SatellitePro Middle East

MENA’s dish farms In conversation with World Teleport Association’s Robert Bell

The RFI Debate Weighing the cost of radio frequency interference

Exclusively High Definition YahLive’s CEO revs up the satellite industry A SUPPLEMENT OF BROADCASTPRO ME PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

connecting connectingpeople peopleacross acrosshorizons horizons

EDITORIAL

Welcome As you drive down the road to Al Falah, 50kms outside Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, you catch a glimpse of the dish farm that communicates with the country’s first hybrid satellite, Yahsat 1A. I was reminded of another time, of the motley group of South Asian workers who would install modest satellite dishes over expatriate homes and we, in the office, would dread sandstorms and calls from irate customers. This was a time when the road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi was mostly desert, interrupted enroute by clusters of factories and warehouses. Physically much has changed but the underlying dream and sense of urgency persists.

As a 30-year veteran in the industry and region, YahLive’s CEO Mohamed Youssif does not use the word ‘monumental’ lightly. He describes, as monumental, the work done by Yahsat in a short span of time, ranging from offering secure military services to path-breaking partnerships with global leaders in HDTV and internet broadband. The intent to jolt the industry from status quo is clearly evident.

You could argue that the inaugural issue of SatellitePro should have been launched a year ago and Vijaya Cherian, editor of our senior publication BroadcastPro would agree wholeheartedly. It is exciting to be charting the growth of native satellite operators and the burgeoning interest in the region from global players. We will meet you at IBC 2011 and we will be celebrating your achievements at our annual flagship event – BroadcastPro Middle East Summit and Awards 2011. There’s still time to book your tables for that one.

HorizonSat, its strong presence in the + Backbone Connectivity & IP Trunking HorizonSat, withwith its strong presence in the + Backbone Connectivity & IP Trunking satellite communications industry in the Middle satellite communications industry in the Middle Africa, provides satellite services East,East, AsiaAsia and and Africa, provides satellite services to to + Private Networks + Private Networks corporations, telecom operators, largelarge corporations, telecom operators, broadcasters broadcasters and and ISPs.ISPs. Leveraging latest innovations in satellite Leveraging the the latest innovations in satellite technology, HorizonSat delivers quality end-to-end technology, HorizonSat delivers quality end-to-end customized solutions to clients. its clients. customized solutions to its Operating its headquarters state-of-theOperating out out of itsofheadquarters andand state-of-theart network operations center in the UAE, art network operations center in the UAE, withwith teleport facilities in Germany, HorizonSat ensures teleport facilities in Germany, HorizonSat ensures uninterrupted transmission through unparalleled uninterrupted transmission through unparalleled redundancy a superior of technical redundancy and and a superior levellevel of technical support on a 24/7 basis. support on a 24/7 basis.

www.horizon-satellite.com www.horizon-satellite.com

Supriya Srinivas Deputy Editor SatellitePro Middle East

+ GSM Backhaul + GSM Backhaul

+ Content Distribution & Contribution + Content Distribution & Contribution

Publisher Dominic De Sousa COO Nadeem Hood Managing Director Richard Judd richard@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9126

Sales Director Raz Islam raz@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9129 Group Sales Manager Sandip Virk sandip@cpidubai.com +97150 459 2653 Art Director Kamil Roxas kamil@cpidubai.com +9714 4409112

Group Editor Broadcast Division Vijaya Cherian vijaya@cpidubai.com +97150 768 3435 Deputy Editor Supriya Srinivas supriya@cpidubai.com +97150 725 6701 Assistant Editor Anuradha Mojumdhar anu@cpidubai.com

Database Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9147 PRODUCTION Production Manager James Tharian james@cpidubai.com +9714 440 9146 DIGITAL SERVICES webmaster@cpidubai.com

Welcome to

Arabsat

Home of 90% of Free-To-Air HD-TV channels in the MENA region 30+ HDTV channels in the MENA region are now exclusively broadcast on Arabsat Badr satellites at the 26ยบ East hotspot. Indeed, with the new generation of Arabsat satellites, the largest Arab community in the sky brings you more and more power to experience the future. Join us! www.arabsat.com

The

Portal of the Middle East

CONTENTS

Issue 1 | September 2011

28

News

6

SatelliteTV

MENA initiatives

The internet is profitable, says SatStream’s Alan Mercer

Qatar’s high-capacity satellite, Nigeria’s forays into space, Arabsat’s new offer...

Cover story

14

32 Debate 28

Yahlive’s HD promise

36 Broadband

Shifting economics in favour of HDTV – YahLive’s CEO outlines the path ahead

Serge Van Herck of Newtec believes Ka-band will transform the satellite industry

Features

20

14

New launches

38 IBC 2011

Yahsat 1A’s unique advantages and tailored solutions

Solutions to increase bandwidth, securing revenue on the internet and more.

24

40

Teleport Industry’s new hotspot World Teleport Association’s Robert Bell explains why the MENA region is the fastest growing region for the industry.

Radio frequency interference – the problem and solutions

Interview 20

ON THE COVER: Mohamed Youssif, CEO, YahLive Photograph by Cris Mejorada

Hisham Ansari of Horizon Satellite Services on satellite launches and competition in the region

13

Satellite homes equipped for DTH in the region

SatNews

Es’Hail, Qatar’s high-capacity satellite Es’Hail, a high-powered communications satellite, will increase broadband capacity and capabilities for the region. ictQATAR and Eutelstat will build and operate Es’Hail, planned for launch in early 2013.

This significant venture is the first of many planned investments in satellite technology by the newly-established Qatar Satellite Company. Though Eutelstat had planned to launch a satellite in the same orbital slot (25.5 degrees east), QSC’s provision of additional capital for the investment allows for a bigger satellite with greater capacity.

This investment will help ensure Qatar’s commitment to meeting the sophisticated broadband needs required to host FIFA’s World Cup in 2022.

Furthermore, the television

Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber, ictQATAR’s Secretary General and Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES signing the MOU

market will especially benefit from the installed base of more than 13 million satellite homes already equipped for Direct-toHome reception from this region.

Earlier in the year, ictQATAR and SES signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the potential provision of joint satellite platforms, networks and/or services.

Arabsat 5C NigeriaSat-2 to offer launch high-resolution imagery NigeriaSat-2, one of the most advanced earth observation small satellites ever to be launched, lifted-off from Yasny in southern Russia on August 17 2011, together with NigeriaSat-X. Designed and assembled at the Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, the satellites will provide the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) with very high resolution imaging capability. The highly agile NigeriaSat-2 is based on the latest SSTL 300 platform and will deliver multiple viewing modes to a maximum 2.5 m panchromatic (black and white) ground sample distance (GSD) and 5 m multispectral (colour) GSD across a 20 km swath width.

NigeriaSat-2’s very high resolution imagery gives the ability to pinpoint individual buildings, roads or fields of interest from space and will be used to provide data for urban planning, important to Nigeria’s rapidly-expanding cities. NASRDA plans to use the satellite to map the entire country in detail every four months as well as to enhance food security for Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, through monthly crop monitoring.

Built for a seven-year operational lifetime, NigeriaSat2’s very high resolution imagery will see it acquiring and downlinking 20 times more data per day than its NigeriaSat-1 predecessor, providing large quantities of data for sale on the commercial market.

