at an early stage with the planning process, thus the design team will know from the outset the business objectives, as well as the day-to-day tasks carried out by the operations staff. Planning needs to be done with a firm roadmap for the future, to avoid costly redesigns a few years down the line. PRO
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SatDebate
THE SPECTRUM WARS Spectrum has never been this valuable and as LTE takes the place of WiMAX in the ongoing bandwidth battle, the satellite industry is gearing for the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2015, to protect the spectrum bands it uses, says David Hartshorn, secretary general of GVF
22 | SatellitePro | August 2012
“T
he World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC) will be a battlefield,” predicts David Hartshorn, secretary general of the Global VSAT Forum (GVF), in conversation with SatellitePro ME, as satellite operators prepare for the challenge of Long Term Evolution (LTE). But it seems there will be no need for the proverbial circling of the wagons when something or anything comes between a viewer and his soccer game, as it did in Bolivia, some years ago. The wireless operators were asked to vacate the frequencies used by the satellite industry for television broadcast. The undoubted pressures of missed soccer moments notwithstanding, David Hartshorn and his team at GVF, are preparing for a conference that is slated to be fierce in terms of negotiating for valuable spectrum. At the outset, Hartshorn clarifies the stance of the satellite industry. He states: “The satellite industry is not anti wireless. We are anti interference. The wireless
industry is one of the biggest customer groups for the satellite industry. In an ideal world, the wireless industry will stay away from the satellite bandwidths as the satellite industry, in turn, supports the wireless industry.” Hartshorn admits that it is early days yet. “We are at the beginning of the cycle. We are where WiMAX was in 2006-2007. While the roll-out of LTE services in the developed countries has been good, it is an open question as to how the service will fare in other parts of the world.” Speaking at an industry event in Singapore, earlier this year, Hartshorn said that WRC-12 has set the stage for a new spectrum fight via Agenda Item 8.2, which includes a resolution to find additional International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum, as currently designated frequency bands for 4G will be filled before 2020. Agenda Item 8.2 mentions “higher bands” as a possible source of extra IMT spectrum, but doesn’t specify which bands would be under consideration. But Hartshorn insists that both the Ku- and Ka-band are already being targeted
2007
Year that saw the first struggle between WiMAX and satellite industry
David Hartshorn (GVF) on the WiMAX saga “During the world radio conference in 2007, what we saw was the first major struggle that occurred between the global wireless industry and the satellite industry. At that time, it was the most controversial agenda item at the meeting – Agenda item 1.4. The wireless industry that was referred to as the IMT sector and this includes services such as WiMAX, attempted to have extended C-band that is a frequency rate that is around 3.5, 3.6 GHz. “They attempted to have a global identification of the band. What that means is that they tried to have extended C-band identified for use for the wireless industry worldwide. Now that band is used worldwide by the satellite industry for a range of different types of services and so for a global identification to occur that would mean forced displacement of the satellite industry. “During the 2007 conference, there was a negotiated compromise. The wireless industry was not granted a global identification for extended C-band, but individual nations who wanted to reserve the right to potentially permit WiMAX and other IMT type deployment at extended C-band, were allowed to do so if the name of their country was included in a footnote in the final act of the World Radio Conference and they would be referred to as an opt-in country. There were more than 60 countries that had their names included. The outcome: Severe case of interference “Interference was severe for incumbent satellite services further up the spectrum range using standard C-band. A pattern started to unfold. Invariably when the interference
for mobile broadband usage. “We have already seen open proceedings by national administrations looking at wireless as a shared service with Ku-band and also with Ka-band,” he said. “That’s how it starts – they look for points of weakness, test it at the national level, then build it out at a global level. If they sense vulnerability, we’re going to have a fight on our hands for that spectrum.” Hartshorn said the satellite industry is gearing up for WRC-15 to protect the spectrum bands it uses already.
began to be seen, the broadcasters and cable operators approached their government and with the use of spectrum analysers and other tools, they identified the WiMAX operators as the culprit. “Those affected included VSAT operators who provided services for banks, governments, oil and gas, mining and humanitarian organisations, among others. “Standard practice in the regulatory world is that if there is an incumbent service operating in the band and it was licenced by the government, and a new service creates interference, it is the responsibility for the new service to take whatever steps necessary to prevent the interference. And if they are unsuccessful, the service provider should exit the band.” The range of solutions Outlining the range of solutions proposed at the time, Hartshorn says, “Typically, the affected parties started to look at filters to combat the interference? However, in some countries, take for example Thailand, they have two million earth stations. Now who is going to pay to send an installer, and who will pay for two million filters? “Another solution spoken about was enforcing exclusion zones around the earth stations. But there is a problem here too. Extensive testing has shown that it would take several kilometres of exclusion zone around each earth station – so if you put an exclusion zone around two million earth stations in Thailand – you are left with no market for WiMAX at all. “While none of this represents a complete
solution, the option to solve the problem is for the WiMAX operator to exit the extended C-band and begin offering services in a lower spectrum band. And that pattern has begun to unfold since 2007 in various regions around the world. Governments in Malaysia and Indonesia have requested the WiMAX operators to exit the band despite the fact that they were licenced, because they could not solve the problem of interference.” The crises in Dacca Gregg Daffner, chairman of CASBAA’s Wireless Action Group and David Hartshorn, secretary general of GVF joined the Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB), to alert the government of a crises that could potentially close down hundreds of TV channels across the country as a result of the WiMAX operators sharing the 3.5 GHz bandwidth with television services. “Right now Bangladesh is learning this hard lesson. Along with 80 representatives of the Bangladesh cable and broadcasting industry, we told the government that they were not alone. The interfering WiMAX services can use other, less crowded frequencies. In other markets, WiMAX operators have successfully migrated from the 3.5GHz band, so we know we can resolve the crisis in Bangladesh.” “Not all countries are making this mistake. Myanmar has decided not to have WiMAX in extended C-band. Another example is Vietnam. They have launched their own national satellite programme and that satellite has C-band on it. And they want to make sure that the satellite services are protected and used optimally.”