Thuraya brings satellite communications indoors Thuraya, the leading international mobile satellite services operator, unveiled a specialised suite of solutions aimed at offering all the functionality of satellite communication, indoors.

Banishing the myth that satellite communications are an outdoor offering, Thuraya’s range of products is specifically designed for indoor use.

Compatible with Thuraya XT, the world’s toughest satellite handheld, the portfolio includes a Fixed Docking Unit (FDU), Fixed 06 | SatellitePro | September 2011

Phone and Indoor Repeaters.

Built in consideration of Thuraya’s key market segments: government, oil and gas, mining, construction, NGOs and maritime, the holistic offerings allow instant set-up of remote offices in areas where there is little or no terrestrial coverage.

The FDU is a docking adaptor designed for use with Thuraya XT, enabling crystal-clear clarity and instant communication indoors. The FDU supports highquality voice transmission via an

auxiliary handset, speakerphone or an extension telephone.

Other functionality includes high-speed data services and fax transmission.

Adding a further edge to Thuraya’s indoor offering are the Indoor Repeaters. A compact, cost-effective solution that provides blanket network coverage indoors, the Indoor Repeaters can be used in buildings, tunnels or outdoor shadow zones with limited or no satellite signal.

LEFT: NigeriaSat-2 is lowered onto the launcher platform RIGHT: The Dnepr fairing is lowered onto the upper platform containing the full complement of spacecraft, including NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X

The Arabsat 5C satellite built

by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space has left the Astrium facilities in Toulouse, France, and was transported to French Guiana, in preparation for its launch by an Ariane 5 vehicle in September 2011.

Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are jointly responsible for building the satellite and delivering it in orbit. Astrium supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform and assembled and tested the spacecraft.

Arabsat 5C, a multi-mission satellite, will provide satellite capacity in both C-band and Ka-band frequencies at the Arabsat position 20°E for a wide range of satellite communications services.

Arabsat President and CEO Khalid Balkheyour, declared that with a design life exceeding 15 years, these two communications satellites will provide telecommunications and television broadcast services in the Middle East, Africa continent, Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 07

$100Bn

The figure that satellite services revenues surpassed in 2010

SatNews

Arianespace to launch Thor 7

Creating the ‘Nilebird’ neighbourhood

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) signed a contract with Arianespace for launch services of its Thor 7 satellite.

The satellite will be launched into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in Q4, 2013 on an Ariane 5 launcher from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

Built by Space Systems/ Loral, Thor 7 will be based upon SS/L’s 1300 series platform and will be fitted with two payloads. The Thor 7 satellite will be equipped with 11 Kuband transponders providing dedicated capacity for broadcast services in Central and Eastern Europe. The Kaband payload will be used to meet the growing demand for broadband communications within the maritime industry and will include spot beams over the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Red Sea, Baltic Sea, the Persian

Eutelsat Communications’ new Atlantic Bird 7 satellite is scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of 2011 and will be located at a key neighbourhood (7 degrees West) for digital broadcasting markets in the Middle East and North Africa, where Eutelsat operates in close collaboration with the Egyptian satellite operator Nilesat.

By increasing the volume of Eutelsat’s operational Ku-band transponders at 7 degrees West from 26 to up to 50, Atlantic Bird 7 will virtually double the group’s in-orbit resources at this position.

This new capacity will be brought into operation alongside the Nilesat 101 and 102 satellites operated by Nilesat, which are scheduled to be joined in mid2010 by Nilesat 201. Within the framework of this collaboration the two companies have agreed to jointly brand 7 degrees West as the “Nilebird” neighbourhood.

The Thor 7 satellite will be equipped with 11 Kuband transponders providing dedicated capacity for broadcast services in Central and Eastern Europe Gulf and the Mediterranean.

“Arianespace was chosen as the primary launch provider for our Thor 7 satellite as they have a proven track record in the delivery of excellent launch services and solutions”, said Cato Halsaa, vice president

and CEO of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting. “Throughout the bid process, Arianespace consistently demonstrated a high degree of credibility derived from their vast experience and we are looking forward to working with them.”

IsatData Pro drives M2M markets IsatData Pro, a new low data rate machine-to-machine (M2M) service for managing and communicating with remote assets around the world, was launched by Inmarsat and SkyWave Mobile Communications. The service offers a significant increase in payload capacity compared to other satellitebased M2M services on the 08 | SatellitePro | September 2011

market, delivering up to 10,000 bytes to the device and up to 6,400 bytes send. Other global M2M satellite services currently available offer data connectivity at between 270 and 340 bytes.

Applications include vehicle telemetry information, textmessaging remote workers, maintaining up-to-date driver logs, and the remote

management and control of fixed assets.

For mission-critical applications, IsatData Pro can transmit a 100-byte message in less than 15 seconds, or a 1,000byte message in 45 seconds – ideal for sending information to drivers operating in high-risk areas, or for the effective use of sensors to closely manage remote equipment.

Atlantic Bird 7 will be based on Astrium’s Eurostar E3000 platform. Optimised for highgrowth broadcasting markets, two beams will give superior coverage across the Middle East, including Gulf States, as well as North Africa and NorthWest Africa. Up to 44 Ku-band transponders will be connected to a broad high-power footprint serving the Middle East and

Satellite industry revenues grow The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) in its 2011 State of the Satellite Industry Report, showed a 5% growth in the overall world satellite industry revenues in 2010. Global 2010 revenues for the satellite industry totaled $168.1 billion, for an 11.2% average annual industry growth rate over the past five years.

“The satellite industry worldwide continued to post growth in 2010, even in light of the overall global economic backdrop,” remarked Patricia Cooper, President of SIA. “Satellite services and ground equipment sectors once again drove industry growth, and both sectors reached historical milestones: satellite

North Africa for Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting. A second footprint for North-West Africa, across the Maghreb countries and extending down to the Gulf of Guinea, will be connected to a payload of up to 12 Kuband transponders designed for consumer broadcasting services and equipped to meet high demand for internet access services.

services revenues surpassed the $100-billion mark for the first time, and satellite ground equipment doubled its overall revenues over the past five years.”

Overall, however, global satellite manufacturing showed aggregate growth of 38% over the past five years. Consumerrelated ground equipment led this expansion, including satellite TV, broadband, mobile satellite terminals and GPS devices.

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 09

200

UAE mobile penetration rates in 2009

SatNews

CETel expands sales team in the Middle East

Black Hat Conference in Abu Dhabi

CETel Group (Central European Telecom Services) has further widened its sales representation in the Middle East by appointing senior satellite consultant Bilal Kayal as sales representative to the group. With more than 10 years experience in the satellite industry, Bilal Kayal worked most recently for a satellite communications services company in Australia.

“We are pleased that our sales team is further strengthened through Bilal Kayal’s experience in the industry. Bilal Kayal will work with the CETel Middle East team in the U.A.E. and provide a new point of contact in Lebanon. He

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has opened the pre-registration for the Black Hat Conference, the world’s leading information security conference, to be held in Abu Dhabi from December 12-15 2011. This conference is organised by the TRA through representation from the UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT) in cooperation with the Khalifa University of Science and Technology, and United Business Media (UBM).