“The satellite industry is not anti wireless. The satellite industry is anti interference. The wireless industry is one of the biggest customer groups for the satellite industry” - David Hartshorn, secretary general of GVF
August 2012 | SatellitePro | 23
SatDebate
Advent into consumer broadband heightens stakes The fight for spectrum is taking on added intensity with the advances the satellite industry has made in recent years. Hartshorn elaborates, “The satellite industry is doing well in terms of technical advances, year on year. In the past couple of years, there has been a massive breakthrough for the satellite industry vis-à-vis consumer broadband. Right now, we have a million subscribers across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific. “The satellite industry has broken through a new level of service provision and the stakes in the spectrum battle have grown hugely. Just recently, I was in Johannesburg and I mWjY^[Z OW^iWj Xh_[\ d[Whbo /& Z_ijh_Xkjehi e\ communications services. I sensed that the distributors were really excited about the service starting on August 1 2012. For the first time outside South Africa, you will have broadband connectivity. We are seeing commercial dynamism at a level never seen before.” Solutions coexist in mature markets There is a tendency, Hartshorn believes, to think that when nothing else is available, satellite is the solution. “This notion is not borne out by facts on the ground. The USA has more fibre optics and wireless than any country in the world. And guess who is the single largest consumer of satellite services? The USA.” The reason for the thriving presence of the satellite industry in a mature market, such as the USA, should be an eye-opener for other countries, especially the developing countries, says Hartshorn. “Each communication solution is like a different tool in the tool box. They operate on varying degrees of efficiency in a given situation and offer different returns on investment. You cannot take a blinkered view on the solutions a country or region requires because you need satellites for point to multipoint and fibre for point to point, for instance. When the dust settles, governments in emerging markets will realise that it is not an either/or situation.” For now, however, the battle between new and incumbent services will persist. Over promising and under delivering Given the limited amount of spectrum and 24 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Protecting C-band The satellite systems that operate in the 3.44.2 GHz band (C-band) are suffering substantial interference, to the point of system failure, in places where national administrations are allowing Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) like WiMAX and other 3G and 4G mobile systems (also referred to as IMT systems) to share the same spectrum bands already being used to provide satellite
broadcasting services. C-band (“Standard C-band” and “Extended C-band”1) frequencies have been assigned for satellite downlinks since the industry was inaugurated more than 40 years ago. Broadcasting antennas which receive satellite downlink signals in the C-band are, by necessity, extremely sensitive devices. They are designed to receive a low-power
the increasing number of services that need spectrum, there is a constant flow of new incoming services and Hartshorn believes that that there is tendency for any new service to over promise. “You hype the service so that you can justify asking for someone else’s spectrum and you will find throughout the communication industry – every new service is touted as the best thing since sliced bread. The marketing department from within that industry kicks into overdrive and sends out all kinds of messages as to how the service will change the world. “The classic example of over promising is the wireless local loop industry, a decade ago. They promised everything, got the spectrum and fell flat. While WiMAX has done good things in major cities in some developing countries, governments have discovered that other than interference issues, the technology has serious limitations. “In 2007, WiMAX was being promoted as this great new service which was going to provide universal access to broadband. The reality is that the business plan for WiMAX is such that it is profitable in high density populations. As soon as the density gets thinner, the financial metrics become unattractive. So the promise of providing
signal emitted by small transmitters located in orbit 36,000 kilometers above the equator. Mobile and base stations for terrestrial wireless applications emit signals from many locations, in all directions, simultaneously and are powerful enough to saturate the sensitive C-band satellite receiving systems, causing a potential for total loss of broadcasting service in the C-band.
universal services through WiMAX has not been fulfilled. “Another important trend since 2007 is that fibre optics has been available increasingly in the major cities across the developing world and this has eroded the market share for WiMAX. “And the third problem for WiMAX is the emergence of LTE as the new darling of the wireless industry. It has overwhelming support among the major players and companies are postponing their current investments for the better technology. So you have all these factors working against WiMAX.” Similar questions are being raised about LTE. Speaking with the benefit of hindsight and studies on the ground, Hartshorn says, “We already have information that LTE will, in fact, interfere with satellite services if they share bandwidth or work in adjacent bandwidths. So the satellite industry is deeply concerned about LTE. We will be working with everyone concerned to encourage LTE to pursue frequencies that are lower down in the spectrum range where the physics of the band are more useful for the delivery of LTE services. Our industry worldwide is coordinating right now to make this case so governments around the world do not make the same mistakes they made with WiMAX.” PRO
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SatTeleport
“IN SATELLITE CONTRACTS, WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU”
S
atellite capacity is a uniquely valuable asset. It can do some things, like broadcasting one signal to millions of destinations, better and cheaper than any other technology. But it is also a scarce asset, thanks to the laws of physics and the skilled yield management of the operators that fly spacecraft in Earth orbit. In 2011, the members of World Teleport Association shared with us, in confidence, the amount of money they spend on satellite capacity. The average teleport operator spends an amount equal to 47% of revenue – in effect, turning over half of its annual income to the provider of transmission capacity in the sky. Spending on terrestrial capacity doesn’t even come close. What are the biggest potential traps to avoid when you sign a contract for satellite capacity? They range from everybody’s top-of-mind concerns to subtle nuances in wording. Lease term Anything in the contract that doesn’t line up with your customer contract represents a risk to your business. “The conditions that cause us the most concern in satellite capacity contracts,” one teleport operator told us, “are firm, fixed-end dates without respect to who the end user is and what their service is. Sometimes our customer may only ask for one to two years, while the satellite operator is asking for seven years. We should be able to match the same terms as our customer requests.” Interference Your transponder may not suffer interference from cross-pol or adjacent carrier interference today, but what about five years into the contract? Will you have the right to move or end the service if interference becomes so bad that, in your judgment, you can no longer use your capacity?
26 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Resale rights Some contracts place restrictions on the teleport operator’s ability to resell capacity. It is understandable that satellite operators want protection from competition from their own customers. But some restrictions can severely limit the service provider’s options. A teleport operator with long-term leases and major media customers said that, “We want the ability to resell and use the capacity for video, data, or whatever we want, with or without value-added services. Reducing the risk as a wholesale buyer, by being able to resell, is my main request.”
“The average teleport operator spends an amount equal to 47% of revenue – in effect, turning over half of its annual income to the provider of transmission capacity in the sky”
Rober Bell, executive director, World Teleport Association
Liability and indemnification Most contracts require the buyer to indemnify the operator against damage due to an act or omission of the buyer. The buyer may also be required to indemnify the operator against claims or damages by third parties. Some teleport operators find these uncapped liabilities to be their single largest concern. “Normally the satellite operators impose liabilities on the contract – uncapped liabilities as a start,” said one executive. “We don’t want to sign up to unlimited liabilities. That is the most difficult issue to negotiate, and is very important as far as risk management is concerned.” Buyers may not always be able to get the terms they want. That’s a matter of negotiating leverage, which comes down to how much you are buying, in what market, for what purpose, and who you (or your customer) are. Above all else, our experts stressed the need for clarity. Buyers need to make sure their operations and their customer’s expectations are aligned with what the satellite operator can actually deliver in both best and worst-case situations. And they can only do that if the contract spells it out in detail. PRO Best Practices in Satellite Capacity Contracts is available at www.worldteleport.org
Major Supporting Sponsors:
12 -14 September 2012 The Lancaster London Hotel
The annual conference for the VSAT industry Now in its 14th year and at a larger venue!
Register at www.comsys.co.uk
Ka-band and new business models for VSAT and space segment operators Commercial maritime operator changes, threats and opportunities Business continuity in a hybrid DSL/VSAT configuration Managing an ocean of bandwidth beam by beam Mobile VSAT services GSM backhaul moves up in site count and down in bandwidth Consumer market opportunities Fibre threats to VSAT How value added businesses can be built in a world of plentiful bandwidth VSAT and satellite Workshops
Official Publications:
TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE FOR THE SATCOM MARKET
talk Satellite
To register or for more information contact Rose Murphy Tel: +44-1727-832288 rose@comsys.co.uk
Also Supported by:
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Primary Sponsor:
SatVertical: Government
CONNECTIVITY THAT’S AFFORDABLE UAE-based solutions providers, Tile Marine, in partnership with the One Horizon Group, are creating bandwidth-efficient VOIP platforms making connectivity at sea affordable to crew
28 | SatellitePro | August 2012
D
ubai-based Tile Marine has installed the Horizon VOIP solution in six vessels in Dubai. “Typically, data and voice consumption per vessel ranges from US$ 500- 1,500 depending on size and the number of crew on-board. Hardware such as the Horizon VoIP PBX enables up to eight simultaneous calls from a single VSAT system, or MSS terminal operating over Inmarsat, Thuraya or Iridium networks. Such a VoIP solution can reduce monthly bills by as much as 50%,” says Pravin Raghavan, managing director, Tile Marine LLC, a Dubai-based company offering equipment sales, services and solutions in the field of marine telecommunications. Products supplied to the vessels included Horizon’s proprietary SmartPacket Technology, that reportedly optimises calls over satellite systems, reducing the required packets to a minimum, making communication affordable for seafarers with VoIP from only 2kbps compared to around 8kbps \hec ej^[h =$-(/#XWi[Z Le?F i[hl_Y[i$ “In this period of recession and constrained budgets, moving to VoIP is a natural evolution for ships that need internet and intranet access, whether supplied by Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) or VSAT applications,” observes Raghavan. The Horizon VoIP solution offers both post-paid and pre-paid licences. Raghavan explains, “Over the Inmarsat network, Horizon data usage is ‘carved out’ of their bill, meaning individual crew members can make use of the same corporate system for personal use. This gives corporations the flexibility to provide crew calling and data solutions with optimised tariffs that cater for both the business and the wellbeing of those running it.
Pravin Raghavan, managing director, Tile Marine LLC
“Hardware such as the Horizon VoIP PBX enables up to eight simultaneous calls from a single VSAT system, or MSS terminal operating over Inmarsat, Thuraya or Iridium networks. Such a VoIP solution can reduce monthly bills by as much as 50%”
Image courtesy Thuraya
2KBPS
“Complex bills can be avoided with the ship owners using a post-paid system with inclusive minutes, while the man on deck has pre-paid minutes free to spend on m^Wj[l[h j^[o d[[Z1 _dj[hd[j Xhemi_d]" mail, chat and calling home.” Maintenance of the systems is also provided by Tile and Horizon. Horizon, on their part, operate a 24/7 service desk. The hardware deployed The Thrane & Thrane Sailor FB150 systems deployed on the vessels are in Raghavan’s words, “small and lightweight, enabling easy user-installation for smaller vessels.” With the feature to provide data and voice simultaneously, and the ability of the Horizon’s SmartPacket technology to deliver up to eight over-the-data channels, the marine Satcom solution becomes attractive, says Raghavan. In the recent past, Inmarsat has made
Crew members are able to track their call and surf expenditures. They can also make calls without the need to wait in a queue as Horizon reportedly allows up to eight simultaneous calls over an IP link
VOIP from Horizon’s proprietory SmartPacket technology
two major changes to their FleetBroadBand (FBB) services, with the price increment on the standard ‘Pay as you Go’ plan from US$ 50 up to 200, and the removing of voice allowance from all plans. With the introduction of money bundle plans from Inmarsat, resulting in the foregoing of voice packages and the extra premium they now carry, industry experts believe this is a clear indication that operators such as Inmarsat are preparing for more IP-based consumption going forward. Underscoring the benefits of the Horizonbased VOIP solution, Raghavan says, “With Horizon voice utilising VoIP protocol, users now enjoy a fraction of the cost they would pay through FBB PSTN voice.” Offshore communication is touted as one of the key drivers of crew retention as the crew has come to expect connectivity to Facebook, Skype, online banking, among other areas, to match what they have at home, regardless of where they are stationed. In previous years, the industry typically viewed communication networks primarily as a cost centre. Traditionally calls over the PSTN and GSM networks could easily ramp up heavy monthly bills. Finding the right maritime VoIP communications solutions for a vessel, with adequate bandwidth within budget, becomes increasingly crucial for marine systems integrators such as Tile Marine. Customer feedback Raghavan says that the customers are happy with the solution. He adds, “It is about three months since we started using Horizon. We started by integrating the solution with our VSAT system and this was appreciated by our customers. Since a month ago, we have extended the solution to be promoted with the FBB airtime. “While we did have initial teething problems, this solution is already shifting communication costs to affordable levels for the crew.” With marine VOIP over satellite promising to overcome the three stumbling blocks for affordable marine Satcom of price, throughput and interoperability, this is a trend worth monitoring. PRO August 2012 | SatellitePro | 29
SatMilestone
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY! On 10 July 1962, the first commercial satellite, Telstar-I, was launched with one TV channel and 600 voice channels and the term ‘live via satellite’ was born Powering Telstar Telstar was spin-stabilised, and its outer surface was covered with solar cells to generate electrical power. The power produced was a tiny 14 watts, reportedly one seventh that of a modern laptop. The original Telstar had one innovative transponder to relay data, which was a television channel or multiplexed telephone circuits.
Immortalised in song J[bijWh _i W '/,( instrumental record performed by The Tornados. It was the first single by a British band to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The record was named after the communications satellite. It was written and produced by Joe Meek, and claimed to feature authentic sounds of a rocket blasting off which in reality was more likely to be the flushing of a toilet.
The life and times During the course of its operational lifespan, Telstar 1 facilitated over 400 telephone, telegraph, facsimile and television transmissions. It operated until November '/,(" m^[d _ji ed#XeWhZ electronics failed due to the effects of radiation.
Pop icon The familiar black-andwhite soccer ball was first inspired by the satellite and Yh[Wj[Z \eh j^[ '/-& MehbZ Cup. While the short-lived satellite is still floating up there in space, the name is immortalised by a Ford automobile, among other products.
The challenging orbit Due to its non-geosynchronous orbit, Telstar’s availability for transatlantic signals was limited to the 20 minutes in each 2.5hour orbit when the satellite passed over the Atlantic Ocean. Ground antennas had to track the satellite with a pointing error of less than 0.06 degrees as it moved across the sky at up to 1.5 degrees per second. 30 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Huge antennas Since the transmitting and receiving radio systems on board Telstar were not powerful, the ground antennas had to be huge. The aperture of the antennas was 3,600 square feet (330 m2). The antennas were 177 feet (54 m) long and weighed 380 short tons (340,000 kg). The antennas were housed in radomes the size of a 14-storey office building.
The first broadcast The first broadcast was to have been remarks by President John F. Kennedy, but the signal was acquired before the president was ready, so the lead-in time was filled with a short segment of a televised game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Washington segment included remarks by President Kennedy, talking about the price of the American dollar, which was causing concern in Europe.