Commenting on the event, H.E. Muhammad Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA Director General said: “The TRA’s participation in organising this event is in line with its core objectives and mission to improve the level of information security in order to achieve a safer cyber environment for users in the UAE. It also conforms to the policy of the (aeCERT) team to prevent cyber-attacks, and design proper responses to them.”

The Black Hat Abu Dhabi Conference will offer a full range of sessions, including ten training programmes, followed by three briefing tracks running simultaneously alongside the exhibition. The two days of briefing will discuss and demonstrate the latest and most important security issues facing the market today.

will serve customers and partners with the full CETel Group product portfolio of mobile and fixed satellite services for land-based and maritime requirements,” explained Guido Neumann, Managing Director of CETel Group.

Michel Azibert joins Eutelsat as deputy CEO Michel Azibert will succeed Jean-Paul Brillaud and will join Eutelsat on September 5 2011, from TDF where he is currently deputy CEO. “I am delighted to welcome Michel Azibert to Eutelsat and am convinced that his competence and experience will further fuel our ambitions to pursue growth and anchor satellites at the heart of the digital economy in all our markets,” said Michel de Rosen CEO, Eutelsat.

10 | SatellitePro | September 2011

Promoting competition among operators The broadcasting satellite transmission service licence awarded to twofour54 by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) is a boost for the content creation community the Abu Dhabi-based company is building With a pan-Arab marketplace of 340 million people, and with a whopping 60% of them under the age of 25, eager for creative content, Abu Dhabi-based MZ Intaj FZ LLC (twofour54) is closer to its goal “to enable the development of world class Arabic media and entertainment content, by Arabs for Arabs”. In July 2011, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) granted a new broadcasting satellite transmission service license to the Abu-Dhabi based company.

H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim Director General signed the licence on behalf of TRA, while Tony Orsten Chief Executive Officer of twofour54 signed on behalf of MZ Intaj FZ LLC (twofour54). The latter as per the licence issued to it, and from its base in the Media Zone authority, Abu Dhabi, will provide both full-time and occasional satellite uplink services for broadcasting purposes and TVRO (Television receive only) downlink satellite services to twofour54 customers that are companies located in and carrying out business in the media zone.

Named after the geographical co-ordinates of Abu Dhabi,

H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim Director General (second from left) signed the licence on behalf of TRA, while Tony Orsten, Chief Executive Officer of “twofour54” (centre) signed on behalf of MZ Intaj FZ LLC (twofour54).

twofour54’s vision is to position Abu Dhabi as a regional centre of excellence in content creation across all media platforms including film, broadcast, music, digital media, events, gaming and publishing.

Since the company’s launch in 2008, twofour54 has partnered with some of the prominent global and regional brands in the media industry, as well as local talent from Abu Dhabi which include: BBC, CNN, Thomson Reuters Foundation and Financial Times, among others.

Commenting on the licence award, Tony Orsten CEO

twofour54 said: “Our goal is to establish Abu Dhabi as a regional centre of excellence for the Arabic media industry. That means we need to provide the highest possible standards in terms of facilities and services.

Our cooperation with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of the UAE and the granting of this licence means we are only one of a handful of organisations able to provide transmission services to our clients, which is great news for the content creation community we are building at twofour54.”

60 Around 60% of the pan-Arab marketplace of 340 million people is under the age of 25

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 11

The M2M opportunity Virtually all products that use electricity possess inherent data processing capability and the potential to be networked. A look at the reasons why experts at Dubai-based Pacific Controls believe M2M is the way to go

SUMMIT

AWARDS

BroadcastPro Middle East’s inaugural Summit and Awards will be hosted on November 23, 2011 in association with the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), an IBC award winner, and the most dynamic pan-Arab organisation involved in promoting the best practices in broadcasting. BroadcastPro Middle East, ASBU and a board of technical advisors are working together to offer a comprehensive one-day learning experience for the industry at the Summit. The inaugural workshop was conducted in Dubai along with Dolby and partners, Axon, Tektronix and Thomson. Designed by professionals for professionals, the summit will conclude with a gala awards ceremony that will acknowledge excellence in the industry.

The ASBU BroadcastPro Middle East Awards has been designed to reward excellence in the local broadcast industry. We will have several awards categories that include contributions in fields across the broadcast workflow, from production and post production to traditional broadcast and new media platforms. One award will exclusively showcase commercial innovation in the region. ASBU, the reputed non-profit broadcast organisation in the pan Arab world and an IBC award winner, joins hands with BroadcastPro Middle East to put together a panel of judges with skills in different areas so it is fully competent to judge the nominations from the pan Arab region through a transparent and competent process.

Discuss. Debate. Disseminate

Recognise. Reward. Reinvigorate

FOR SPONSORSHIP AND TABLE BOOKINGS, PLEASE CONTACT:

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Our society is at the cusp of a “perfect storm” of network connectivity.

With the rapid growth of wireless networks – from cellular to WiFi to sensor networks – connecting new smart devices to networks is poised for rapid growth.

Because M2M solutions are very complex and often require many players to perform diverse roles, network service providers that choose to go at it alone will have a hard time solidifying their place in the M2M arena. It is vitally important that business leaders within the cellular network operator community understand this phenomenon, its effects on their business, and what they should do right now to position themselves for opportunities that are literally just around the corner.

M2M potential According to Harbor Research, ICT investment topped $2.4 trillion in 2009 with M2M and smart systems investment already comprising 5% of the ICT market. Further: • The Global M2M market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 30% from 2009 to 2014. By 2014, the market is expected to grew to as much as $350 billion.

• Cellular M2M device shipments are predicted to grow

grow from 40+ million in 2009

Services” have the potential

Pacific Control’s Dubai-based Global Command Centre provides 24x7x365 real time monitoring for building assets in premier developments such as the Dubai Marina, among other projects around the world

Cellular M2M device shipments are predicted to grow from 40+ million in 2009 to over 150 million in 2014 – smart buildings, energy, mobile healthcare, and transportation are expected to lead adoption to over 150 million in 2014 – smart buildings, energy, mobile healthcare, and transportation are expected to lead adoption.

• Network and carrier services revenues are projected to grow from $18 billion in 2009 to over $70 billion in 2014.

Associated delivery platform revenue could increase service delivery revenue potential considerably.

• Value-Added “Smart

to grow from $50 billion in 2009 to over $200 billion in 2014 in asset management, supply chain and logistics, energy management, and other applications.

M2M has a huge potential globally and offers many untapped market opportunities for mobile operators.

Extract from a white paper titled ‘Pacific Controls Telco Business Strategy’.

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 13

20

M

HDTV sets sold in the Middle East in 2011

Cover story

Y

YAHlIVE REVS up tHE HdtV offER

YahLive promises to make SDTV as antiquated as black-and-white TV, with an offer that will fundamentally shift the economics in favour of HDTV. Mohamed Youssif, chief executive officer of YahLive in conversation with Supriya Srinivas

14 | SatellitePro | September 2011

ahLive is the quintessential UAEbased company that combines government and entrepreneurship with practiced ease and characteristic panache.