SatVertical: Earth Observation
SATELLITES
PROTECT
WETLANDS IN JORDAN Wetlands are havens of biodiversity, and have important ecological, hydrological and economic value, but their misuse can have devastating consequences. Satellite data is being used for wetland conservation and management
I
n the arid desert of central-eastern Jordan, the Azraq oasis, is the only permanent source of fresh water for about 12,000 sq kms, and provides drinking water for about a quarter of the country’s capital and largest city, Amman. Historically, the water source made Azraq a major desert route, facilitating trade in the region. It is also an important station for migratory birds on the African– Eurasian flyway. But excessive pumping of water from the oasis and illegal drilling of wells for agricultural purposes have caused water levels to drop steadily over the past 50 years, depleting water from the wetland area. A significant decrease of water starting _d '/.' h[WY^[Z j^h[Wj[d_d] b[l[bi _d '//)" \ehY_d] cWdo c_]hWjeho X_hZi je move away from the area. This motivated a project to rescue the wetland and _dYh[Wi[ Zm_dZb_d] mWj[h b[l[bi _d '//*$ To map the progress of Azraq’s rescue project, as well as monitor other wetlands worldwide, data from Earth-observing satellites are being exploited to map the areas’ water, natural land and artificial surfaces in high detail. The value of wetlands Wetlands are havens of biodiversity and have an inestimable ecological value as habitat for various wild animals such as migratory birds. They have an important hydrological value through their natural drainage systems which can also act as a protection dam to cope with droughts and
32 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Above: In 1977, the Ramsar Convention declared the Azraq wetland as a major station for migratory birds on the African–Eurasian flyway. Due to excessive pumping of water from the oasis and illegal drilling of wells for agricultural purposes, water levels have steadily dropped for 50 years. The wetland rescue started in 1994 with the objective to restore a significant portion of the wetland, and to increase depleted water levels by 10%. The Land Cover map of Azraq in 2005 provides a detailed classification of all land parcels within wetland sites, distinguishing between water, natural areas and artificial surfaces. Credits: ESA, GlobWetland II project, RSCN (Jordan)
In recent years, the use of satellite Earth observations with innovative geospatial analysis, has proved to be a key tool and unique information source to support the environmental community in different application domains, including wetlands conservation and management
2000
Number of wetland maps produced on 200 wetland sites
excessive water during the rainy seasons such as floods. Wetlands are also an economic value for water resource development, fishery industry and ecological tourism, and a social value such as poverty eradication through the supply of water and food to local population.
Change detection map, comparing national park of Ichkeul that lies between the Mogods mountains and the Mediterranean coast of northwest Tunisia in 1972 and 1990. Earth observation data archives, with imagery acquired from the 1970s, are a unique source of information to assess the historical evolution of wetlands worldwide. This lake–marsh ecosystem has been classified as a Biosphere Reserve in 1977, included in the Ramsar list in 1980 and subsequently nominated as a World Heritage site. The prolonged droughts and the reduction of freshwater inflows due to the construction of three dams on the incoming rivers have resulted in a destructive increase of salinity and sediments and in the loss of freshwater plant species. Following the success of some extensive restoration work, the lake has been removed from the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in danger in 2006. Credits: GlobWetland II project team, ANPE (Tunisia)
The further development of internationally coordinated actions for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands came into focus in July 2012 at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP-11) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in Bucharest, Romania More than 2000 GlobWetland II maps and indicators have been produced on 200 wetland sites selected in the coastal river catchment in ten countries along the Southern Mediterranean Basin, from Morocco to Syria. Credits: GlobWetland II project, Google Earth
Use of satellite Earth observation with geospatial analysis The further development of internationally coordinated actions for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands came into focus in July 2012 at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in Bucharest, Romania. In recent years, the use of satellite Earth observations with innovative geospatial analysis has proved to be a key tool and unique information source to support the environmental community in different application domains, including wetlands conservation and management. Part of the Ramsar strategic plan is to develop a Global Wetlands Observing System (GWOS) that would allow an increase in the accessibility of data and information on wetlands and reporting on changes in wetlands status, worldwide. In response, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the GlobWetland II project as a GWOS regional pilot project in the southern Mediterranean basin. The project’s principal objective was to develop a software – or ‘toolbox’ – that can be used by all Ramsar Parties to assess and monitor their wetlands with satellite images. 200 wetland sites from Morocco to Syria More than 2000 wetland-related maps and indicators have been produced by the project on 200 wetland sites and surrounding areas of the Southern Mediterranean basin, extending from Morocco to Syria. The GlobWetland II toolbox and database have already been installed in five of the project’s ten countries, with dedicated training sessions in Jordan (with the participation of Libya and Lebanon), Algeria and Tunisia. PRO August 2012 | SatellitePro | 33
SatVertical: Aviation
7.50 US $
CONNECTIVITY IN-FLIGHT:
THE BIG DIFFERENTIATOR In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity Systems (IFEC) play a crucial role in a passenger’s decision making process when choosing which airline to fly with – a trend that inspired the setting up of the Thales QSTP-LLC technical laboratory, says Alan Pellegrini, CEO Thales IFEC, in conversation with SatellitePro ME
T
hales and Qatar Airways have jointly established a technology research, development and training centre at the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP). Under the official name, Thales QSTP-LLC, this technical laboratory currently houses IFEC equipment that reportedly supports software and application prototyping, content integration, system level testing and training. Addressing guests at the official opening, Qatar Airways chief executive officer, Akbar Al Baker said “IFE today plays a crucial role in a passenger’s decision making process when choosing which airline to fly with. 15 years ago, IFE played a very small part of an airline’s product offering”. Speaking to SatellitePro ME, Alan Pellegrini, CEO Thales In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity Systems, states that the laboratory situated in Doha has the advantage of “localisation [that] promotes greater efficiency in our ability to aggregate, compile and deliver content updates. We have an established capability to perform such procedures and will continue to evolve the overall process through new content integration tools that further automate content updating. “
34 | SatellitePro | August 2012
package sufficient for the average Blackberry user to stay connected all the way from Dubai to Paris
86%
Gulf Air’s A330-200 fleet offers passengers on-board full broadband connectivity
two-way broadband connectivity speeds in-flight
97%
airline passengers choose to use the mobile phone network - when both WiFi and a GSM mobile phone network are available
21
Emirates A380 fleet have WiFi connectivity
“We are focused on both crew and passenger capabilities and developing some of those capabilities locally in Doha. Local presence allows us to better engage with Qatar’s marketing and operations departments who play key roles in defining the features of a given application” - Alan Pellegrini, CEO Thales IFEC
20 MB average data usage per user on a long-haul flight
73%
in-flight connectivity usage during daytime flights
48%
airline passengers using a laptop to connect to the internet
52
Passengers using smartphones to connect to the internet
From left to right: Alan Pellegrini, CEO Thales In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity Systems; Dr. Amir H. Al Saadi, research advisor, Qatar Foundation; Akbar Al Baker, chief executive officer, Qatar Airways; His Excellency Jean-Christophe Peaucelle, French Ambassador to Qatar; Blaise Jaeger, senior vice president, Thales International
Q&A
The objective of the centre is to further develop in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solutions for Qatar’s national carrier – how will the centre achieve that? The centre focuses on content and media integration. We are working with Qatar Airways on integrating both globally popular and regionally interesting content through on-line collaboration tools and local personnel in Doha. This combination of technology and dedicated local resources allows us to most efficiently aggregate and format suitable content for the Thales IFEC system. Application development We are focused on both crew and passenger capabilities and developing some of those capabilities locally in Doha. Local presence allows us to better engage with Qatar’s marketing and operations departments who play key roles in defining the features of a given application. Test racks We have installed test racks for each of Qatar Airways aircraft configuration in order to test content integration and new applications prior to in-service use.
What are the IFEC solutions that you have already created for Qatar airways? “Qatar Airways selected Thales IFEC for its fleet of single aisle Airbus aircraft which is flying today with a comprehensive selection of entertainment choices. Passenger have access to a wide range of on-demand content, map display, games and more. The Qatar Airways’ new B787 is the first aircraft to install the Thales Touch Passenger Media Unit, a touch screen handheld device that enables passengers to multitask. This product was developed by Thales and Qatar Airways and is revolutionary. Qatar Airways will be the first airline to fly with our latest system, TopSeries Avant, an Android-based system with high capacity servers and seat-centric local content storage for superior reliability. Qatar Airways B787, A380 and A350 aircraft will all have the Thales System on-board. This is a very large fleet of aircraft that will feature Thales TopConnect solution, a standalone connectivity platform that can be integrated with Thales’ TopSeries system. TopConnect will provide fully certified satellite communications for WiFi/GSM. Initially using Swiftbroadband communications, the configuration will be upgradeable to Ka-band services.
What do you believe are the coming trends in IFEC? Ka-band connectivity On the horizon is the Ka-band satellite service which is slated to deliver connectivity at lower cost with greater bandwidth. Thales is very focused on this service and we find it attractive given its global reach. On-board wireless streaming media As consumer mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, increase in popularity, so comes the opportunity to marry them with the embedded IFE system for enhanced passenger enjoyment and loyalty to an airline. Thales offers a system called TopSeries AVA, a turnkey solution for airlines of any size. Services Aircraft delivery forecasts are strong which means as more aircraft fly, the need for services increases. Automating service procedures, expanding repair and support networks, and ensuring the availability of call-centre support, are part of our continuous development plans in the area of service. PRO August 2012 | SatellitePro | 35
SatTechnology
SSTL’s exactView-1 satellite to enable global monitoring of vessels Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has announced the launch of exactView-1, reportedly the highest detection performance Automatic Identification System (AIS) satellite ever built. exactView-1 (previously known as ADS-1b) was built under contract for exactEarth and will become the fifth deployed satellite in exactEarth’s advanced vessel monitoring satellite constellation. COM DEV Canada acted as prime contractor and COM DEV Europe(UK) supplied the advanced AIS transceiver payload system for this mission. The satellite is based on SSTL’s off-the-shelf SSTL-100 platform, adapted for the mission with an additional deployable solar panel providing extra power for the COM DEV designed AIS receiver payload. AIS is currently deployed on more than 80,000 vessels globally, however AIS base station receivers are mostly based on land and can only track ships moving up to 50 nautical miles off the coast. exactEarth is pioneering space-based AIS services that increases the range, enabling the monitoring of vessels throughout the world’s oceans. Having integrated the payload at its
Skynet 5 satellite
technical facility in Guildford, Surrey, SSTL is now acting as launch agent in collaboration with Commercial Space Technologies (CST) of Russia. The exactView-1 satellite is currently undergoing pre-launch testing in Baikonur. Once launched, SSTL will oversee a two-month in-orbit commissioning campaign from its UK ground station in collaboration with exactEarth and COM DEV engineers. www.sstl.co.uk
Virgin Galactic unveils private LauncherOne rocket for satellite launches Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of the private space tourism company Virgin Galactic, unveiled plans to add satellite launches to its list of commercial space services, with the first flights to blast off in 2016. Branson announced the new small-satellite launch service, which will feature an expendable two-stage liquid-fuelled rocket called LauncherOne, at 36 | SatellitePro |August 2012
Harris CapRock and Astrium offer UHF satellite solutions
the 2012 Farnborough Air Show. The satellite launcher already has customers lined up for the first flights, Virgin Galactic officials said.
“I’m delighted to say that we can announce the next step of the Virgin Galactic journey,” Branson said as he unveiled LauncherOne. “A step that will bring great long-term benefits to our existing SpaceShip Two Programme. It will unlock new technologies and will help fast-track the potential of space as a positive force for powerful change.” www.virgingalactic.com
Harris CapRock Communications, has signed a multi-year, multi-channel agreement with Astrium Services to offer end-toend Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) tactical satellite solutions to international and U.S. Government users. The joint Harris CapRock and Astrium Services end-to-end commercial UHF service will be launched in spring 2013. Despite the substantial increase in capacity and capability offered by MUOS, the demand for UHF satellite capacity still exceeds supply by over 200%, according to recent government reports Harris CapRock now joins Astrium Services in providing UHF solutions across the entire Skynet fleet as a global channel partner. Astrium Services owns and operates a fleet of military-grade geosynchronous communications satellites with both UHF and X-band payloads. The joint Harris CapRock and Astrium Services end-to-end commercial UHF service reportedly offers domestic and international users access to an unprecedented level of control over UHF capacity compared to today. Using a new Harris TACSAT waveform, offered as part of the end-to-end service, users will be able to actively manage their channels by splitting the capacity into multiple networks for simultaneous users – a significant improvement over current levels of capability. www.harriscaprock.com
200 Europe clears first airline satellite navigation operation Europe is rolling out the operational service of its satellite-based aircraft navigation system EGNOS, stated an official with Britain’s largest air traffic control agency, speaking to Reuters. The system, which makes use of GPS signals to guide aircraft to the runway, is reportedly useful when visibility is limited An 18-passenger aircraft serving the island of Aurigny, located off the French coast of Normandy, is the first to be outfitted and certified to use the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, or EGNOS. “We’re now at the point where we’re beginning to land aircraft from space with satellite navigation,” Ken Ashton, head of navigation architecture at NATS, said during a briefing at the Farnborough International Air show. Similar systems are being developed in the United States, Japan, India and Russia. So far, just one of Aurigny Air Services Group’s Trislander airplanes has been outfitted and
certified to use the EGNOS system. “This is the first certified operation in Europe for satellite navigation,” Ashton said. Aurigny Air Services, which provides the only commercial flight services to the island, plans to upgrade the rest of its fleet. Next to sign up are Scotland’s Loganair and Hebridean and the UK’s Skybus. www.esa.int
Gogo to offer high-speed internet aboard commercial airlines Gogo, a provider of in-flight connectivity services, and global satellite operator, SES, have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the goal of bringing high-speed, satellite-delivered internet access to passengers aboard commercial airliners. Gogo plans to utilise high-throughput Ku-band capacity on current and future SES multi-beam satellites serving the continental United States, the Atlantic Ocean region
and Europe. Gogo will partner with AeroSat to deliver the satellite antenna, radome, antenna control and modem unit and high power transceiver to Gogo. The AeroSat equipment will be coupled with Gogo’s onboard
hardware and software (server and access points) to reportedly deliver a complete solution to the airlines. The components have already been developed and are currently going through the airworthiness qualification and certification process. Gogo expects to be able to install the Ku-band systems on commercial aircraft as early as the fourth quarter of 2012. www.esa.int
Excess of demand over supply for UHF satellite capacity
iDirect’s Evolution X1 router connects remote sites