The Arabian Gulf-based nation is ‘littered’ with enough success stories, driven equally by government vision and individual enterprise – so when YahLive’s CEO talks about ushering the HD revolution in the region, you sit up and take notice. “In a market with 500 to 600 freeto-air TV channels and which also enjoys healthy competition from both local and international operators – it is important to differentiate ourselves from the incumbents. We therefore analysed and reviewed with our potential clients as to what the new, innovative and emerging technologies were – the simple answer was HDTV. We therefore concluded that our satellite would be a hotspot for the Middle East carrying HD-only broadcasts. Other satellite operators in contrast have a combination of HD and SD,” says Mohamed Youssif, chief executive officer of YahLive.

HDTV has been touted as the next big thing by the satellite, consumer electronics and broadcast fraternity for so many years now that the lay person cannot be faulted when he asks, “Aren’t we there already?” In

To create a TV hotspot, as a new player, YahLive has to bring something unique and cost-effective to the table for both content owners and end users alike reality, however, the marketplace for HDTV in the MENA region is akin to an unfinished puzzle that is missing some important pieces.

Promising to complete the puzzle, Youssif says, “We commissioned a study in six countries in the Middle East – Morocco, Egypt, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon and the UAE. The study indicated that 20 million HD television sets were sold in 2011 and I guarantee you that a very small percentage of them are watching ‘real HDTV’.

Whilst manufacturers and retailers have made the plunge and today you would be hard pressed to purchase an SDTV, how many

HDTV channels are out there for the viewer?”

Roadblocks to HDTV The HDTV conundrum in the Middle East is not just a case of paucity of HD channels. There have been sporadic attempts by various broadcasters but what is holding them back is not just managing the steep start-up costs in developing appropriate infrastructure, against viewership and increased subscriber uptake.

Describing it as a classic chickenand-egg stalemate, Youssif says, “Many broadcasters will plunge into HD only after knowing how

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 15

$150

M

Market capitalisation of YahLive

Cover story many viewers have switched to HDTV and the opposite is true for the viewers. So we get into this vicious cycle. Currently, just as viewers have HD-compatible television sets at home, the equipment broadcasters are buying is HD compatible. In some cases, TV channels have native HD, and we are currently testing with a Kuwait-based channel where they produce their programmes in HD but convert it back to SD for other satellites.

At YahLive, we are offering the technology to upscale broadcasters content to HD quality. We are happy for them to continue to broadcast SD on other satellites but come with YahLive for HD TV, thus reducing their risk. Once the viewer sees the difference, he or she will upgrade. To create a TV hotspot, as a new player, we realise that YahLive has to bring something unique and cost-effective to the table for both content owners and end users alike.”

With a critical mass of viewers who have HD-compatible television sets, the region is primed for a big push. And YahLive seems to be perfectly equipped for the task at hand.

Mohamed Youssif has more than 20 years of professional experience in the satellite and telecommunications industry, particularly in the Middle East.

Before taking responsibility for YahLive, he headed the commercial operations of

16 | SatellitePro | September 2011

The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) awarded YahLive a 10-year satellite services licence to broadcast DTH satellite television services from the UAE. Mohamed Youssif (R) seen here with Mohamed Al Ghanim, director general, TRA

We do not have baggage to carry and are fully geared to cater to the emerging market of HDTV viewers and those who do not take full advantage of their existing HD-compatible television sets Established in 2009 when Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government, entered into a partnership with European satellite operator SES ASTRA, YahLive will offer Direct-to-Home (DTH) television capacity and services to more

Arab Satellite Communications Organisation (Arabsat) as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Prior to his assignment with Arabsat, he served as Managing Director of MESAT Consultancy and as General Manager for the Middle East at ICO Global Communications. Between

than two dozen countries in the Middle East, North Africa, the South West Asian region and Europe. SES Astra was at the forefront of the HDTV rollout, broadcasting Europe’s first HD channel in 2004. Youssif underlined the significance of the partnership saying, “SES Astra is a global company owning

1987 and 1996, Mohamed Youssif worked for Hughes Network Systems where his latest role was Middle-East and North Africa Marketing Manager. Mohamed Youssif holds a university degree in telecommunications and electronic engineering.

and managing more than 40 satellites worldwide. SES has an excellent record of operating and maintaining satellites and their fleet enjoys an unprecedented reputation for carrying broadcast TV channels. However, they did not serve or operate in the Middle East DTH market. On the other hand, Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat owned by Mubadala, was established with aspirations to enter the space world and from that an initiative developed to combine the expertise of both groups into “YahLive” a joint venture with a 65 and 35% shareholding between Yahsat and SES-Astra respectively.

“At YahLive our mandate is to commercialise the 23 BSStransponders on the Yahsat 1A operating in the Ku-band frequency. The satellite has various payloads and the one dedicated to broadcasting is ‘owned’ by YahLive. It is not a lease but an ownership and the payload is considered as YahLive’s asset. In addition, SES Astra owns the frequency rights at 52.5 deg East orbital position and that is also considered an asset for YahLive. With a market capitalisation of $150 million, we, at YahLive, are now working hard to get TV channels on board.”

HDTV – the next logical step At precisely 1:37am on April 23 2011, Abu Dhabi time, Yahsat’s Y1A was successfully launched from the European Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. And on June 13 2011, following the successful completion of in-

orbit testing, the satellite Y1A, was officially handed over to Yahsat. With more than 30 years of experience in the satellite industry in the MENA region, Youssif knew that broadcasters would typically act only after they see the satellite in orbit.

“We have been in orbit for less than a month and we are in the process of finalising a number of contracts.” As a veteran in the region, Youssif also believes history is on his side. He recalls, “Till 1998, there was only one satellite operator over the Middle East, namely Arabsat. All the receivers in our homes were analog and all the dishes pointed to 26 deg East. When Nilesat arrived on station in 1998 they realised the future was digital.

No one had digital receivers at home but if you go to the market to buy a receiver it would be digital. We’ve learnt from that experience. HD and 3D is the future. The incumbents cannot

turn off the analog feed because they have receivers pointed at it and they don’t have enough capacity to quickly upgrade to HD so they are ‘stuck with their baggage’ as many operators will tell you. YahLive does not have any such baggage and is fully geared to cater to the emerging market for HDTV channels and those who do not take full advantage of their existing HDcompatible television sets.”

With a Greenfield advantage and the financial clout to employ experts and partner with proven global operators, the YahLive team is putting together a premium package of 60 to 70 most-watched channels in the Middle East – all in HD or HD quality as the upscaled SDTV is called. Youssif says, “Based on our study, we plan to be selective about channels with a premium package to differentiate ourselves from the rest, by catering to those who

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 17

98

Surveyed wanted to upgrade from SDTV to HDTV

Cover story

are interested in high quality transmission on HD and 3D with good quality content. We are going after the big broadcasters with an eye on the future and those intending to stay in the region for many years to come.”

The cost of switching to HDTV YahLive appears to have overcome the big stumbling block in the move to HDTV by offering to upscale channels to HD quality. YahLive’s research indicates that the lesser hurdle, that of the viewer’s intransigence, will also be overcome. “Once the viewers watch popular channels being broadcast in HD, they will upgrade because they have already invested over $ 1000 on an HD television set, so getting an upgrade in equipment (i.e. HD receiver) that would cost $120 to $150 dollars or installing another dish that is worth $20 dollars is

not a big hurdle to cross. Our study showed that buying a dish has never been a barrier to entry.

In the face-to-face interviews that we conducted with people who had HDTV but had not experienced real HD, we were able to show the material in both SD and HD. There were a lot of surprised responses. A typical response was - can my TV really do that? Interest in HD rose from initial levels of 50 to 60 per cent to an incredible 98 per cent of those surveyed who wanted to acquire the full package of HDTV – i.e. a receiver and a dish pointing to our satellite. Once viewers experience HDTV it is very difficult to go back to SDTV. So instead of switching between 500 - 600 channels to look for HD transmission, YahLive is offering the luxury of a package of most-watched channels exclusively in HD.”

YahLive’s premium offering may just be the critical push the Middle East needs to move beyond what is now a scattered offering of sports channels or nature documentaries in HD, interspersed with a deluge of channels in SD. However, many of the 70 channels that YahLive proposes to offer will not be exclusive to the Abu Dhabi-based operation. What will compel the viewer who is inundated with channels from their low-end, set-top box, to make the shift, we ask? Youssif concedes that the Middle East broadcasting industry suffers from a weak penetration of pay TV. He says, “People are not used to paying for the channels.

The idea of paying to receive TV is a bit hard to swallow even though every where else in the world, that is the norm. There is also a focus on number of

European Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The six-ton satellite with 10.9KW of power is located at 52.5° East and has a lifespan of 15 years. Y1A is equipped with a communications payload featuring 14 active transponders in C-band, 25 Ku BSS transponders and a Ka-band government payload.

The system includes gateways in C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, and a large number of ground terminals. In Ku band, Y1A offer three beams covering the Middle East, North Africa, South West Asia and Europe.

YahLive offers the following key advantages: Powerful coverage across all major cities in the GCC, North Africa and South West Asia Strong signals enabling use of smaller dish sizes Favourable look angle to ensure uninterrupted service Three connected beams in Ku band to enhance flexibility and eliminate audience waste.

This is made possible by focused targeting as well as the ability to up-link in Europe and down-link to the target area

About YahLive YahLive was established in 2009 when Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government, entered into a partnership with European satellite operator SES Astra. YahLive is to offer Direct-to-Home (DTH) television capacity and services to more than two dozen countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South West Asian region.

At precisely 1:37am on 23 April 2011, Abu Dhabi time, Yahsat’s Y1A was successfully launched from the

18 | SatellitePro | September 2011

n

n

n

n

channels offered, though the average viewer does not view more than eight to 10 channels at the most.”

Good quality content costs money and eventually, Youssif says, people will have to pay.

“Who says TV has to be for free? If it is free, then we don’t have the right to complain.

Broadcasters are caught between a rock and hard place.

Good quality content costs money. In addition, people’s behavior is changing. In our lifetime, we have moved from watching one or two channels to being able to watch what I want when I want to. Broadcasters are finding it difficult to assess demand. And advertisers spend money on channels they assume people are watching, but they don’t really have reliable feedback on viewer figures.”

The penetration of pay TV in the US and Europe made it easier to launch HD given the captive audiences and the endless potential to crosspromote on a platform the viewers were already picking up. For Youssif and his team at YahLive, has the task been compounded by the ongoing recession? Youssif responds saying, “Launching a premium service during a region-wide recession does not worry us.

People will always watch TV and in this region, for instance, during Ramadan, television viewership goes through the roof. Ultimately people may have to pay to watch good quality TV even if it was minimal, but for

Ultimately people may have to pay to watch good quality TV even if it was minimal, but for broadcasters it goes a long way when you consider that there are 165 million viewers in the region broadcasters it goes a long way when you consider that there are 165 million viewers in the region.

That said however, this doesn’t mean that YahLive offer will be pay though.”

Competition and viewer expectations to drive HDTV Change is decidedly in the air, as a traditionally value conscious viewer in the region wants choice and is increasingly discerning about quality. Youssif says, “A certain channel in the UK uses 16 – 18 MHz on the satellite because of competition and viewer expectations. Here the channel would use six MHz since you do not have too much competition. You have to be is slightly better than the rest, but that will change as viewers get increasingly aware of quality transmission. The issues of adult content and culture-specific content do not concern us since the channels we have selected are mainstream channels that our study has shown are popular in the region. Moreover, content is the purview of the channel owners not that of the satellite operator.”

Barely a year ago, channel owners interviewed by our sister publication BroadcastPro said that the “sums don’t add up’ to make HDTV economically viable.

Will the equipment and cost pay itself off with increased ad revenues, they asked. YahLive’s offer promises to fundamentally shift the cost argument in favour of HDTV. Competition and viewer expectations will take care of the rest, Youssif asserts.

YahLive’s role is crucial in complementing and linking the groundwork done by manufacturers, retailers and broadcasters towards adopting HDTV as the new standard.

Significantly, transition to HD in North America and Europe was aided by mandatory government switchover dates and heavy competition for advertising and subscribers.

Will we witness a similar move in this region? YahLive’s sister company in Germany, HD+ had incentives that included a one-year free-of-charge connection when purchasing an HD+ satellite receiver. Will similar incentives be offered in this region? As we prepared to leave his office on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Youssif promised some groundbreaking announcements. He says, “What we have achieved at Yahsat in such a short time is monumental.

This is just the beginning – we have big plans to conquer the industry in this region. You will hear a lot about us.”

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 19

52.5 E

Yahsat 1A’s orbital position

Cover story

Yahsat: tailoring satellite solutions Incorporating rigorous standards of quality and performance, Yahsat is spearheading a nation’s aspirations towards creating a knowledgebased economy. Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Deputy CEO, Yahsat, speaks to Supriya Srinivas

20 | SatellitePro | September 2011

What unique advantages does Yahsat 1A and 1B offer customers?

Yahsat 1A has a hybrid mission combining military and commercial payloads. The satellite was built to the highest standards to meet our military obligations. The planning, execution and testing was done to rigorous standards and our commercial clients will benefit from the high quality of service, secure connections and longer life. For instance with our Ku band that is dedicated to TV broadcasting, we have a unique solution for jamming. We can uplink from Europe, South East Asia or the Middle East – so if the jamming comes from any one area, we have an alternative.

We also enjoyed the advantage of competitive financing that allows us to offer services at reasonable prices to our clients. In addition, other advantages include strong signals that enable the use of smaller dish sizes, a favourable look-angle to ensure uninterrupted service and three connected beams in Ku band to enhance flexibility and eliminate

MEEt tHE uAE-nAtIonAl EngInEERS At YAHSAt Nayef Shahin, Engineer, Regulatory and Spectrum Affairs on the training course.

“I attended two training courses in England.

One was to do with spectrum and satellite communication and the second course was about regulatory aspects. Each training session was about a week long. However the real training was my day-to-day experience in the office. Every day, a new task is to be completed and calls for specific knowledge and skill and that’s the best kind of training in my opinion.”

Omar Kazim, Flight Dynamics Engineer on the challenges of controlling a satellite in orbit.