The bandwidth requirements per site along an oil and gas pipeline have been increasing with the need for real-time data such as efficient monitoring and controlling, including fiscal metering, leak detection, corrosion monitoring, and level gauging and overfill protection. Another application that is increasing the need for bandwidth is for surveillance systems to protect against sabotage and theft, video streaming of pipeline for visual leak detection, inspections, repair and salvage. These sites can be hard to reach and require solar power. With the new iDirect Evolution X1 Outdoor, users can reportedly mount the hardened remote along the pipeline to handle narrowband-to-broadband applications. The Evolution X1 Series Remotes increase, the company claims, network reliability with backup and redundancy beyond terrestrial infrastructure and add security through 100% private networking capabilities The cost-effective remote bundle is reportedly ideal for large, narrowband networks for SCADA, Point of Sale and ATM applications. The remote features DVB-S2/ACM and TDMA, basic routing, VLAN functionality and QoS and is embedded in a IP67 weatherproof enclosure enabling an extended temperature range, passive cooling and multiple power options, including DC. www.idirect.net August 2012 | SatellitePro | 37
SatTechnology
Hiltron HSACU SNG controller launched in the Asia Pacific market
Hughes and Lemko demonstrate highspeed video calls
Echostar XVII
Hiltron GmbH reported a positive and successful Broadcast Asia 2012. Co-exhibiting alongside two sister companies within the Dan Technologies Group (ATG Broadcast and Danmon Asia), Hiltron introduced its HSACU satellite newsgathering controller to the Asia-Pacific market. Reportedly compatible with all leading motorised satellite newsgathering antennas, it provides fully-automated satellite auto-acquisition. The HSACU is, the company claims,
designed for integration into SNG trucks or for refurbishment of existing SNG antenna control systems. Housed in a compact rack-mountable chassis, the controller reportedly allows precise adjustment of three-axis motorised antennas up to 2.4 metres diameter. Azimuth, elevation and polarisation control are performed entirely in software, according to a company spokesman. www.hiltron.de
Thales and ASV to develop Unmanned Minewarfare Vehicle Thales UK has signed a contract with Autonomous Surface Vehicles Ltd (ASV Ltd) to develop a re-configurable Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) to reportedly meet the challenges of future off-board Mine Countermeasures (MCM) operations. The low signature USV, which is 11.5m in length and 3.6m in beam, will have a maximum speed of around 25 knots. The vehicle is now under construction and will be undergoing acceptance 38 | SatellitePro |August 2012
trials later this year. A series of payload trials will be conducted from early 2013 onwards, drawing on experience gained in previous off-board system programmes. The Unmanned Surface Vehicle will be central to the success of these new concepts of operation in
c_d[ mWh\Wh[1 X[_d] WXb[ to demonstrate and derisk both the vehicle and its potential payloads. ASV Ltd is a UK company and part of Global Fusion, a privately owned international marine services group. <ehc[Z _d '//." 7IL Ltd reportedly provides rugged, reliable and effective unmanned systems using marine technology from its operating base near Portsmouth. www.thalesgroup.com
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), announced that it has successfully demonstrated wireless 4G/Long Term Evolution (LTE) transmissions over satellite backhaul at download speeds of more than 10 Mbps and upload speeds of 786 Kbps, including video phone calls. The testing involved the combination of a Hughes satellite modem with Jupiter high-throughput technology and Lemko Corporation’s Distributed Mobility Wireless Network (DiMoWiNe). Deploying wireless 4G/LTE systems using a satellite backbone reportedly enables important applications for mobile broadband in tactical communications for both military and public safety markets. Warfighters will reportedly have the most advanced mobile communications available with rapid deployment capabilities, as will first responders in the critical minutes after a disaster. Hughes Jupiter high-throughput technology operates over Echostar XVII, the company’s next-generation Ka-band satellite. This satellite system reportedly employs an advanced multi-spot beam and bent-pipe architecture, and will provide well over 100 Gbps capacity in North America. Lemko has reportedly connected hundreds of GSM, CDMA, UMTS and EVDO commercial and tactical wireless networks via satellite. Lemko’s DiMoWiNe solution, according to the company, virtualises the core, and all the switching and routing is moved to the network’s edge, significantly reducing latency and jitter. www.hughes.com www.lemko.com
80 Cobham secures LTA for up to US$ 21 million from Astrium Cobham has secured a Long-Term Agreement (LTA) from Astrium to produce fixed waveguides of various sizes and frequencies for telecommunication satellites during the next 18 months in a deal worth up to US$ 21 million. The LTA includes an option to extend production into 2014, subject to further agreement. As a result of this LTA, Cobham facilities at Chichester, England and Les Clayes-sousBois, France, will make investments in their infrastructure and increase their skilled manufacturing workforces by 20% to 25% to produce guaranteed quantities of waveguides per week through the end of 2013 to meet the Astrium production schedules. These very specialised waveguides operate in the Ka, Ku, C and X-band
frequencies and will be used on satellites purchased by major customers of Astrium for direct-to-home TV broadcast, broadband, and telecommunications applications. www.cobham.com
Romantis deploys UHP technology
IcarusNet, with the support of Eutelsat, has installed, in Italy, a new VSAT hub based on Universal Hardware Platform (UHP) technology from Romantis. The hub is based on a new data platform reportedly designed to deliver addedvalue solutions for satellite communications. The UHP technology (Universal Hardware Platform) will
allow, the company claims, Icarusnet to manage in a fully dedicated and independent way the satellite networks, for both existing as well as future customers in the fields of remote control, monitoring of the territory and multimedia applications. The deployment integrates satellite and terrestrial infrastructure and is
reportedly the response to a continuously growing need for flexibility and service level customisation in the two-way satellite communications. Eutelsat 3C is the Ku-band satellite choosen for this first network, the satellite has an extensive coverage of Europe and the Middle East. www.romantis.com
Proportion of active FSS operators that saw growth in 2011
Newtec’s portfolio of satellite modems at IBC 2012
Newtec’s MDM2200 IP and MDM3100 IP satellite modems When it comes to medium B2B VSAT or small-sized B2B/B2C home-use networks over both Ka and Ku-band, Newtec offers the choice between two new IP satellite modems. The MDM2200 reportedly offers download speeds up to 16 Mbps and 3.5 Mbps in the upload alongside the lowest power consumption available on the market. The medium-sized B2B MDM3100 easily handles, according to the manufacturer, up to 40 Mbps in the ZemdbeWZ WdZ + CXfi _d j^[ kfbeWZ1 m_j^ W future release increasing to 10 Mbps. Newtec‘s Point&Play technology reportedly allows easy antenna installation and the automated certification procedure can be completed, the company claims, in seconds. Newtec’s MDM6000 and HUB6000 satellite hubs This new point-to-point and point-tomultipoint modem adds new features on top of the 6000 platform such as technologies like wideband (for use on 72 Mhz transponders), new modulation and Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes up to 64 APSK and combines the latest Newtec technologies (Clean Channel Technology (CCT), FlexACM, Equalink). By increasing the amount of data that can be transferred per transponder the MDM6000 modem, the company claims, effectively increases business opportunities for service providers. www.newtec.eu August 2012 | SatellitePro | 39
SatEvents
VSAT2012: “Tracking the drive to lower cost per bit” In conversation with Simon Bull, senior consultant at COMSYS and chairman of the conference
“We have topics tackling a wide range, from bandwidth to MSS and mining sectors, but we will also discuss GSM backhaul, retail, mobility, government networks, utilities, oil and gas and broadband, to name but a few” - Simon Bull, senior consultant at COMSYS and chairman of the conference What do you believe are the highlights of the VSAT2012 conference? The VSAT2012 conference tagline – VSAT Vertical Value – really points to the key focus this year. VSAT2012 looks at a VSAT industry that is both anticipating and is indeed undergoing some major changes and the event brings together the most innovative operators with successful business models in service and case studies in key verticals. VSAT2012 will be the place operators and end-users need to be in order to understand the timescales and complex changes taking place and identify the possible threats and potential opportunities that the new environment will bring.