“As a flight dynamics engineer, I have to make sure our satellite stays in the correct orbital position. This is done by planning specific maneuvers for the satellite to perform. This planning is very intricate as we have to use minimal amount of fuel on-board so as to extend the lifespan of the satellite.

Throughout the satellite’s maneuvers, I have to monitor each parameter to make sure everything is operated as per the plan. There are so many different ways something can go wrong, as space is such a harsh environment. For example, the huge increase and decrease of temperature exerts structural stress on each component of the satellite. Our satellite controllers have the task of monitoring the status of each technical component. Another aspect is that of space, with it being so vast and endless, there are millions of pieces of debris floating around that need to be monitored. Our qualified team is equipped to handle these scenarios though!” audience waste. Yahsat 1A is geared towards the needs of this region based on feedback from local users in the satellite

industry that was incorporated in the planning stage.

Yahsat 1B to be launched shortly will deliver internet

About Yahsat Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC (Yahsat), established in 2007, is a private joint stock company fully owned by Mubadala, an investment arm of the Government of Abu Dhabi. The services include: • YahClick- the satellite broadband service

• YahSecure- the government satellite service • YahLink- the satellite connectivity service • YahLive – direct-to-home and high definition TV • YahService – integrated satellite communication solutions Yahsat partnered with Arianespace

for the launch of Yahsat’s first satellite Y1A in the first quarter of 2011, which is positioned at 52.5° East.

Yahsat’s second satellite, Y1B, will be launched in the second half of 2011

by International Launch Services (ILS) on a Proton Breeze M vehicle. The satellites will have a lifespan of 15 years and 10.9kW of power.

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 21

Cover story

connectivity through its Ka-band multi-spot beams, with reusable frequencies to maximise spectrum efficiency. The multi spot-beam technology means greater efficiency on the ground, which enables use of a smaller antenna size with a low power amplifier. Due to the highly flexible system design, YahClick broadband service will be able to offer basic internet access for a home user as well as corporate users at rates comparable to terrestrial services.

Yahsat has initiated strategic relationships with satellite service providers and equipment manufacturers towards building long-term partnerships. What are you looking for in a strategic partner?

We are keen to remain a relatively small, nimble company geared towards innovative satellite solutions

Though we are a new company, we represent the UAE and Mubadala. This has given us the luxury of being able to pick and choose our partners.

We choose to partner with companies that are aligned to our vision of driving innovation and providing good customer service. Essentially we pick partners who can add value to us and the end-customer alike.

In addition, these are companies that have good distribution networks and a sound reputation in the market. At the same time we are open to suggestions. We are keen to remain a relatively

MEEt tHE uAE nAtIonAl EngInEERS At YAHSAt Khalid Al Awadi, Senior Satellite Specialist on his emotions as Yahsat 1A was launched into space.

“It was a moment of great pride. We felt every vibration of the blast with joy as our first satellite was ascending to its new home.

I was speechless, wanting to laugh and cry all at the same time. Finally, years of work at the factory were put to the final test. The successful launch was a testament to the hard work and perseverance of the Yahsat team; a moment of pure joy that was well deserved! I am currently responsible for the power subsystem of the satellite along with other overall system engineering roles that I have assumed over time. Yahsat has provided me so far with the perfect and one of a kind on-the-job training programme.”

22 | SatellitePro | September 2011

small, nimble company geared towards innovative satellite solutions. We have a significant partnership with Emerging Markets Communications, Inc. (EMC), operator of one of the largest teleports facilities in the world. Under the terms of the contract EMC will lease transponders on Yahsat’s powerful C Band on a long-term basis to serve high profile clients including the United Nations.

Our partner SES-Astra is an acknowledged leader in HDTV and will help us fast-track the process of creating a TV hotspot in this region.

As a new operator, we did not have the burden of legacy.

We started from scratch and did our homework by speaking to potential clients about what they are looking for in a satellite provider. Yahsat is not just about making money but adding value to society and fulfilling the larger Abu Dhabi 2030 vision. Personally it has been hugely rewarding giving back to society and training our young engineers, among other initiatives.

Watch Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani speak about Yahsat 1A and the unique YahService on www.broadcastprome.com

SatTechnology

the inevitable result of greater freedom of expression. Every culture in the world is grappling with this challenge, to a greater or lesser extent.

CommuniCation from the ground up The commercial teleport industry had global revenues of $19 billion in 2010 and Robert Bell, executive director, World Teleport Association, in conversation with Supriya Srinivas believes that the MENA region in particular is on a growth curve for years to come How do you view the growth of the teleport sector in the Middle East and in North Africa over the past few years?

The Middle East and North Africa has recently been the world’s fastest growing region for teleport operators. The growth is driven by two sectors: directto-home television and internet access. Dubai has played a significant role in DTH through

24 | SatellitePro | September 2011

a strategy to provide secure, high-quality facilities like Dubai Media City to content owners, particularly Middle Eastern companies that have traditionally located their broadcast operations in Europe. The growth in the Middle East and North Africa is part of the global trend toward the broader spread of knowledge and interactive information

Your report, What Customers Want: Enterprise 2011 (see box) has stated that the industry is recession proof.

As we go towards what is possibly a deeper recession, do you believe the industry will continue to prove to be resilient?

“Recession-proof ” may be overstating the case, but organisations of all sizes have realised the immense value that communication

“Dubai has played a significant role in DTH through a strategy to provide secure, high-quality facilities like Dubai Media City to content owners, particularly Middle Eastern companies that have traditionally located their broadcast operations in Europe” creates, and so tend to maintain or increase spending on information and communications technologies regardless of economic conditions.

When an investment pays off handsomely year-afteryear, you keep making that investment. The broadcast side

of the business faces greater challenges in some parts of the world, but in the Middle East and North Africa, it appears to be on a growth curve for years to come. So for the region, I would say that satellites have great potential that is only beginning to be realised.

What are the big findings from

exchange to citizens, with this region being the latest to hear the call. As home to cultures that value tradition, the region will grapple with the challenge of admitting diversity of views into local culture, which is

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 25

SatTechnology

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26 | SatellitePro | September 2011

Robert Bell, Executive Director, World Teleport Association

can participants expect from this session?

The WTA Industry Dialogue on September 10, 2011 at 16:30 at the Eutelsat stand (1.D59) will explore the prospect for Ka-band services in Europe to boost the fortunes of satellite TV. In a multi-screen world, viewers increasingly want content in their living rooms but also on their PCs, tablets, mobile devices and the new

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At IBC, your organisation has organised an ‘Industry Dialogue on Ka-band’ – what

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generation of connected TVs. As interactivity becomes increasingly important to television, satellite TV may find itself at a disadvantage compared with cable TV and IPTV. Ka-band promises to deliver cost-effective interactivity to users via satellite, which suggests that home-based solution using Ka-band for internet and Ku-band for video could play an important role in the future of satellite TV. We will hear from technology and service providers in different parts of the ecosystem, each with a point of view on the coming evolution.

Broadcasting DTH & CATV Contribution Feeds Playout, Encryption & Turnaround

Ku Band FSS Afghanistan

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ABS-1

terrestrial network managed by the same vendor. This meets the demand of stores for higher bandwidth – but satellites retain a major role, because of quality of service. At any given time, the DSL connection to 5% of [that particular retail chain] is down and the satellite becomes their primary path. As long as the industry remains nimble and adapts to changing customer demand, its core value proposition is likely to remain secure and stable.

Services include:

Ku Band FSS & BSS Afghanistan

Sche

duled

Ku Band Southern Beam

Standard C Band A Beam

2013

ABS-2

Satellites are challenged to provide enough capacity at affordable rates, and to support intensive interactivity with space-based systems that experience high latency

A B S -1 A

your report What Customers Want: Enterprise 2011?

The major finding of the report is that enterprise customers are uniquely “sticky” – [but] that there is no room for complacency among service providers. Enterprise users largely turn to satellites for point-to-multipoint connectivity, which is not the strong suit of satellites.

Satellites allows [enterprise customers] to reach remote sites where terrestrial alternatives are few, or where satellites offers a much higher quality of service than can be gained from terrestrial circuits.

But satellites are challenged to provide enough capacity at affordable rates, and to support intensive interactivity with space-based systems that experience high latency.

We spoke with the CEO of an ISP in Lebanon, which currently maintains its primary link to the internet via satellite but is looking forward to the activation of a submarine cable that will sharply increase available capacity. The senior IT executive of a cruise line is pushing his vendor to provide WiFi and microwave connectivity at all its major ports so that service can be offloaded from the satellite as often as possible during a voyage. The CIO of a retail chain recently changed from an all-satellite network to a hybrid satellite-

Ku Band Middle East & North Africa

w w w. a b s a t e l l i t e . n e t

Ku Band Southern Beam

Ka Band Middle East & North Africa

SatTV

revenue opportunities for their content?

Streaming acroSS the World‌ Well nearly The internet is a viable and profitable option for broadcasters, writes Alan Mercer, head of operations, SatStream, and a cost-effective way of getting language-specific content to expatriates across the Middle East

I

nternet technology has improved significantly over recent years worldwide, and in the Middle East the opportunities for broadcasters to offer additional services over the internet are

28 | SatellitePro | September 2011

better than ever before, this being a great way of getting local content to expatriates across the globe. However one major issue for many Middle Eastern broadcasters concerns the rights that are available for

certain countries. The internet allows for delivery to anywhere in the world, so how do you ensure that it is only viewable in those countries where rights are secured? And how do broadcasters make the most of

Getting online In contrast to traditional television, setting up with internet broadcast requires very little investment and involves greater flexibility in deals, without the long-term and costly commitments seen for example in satellite distribution. The internet also allows broadcasters the opportunity to broadcast a much larger number of channels than might be feasible via traditional television, offering even more potential revenue.

Coupled with this is the option of using the internet as a delivery mechanism to reach other distribution channels, such as IPTV platforms and internetenabled devices. The internetbased feed can be provided to operators and distributed as integrated or Over-The-Top (OTT) content to set-top-boxes or to internet-enabled devices such as a Connected TV or mobile devices.

Internet technology has seen very rapid development over recent years. Last-mile internet connectivity speeds are a lot faster than they were just a few years ago and bandwidth has increased across the globe.

However, good bandwidth is not always available, so it is important for broadcasters to be able to cater for all levels of bandwidth with the same content. SatStream uses the

uncommon to be able to offer global content rights.

SatStream works with a number of broadcasters and content providers who fully understand and embrace the huge potential of TV broadcasting over the internet, but whose content does not systematically have global distribution rights. For example one Middle East-based client produces simultaneous English and Arabic language versions

The streaming provider needs to ensure the video content is not viewable by a certain range of IP addresses, depending on the regions or countries, which need to be blocked latest adaptive streaming technology, designed to adapt to changing conditions behind the scene, which essentially means that a viewer with very fast broadband will get the very best quality possible, but a viewer with slower broadband will get a lower definition experience, but avoid the annoying situation of the footage stopping intermittently for buffering.

Rights issues As mentioned above, one of the biggest issues for many Middle Eastern broadcasters is securing global rights. This is of course the same for broadcasters and content providers across the world, it being relatively

of the same channel, along with different geographical rights for each language.

The solution? The answer is actually simpler than you might think and it draws on a technique called geoblocking.

All internet users have an IP Address assigned by their internet service provider. These unique addresses make it possible to determine which country, or even city, a specific user is accessing content from. Therefore, the streaming provider simply needs to ensure the video content is not viewable by a certain range of IP addresses, depending on the regions or countries, which need to be blocked. This is done

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 29

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SatTV

by embedding a code, which contains a database of rules, essentially telling the stream the conditions that need to be met in order for it to be viewable, or to be ‘geo-blocked’.

For the broadcaster mentioned above with both English and Arabic programming, it is simply a question of encoding each stream with a different set of rules, dependent on the language.

Revenue generation The technology is all in place to make streaming via the internet a viable and profitable option, and of course that’s the bottom line. Broadcasting via the internet offers huge potential to drive additional revenue; not least it opens up that same content to a much larger audience than would be possible via traditional methods.

There are two main ways to achieve revenue from this type of broadcast, either by charging the viewer, or by charging the advertisers. The one used depends partly on the type of content being broadcast, and whether consumers are likely to pay for it. Compelling content with widespread appeal will of course always find a willing

Charging the advertisers may be a better option, as it can lead to higher viewer numbers, catching those who will be happy to view, but not so happy to pay audience, but some more niche content could work better with an advertising model.

It also depends on the target audience. For example, expatriates are often very keen to get all the latest news or their favourite programmes from back home, so they are likely to be happy to pay for that mainstream content.

If it’s a viewer-pays approach, the general model is to launch as free-to-air for the first three to six months in order to generate as much interest as possible. Once established, broadcasters can then change to a subscription only methodology, either by introducing a monthly fee, or a pay-per-view method, whereby the viewer pays for the content viewed.

However, even for mainstream content, charging the advertisers may be a better option, as it can lead to higher viewer numbers, catching those who will be happy to view, but not so happy to pay. This can constitute something of a chicken

One of the biggest issues for many Middle East broadcasters is securing global rights

30 | SatellitePro | September 2011

and egg situation however, as until those viewer numbers are higher, it can be more difficult to generate advertising sales.

In addition, the interactive element of the internet opens up the option of targeted advertising, whereby a profile of the viewer and their viewing habits drives the adverts they see.

Looking ahead For the broadcaster or content provider, of course, delivering content over the internet is relatively low cost compared to classic networks with the added attraction of flexible rights management, and pay mechanisms, as well as the ability to track total viewers – none of which are readily available on classic TV networks.

The demand for high quality live language-centric content to be available globally (outside of a regional Middle Eastern satellite footprint) is already here and growing. The challenge for Middle Eastern broadcasters will be providing content which is appealing enough to entice consumers to pay for it or made available to the diaspora under a sponsorship / branding solution.

Providing high quality professional RF equipment to Satellite Earth Station operators, Systems Integrators, Broadcasters & Defence/ Government agencies since 1995.