For the non-techies PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2012 VSAT Market & Technology Workshop To assist new and potential telecoms users, managers and operators in further developing their knowledge of the VSAT industry. Satellite Communications Fundamentals A fast track of information essential in enabling today’s non-technical executive keep abreast of the current and changing marketplace.
40 | SatellitePro | August 2012
In terms of issues, your conference will be tackling a wide-range from bandwidth issues to the MSS and mining sectors. What, in your view, are the big issues of the day for the industry? COMSYS has been integrally involved in the LI7J _dZkijho i_dY[ _ji _dY[fj_ed _d '/.+ and we track it on a day-to-day basis. This experience and knowledge of what is going on in the industry means that each year we can base the conference on the key issues affecting both operators and users right now. Where is money being made now and where are future areas of promise? Where are resources being stretched and where do we need to be cautious? What new equipment or technology is making a difference and what will it mean in dollars and cents? We also try hard to contextualise the industry for our participants and have presentations from across the industry and across the globe,
1999 highlighting real customer applications and our delegates include VSAT operators, users, equipment vendors, space segment operators, government departments, military and financial – a true ecosystem. This year, as you mention, we have topics tackling a wide range from bandwidth issues to MSS and mining sectors, but we also discuss GSM backhaul, retail, mobility, government networks, utilities, oil and gas and broadband, to name but a few. Bandwidth consumption is most definitely a major issue and how the industry is moving toward more cost-effective bandwidth platforms – a continual drive to a lower cost-per-bit. Although, to some degree, this threatens commoditisation, it is also a highly specialised segment of the market and operators, in particular, need to understand where the value is going to be. In terms of visitors, what is the trend that you have seen over the past few years? COMSYS started the VSAT Conference in '/// je Xh_d] je][j^[h [l[hoed[ _dlebl[Z in the VSAT industry into one place. The premise was based on our key requirement that delegates should not just be able to network but should get valuable, usable information from the presentations. We have been consistent with that belief and that’s the reason we have seen delegate numbers increase significantly every year. In fact, in both 2010 and 2011, the conference was sold out and that’s the reason why this year we will be moving to a bigger and better venue – the Lancaster London Hotel. We provide a venue where attendees can meet and introduce, learn, network and do business in a club-like atmosphere. What avenues are you offering for interaction among participants? As I mentioned, attendee interaction is what the conference is all about and there is a great deal of networking scope throughout VSAT2012, including exhibitions, lunches and several evening receptions. What is, in your opinion, makes a successful VSAT2012? Delegates who are informed, make connections and find deals.
The year VSAT 2012 conference was initiated
Innovative speaker presentations Keynote: The View From Jupiter: Pradman Kaul, Hughes, CEO, USA Consumer and enterprise markets present many similar challenges, yet also, each segment has its own unique demands and both have an influence over the overall Pradman Kaul direction of the industry. After three decades of pushing the envelope for the VSAT industry and constantly delivering innovations in hardware and services that stretch satellite technology to challenge and complement ever more capable and widespread terrestrial networks, what does Hughes believe the future holds? A Broader Frequency: Dave Bettinger, iDirect, CTO, USA Broadband is not defined by the band, but by the bandwidth. Despite growing use of Ka-band, other frequencies that have their strengths and physics ensures that these will always remain valid for a good number of customers – often defined by those with the highest value applications. Platforms need to be flexible and adaptable to fit in with new satellite architectures without neglecting specialised networking needs across the vast spectrum of customers that employ VSAT technology in many mission-critical applications. Padding the Envelope: Serge van Herck, Newtec, CEO, Belgium Is DVB-S2 truly the end of the line and the ultimate in bandwidth efficiency as was suggested when it was launched? Perhaps not. Already there have Serge Van Herck been some incremental improvements with new gains being added step-by-step over the
past year. The DVB Project is working on new designs and private companies, like Newtec, are also pushing the boundaries within the DVB standards process as well as on their own initiative. It is important for operators and users to understand what they can expect the technology to deliver long term and this presentation gives us a glimpse into the future. Behavioural Change: Riyadh Al Adely, SkyStream, CEO, UAE In almost every region, operators are facing the harsh reality that simple broadband services have little staying power against terrestrial solutions when available, and the onslaught of Ka-band consumer VSAT platforms are about to tilt the landscape even more. The move to value-added application support, niche segments and custom networking presents a new set of challenges, but SkyStream began this process a few years ago and is now able to describe the path, share the painful moments, speak of the benefits and showcase the results. Empires and Umpires: Nadeem Khoury, Hi Cap, Director, Saudi Arabia Spotbeam satellites bring their challenges and advantages, some of which are a natural fit for military customers, such as the segmented coverage and high power levels that makes interference much less of a threat than on conventional spacecraft. However, in a mixed use environment serving different branches of the military and civilian governments with fixed and mobile services, integrators and operators have to provide robust and secure partitioning to ensure both performance and network integrity.
At a glance: Dates: 11 – 14 September 2012 Venue: Lancaster Hotel, London Registration: www.comsys.co.uk August 2012 | SatellitePro | 41
SatEvents
Meet the SatellitePro Middle East team at IBC 2012 Xytech Systems, a provider of facility management software solutions that propel automated supply chains. www.xytechsystems.com Hall Number: 6 Stand Number: 6.A15 Talking point: Extensions and integrations of the MediaPulse platform
Xpertia covers the complete value chain in digital TV including the new low-cost DVB signal generator and the new monitoring and supervising Digital TV systems. www.xpertiasi.com Hall Number: 2 Stand Number: 2.C31 Talking point: A solution for production environments called LabMU Studio
Work Microwaveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s satellite technologies division develops and manufactures satellite communications equipment for organisations that are operating satellite earth stations, satellite news gathering vehicles, fly-aways, and other mobile or portable satellite communications solutions. www.work-microwave.de Hall Number: 2 Stand Number: 2.C31 Talking point: Satellite up/down converters, block up/down converters and Inmarsat converters
L to R: Rodi Hennawi - sales manager, Sandeep Virk - group sales manager, Supriya Srinivas - deputy editor, Raz Islam - publishing director
Xcrypt, Inc. is a solution supplier of CAS (Conditional Access System) for digital pay-TVs. www.xcrypt.co.kr Hall Number: 4 Stand Number: 4.B78d Talking point: Conditional access and encryption systems
Talking point: Centauri III for IP, ISDN or X.21 operations with up to eight audio channels Verimatrix offers solutions for cable, satellite, terrestrial and IPTV operators to extend their networks cost-effectively and enable new business models. www.verimatrix.com Hall Number: 4 Stand Number: 4.B54 Talking point: Conditional access and encryption systems
UnitronGroup is an international group of companies, offering headend technologies and digital TV accessories. www.unitrongroup.com Hall Number: 4 Stand Number: 4.C56 Talking point: New configuration software called Universal User Interface, new compact headend called Colosseum and LTE (4G) protected devices
42 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Mayah Communications GmbH, a German codec manufacturer, presents the newest generation of hardware and software audio codec products. www.mayah.com Hall Number: 8 Stand Number: .$8/(
Terrasat Communications, Inc. designs and manufactures RF solutions for satellite communications systems. www.terrasatinc.com Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: 1.F81 Talking point: The IBUC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Intelligent Block Up converter
Telsat Srl distributes equipment from Andrew, Kathrein, Spinner, Asc Signal, Skyware, Plisch and accessories in the broadcast market. www.telsat.it Hall Number: 8 Stand Number: 8.C11b Talking point: Radio and TV antenna systems
1300 Telmec Broadcasting S.R.L. develops and manufactures passive complements for radio frequency. www.telmecbroadcasting.com Hall Number: 8 Stand Number: 8.B21
Teleste Corporation an international technology group specialising in broadband video and data communication systems and services. www.teleste.com Hall Number: 4 Stand Number: 4.C72
Talking point: RF accessories Talking point: OTT content and service delivery solutions Telmaco S.A. specialises in system integration of television and radio broadcasting, audio-visual and lighting and telecommunications systems. www.telmaco.gr Hall Number: 8 Stand Number: 8.E45 Talking point: Satellite communications, routers, RF accessories, satellite ground stations (fixed uplinks)
Telenor Satellite Broadcasting through its 1° West orbital position, is a satellite provider of broadcast, data and network services throughout Europe and the Middle East. www.telenorsat.com Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: '$7+/ Talking point: Thor 7, Telenor’s latest satellite, which is due to launch at the end of 2013
Telesat is a global fixed satellite services operator providing satellite-delivered communications solutions worldwide to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. www.telesat.com Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: '$9)/ Talking point: Impact, a private broadband network for retailers
S3 Satcom Ltd is a satellite systems integration company specialising in the supply and installation of fixed satellite earth stations and VSAT systems. www.s3sat.com Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: '$8/' Talking point: Small Antenna Tracking System and ‘Fiesta’ – a software-based remote control
SES Platform Services provides technical support for broadcasters and production companies and offers a range of services for the preparation and transmission of content for TV and radio channels. www.ses-ps.com Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: 1.B51 Talking point: Playout facilities
Opticomm-Emcore’sw IP encoders/decoders, fibre extenders and switchers allow distribution of 3G HD-SDI, DVI and HDMI with audio/ data for applications in the broadcast, cable, corporate, government and Pro A/V markets. www.opticomm.com Hall Number: 2 Stand Number: 2.A48 Talking point: JPEG 2000 encoder/decoder NVE-1-3G and NVD-1-3G
Number of exhibitors at IBC 2012 across 14 halls
Servicesat, distributes satellite data connectivity solutions, from basic home user internet connectivity requirements, to designing and deploying government or corporate networks. www.servicesat.net Hall Number: 4 Stand Number: 4.A61a Talking point: VSAT communication antenna systems
Sat-Comm Broadcast Ltd offers fixed and mobile broadcast and satellite newsgathering solutions. www.sat-comm.com Hall Number: 0 Stand Number: E;'&/ Talking point: Specialist vehicle coachbuilding division including an Apollo SNG/OB, 1.2m, 1.6m and 1.8m versions of the AuraSat DSNG antennae, Chameleon and Gazelle flyaway systems
Rabbit Labs, based in the south of France, offers professional solutions for digital television operators and manufacturers. www.rabbitlabs.com Hall Number: 3 Stand Number: 3.A50 Talking point: CAM-Bridge ‘black box’ flight recorder to analyse and resolve problems remotely
Peak Communications Ltd. is a manufacturer of RF products for the Satcom earth station market. www.peakcom.co.uk Hall Number: 1 Stand Number: 1.B22 Talking point: Frequency converters agile and block types
August 2012 | SatellitePro | 43
SatGuest
“THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT SATELLITE PHONES ARE EXPENSIVE, BULKY AND DIFFICULT TO OPERATE” In conversation with Gleb Larionov, the managing director of XSAT Fze, a telecoms solutions provider What is the remotest area your phone has travelled? We have clients who are travelling to the Arctic with XSAT’s Iridium phones. What is the strangest request you have received for communications-on-the-move? One of the US-based clients called XSAT USA and asked if we can sell him Iridium but he wanted Iridium, the chemical element. The funniest request was for an Iridium Open Port system with a big antenna (1.2 metres in diameter). Open port is installed on vessels to provide voice and data communication. A lady called the office saying she will be on an ice-breaker going to the Arctic and she wanted OpenPort (OP). We thought she was calling on behalf of a shipping company, but she said she needs OP for her personal usage just to keep in touch during her trip. And when we asked if she had permission from the captain to install OP, she said that she was just planning to take OP along in her handbag! It must have been a huge, 1.2-metre handbag! What is a common misconception about satellite phones? The common misconception is that satellite phones are expensive, bulky and difficult to operate. People still believe it costs a fortune to use satellite phones, although the cost of the phone is equal to latest GSM Smartphones and usage costs are around US$ one per minute. Sometimes, it is cheaper to call using a satellite phone rather than a GSM in the roaming mode. And the latest phones, for instance the Thuraya XT Dual, are compact 44 | SatellitePro | August 2012
Gleb Larionov, managing director, XSAT Fze
and elegant and very easy to operate. In terms of help requests received from the field, what was the toughest situation you have faced? The toughest situations are always related to mountain climbers. For them, communication and location coordinates are matters of life and death. We once received a request to get latest GPS coordinates of one of the numbers because the climber was missing. We provided the location, but unfortunately the missing climber was found dead. Have your phones gone into conflict zones? Like the Thuraya chairman, Mohammad Omran, once said: “Read the breaking news, and you will know where our customers are”. More and more companies are using Satcom as a back-up. For instance, during the UAE’s 40th anniversary celebrations, Emaar bought 10 Thuraya phones as a back-up. What is the most economical package you are currently selling? The Inmarsat GSPS phone is the most economical package we are selling these days for voice communication. What is your one advice to buyers and users of satellite mobile phones? Know your budget, know what you will require in terms of the services, tell us where you will be travelling and relax, we will do the rest. And yes, do not bargain!
Who are the most difficult customers for satellite phones and who are the easiest to deal with? The most difficult customers are those who don’t know what they need and why they need a satellite phone. They keep changing their mind and we spend a lot of our and time and their’s, with very little result. The easiest customers are existing customers. When dealing with the MSS provider, what are the easiest and most difficult aspects? The most difficult aspect to negotiate is customer care. If you a satellite phone customer, buying a phone is just a beginning and, in fact, the easiest part. Be careful of MSS providers with extremely low prices - they might be not there after 12 months when you need them. Go with a reasonably priced, reputed company that has been in this business for some time, at least for five years.
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