See us at; IBC, Amsterdam 9th-13th September 2011 Satellite MENA, Dubai 28th February-1st March 2012 Satellite 2012, Washington DC 12th-14th March 2012 NAB, Las Vegas 16th-19th April 2012 CommunicAsia, Singapore 19th-22nd June 2012

19

Operators are now members of the Space Data Association

SatDebate

THE STATS 7%

Data supplied by Intelsat

8%

The PracTicaliTies of MiTigaTing inTerference

3% 2%

Unauthorized Carrer Cross-Pol/Copol Adjacent Satellite Interference Sweeper Retransmit / FM Broadcast Transponder Compression

33%

47%

Combating RFI is an industry-wide challenge says Martin Coleman, Executive Director sIRG, and Director, Colem, and he aims to have the entire satellite industry on board in time for London 2012

T

he satellite industry has for some time been plagued with the problem of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and it is a problem! RFI affects all satellite operators. The satellite industry has become a victim of its own success. Technology such as auto deploy, the decreasing size of antennas; add to that streamlined operations, installation and the lack of training are just some of the areas where interference is caused. The problem has been further amplified by the need to drive costs down.

Unidentified carriers One of the major issues in the fight against satellite interference is the lack of carrier identification. It seems such a

32 | SatellitePro | September 2011

Martin Coleman, executive director, Satellite Interference Reduction Group (sIRG), and director, Colem

simple solution that it begs the question why it has taken us so long, as an industry, to get this far. If carriers are not identified when interference occurs, it is almost impossible to determine where the problem has come

from. Therefore, by introducing carrier ID, in the form of an embedded code containing contact information, across all transmissions, interference can be mitigated almost as quickly as it was started and it will significantly reduce the time taken to track and correct those day-to-day interference issues that do crop up.

I suppose the answer to my question above is that carrier ID is still not rolled out across the industry, because although the solution itself seems simple, the actual implementation is not so straightforward. It relies on the support of the entire satellite industry, from equipment manufacturers right through to the satellite operators themselves. And of course, it costs time and money. So many broadcasters are waiting to see

Interference e types six-month average (Jul-Dec 2010) what the rest of the industry does before making that investment.

That said, things are changing, with many of the equipment manufacturers including the ability to add carrier ID in their products, others developing better ID techniques and many more broadcasters signing up to this initiative. My goal is to get the entire industry on board in time for the 2012 Olympics. It doesn’t give us much time but if ever an event called for an end to satellite interference, surely this is the one!

Improper installations Another challenge to be

One of the major issues in the fight against satellite interference is the lack of carrier identification overcome in order to eradicate satellite interference is the growing number of improper installations. Too many satellite transmission sites have been installed by people who simply don’t have the appropriate knowledge and understanding of the technology and requirements of such an installation. This is mainly found with small antenna installations, which are often not located in the best environment, badly pointed or constructed.

By far the easiest and most

effective way to overcome this is through a process of training and certification. By giving those installers and indeed suppliers, the tools and skills to do their job effectively, we can greatly reduce the install errors. A system of installer certification can further incentivise that, but also means that operators looking for installers know exactly who has received the appropriate training to install an effective, well thought-out transmission site.

Satellite Interference September 2011 | SatellitePro | 33

SatDebate

Reduction Group (sIRG) and GVF have been promoting current GVF VSAT installation training programmes and many operators are now promoting and sponsoring this and other training initiatives. The objective is to ultimately ensure that only trained and certified installers are used on all systems.

Sub-standard equipment A large market and low costs lead to vendors producing sub-standard equipment, such as cheap antennas with poor performance. Users and installers often create a problem by matching equipment incorrectly.

This is interconnected with disastrous results; a classic example of this is the connection of too powerful an RF amplifier to a small, incorrectly matched antenna. Of course, if the equipment being used is not up to scratch, erroneous signals will be common and therefore interference will occur.

For that reason, both sIRG and GVF have been working hard to promote a system of type approval or system characterisation, as well as increasing industry awareness of poor products, to encourage users to procure compliant equipment and system design.

By setting out exactly what the minimum requirements for satellite equipment should be, we can ensure that equipment

34 | SatellitePro | September 2011

If the equipment being used is not up to scratch, erroneous signals will be common and, therefore, interference will occur exceeds those requirements and by promoting the initiative, we can ensure that any equipment not up to spec will simply not be purchased.

Insufficient incident coordination Historically there has been limited formal coordination between operators and the industry regarding interference and general data sharing for safe operations.

Of course, by sharing information, operators can greatly reduce time taken to carry out everyday tasks, such as the execution of geolocation.

Having access to payload configuration and satellite positional data, geolocation solution sets can be produced.

This eradicates the need to contact an adjacent operator.

Also by sharing accurate ephemeris for real-time conjunction assessment (satellite close approaches), we can greatly minimise false alarms and give accurate alerts.

Key sIRG members SES, Inmarsat and Intelsat, recently formed the Space Data Association (SDA) to promote data sharing for satellite

operators. In excess of 19 operators are now members of the SDA. Moving forward In order to successfully move this industry forward in the fight against satellite interference, we need to firstly gain the support from the entire satellite industry, from satellite operators, manufacturers and through to the user. We need to tackle all of the causes of interference if we are to reach the ultimate goal of eradicating interference altogether.

The sIRG is one of the leading organisations working to reduce satellite interference.

Satellite IRG has made some great achievements in recent years with its carrier ID initiatives and has brought many industry leaders on board. The group, which recently underwent a management restructure, also works closely with other leading satellite organisations, such as the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and the World Broadcasting Union’s International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG), as well as the newly formed RFI End User Initiative (RFI EUI) of North American broadcasters.

SatTrends

The impacT of Ka-band Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec explains in the first of our series how Ka-band high throughput satellites will transform the business of satellite service providers, teleports and broadcasters

S

atellite operators around the world know it: the future of satellite communications is called Ka-band. This is simply because the total capacity offered by other commercial frequency bands cannot possibly cope with the ever increasing bandwidth requirements of the cyber world, certainly not at a competitive price against terrestrial services. Relief will not come from the satellite broadcast industry, as new channels, HDTV and soon 3D TV claim increasing shares of the available Ku and C band capacity. In the long run, the only way for satellite operators and satellite services providers to stay in the game is therefore to launch or use new Ka-band satellites. Many launches are now planned around the globe for the coming years and although the main

36 | SatellitePro | September 2011

target of these launches is large-scale consumer broadband access networks, the availability of new Ka-band satellites is very likely to have a major impact on the rest of the satellite market, including broadcast and business applications.

Professional VSAT networks The most obvious business application, after consumer broadband access, is professional and private VSAT networks. Ka-band technology will open the door to very large deployments and therefore the cost of terminals will further go down. The Ka-band satellites also offer higher and cheaper throughput. Because of the gateway-centric star configuration however, it is not possible for a corporation to operate its own hub in its own facilities. Instead, the hub must be hosted in the gateway

of the satellite operator. If the network spans across multiple spot beams addressed by different gateways, the network must also include the terrestrial connections among the gateways. Depending on the size of the private network and the type of infrastructure, two different business models can be applied for this kind of application.

The corporate user could operate its own VSAT hub infrastructure, hosted in the gateway of the satellite operator.

The hosting services would include the management of the RF part of the hub. The VSAT hub would need to be fully certified by the satellite operator in order to ensure adequate integration in the closed star network configuration and avoid any interference with the functioning of other systems on the same satellite capacity. The n

integration and operation of different systems from different vendors on the same spot beam network could therefore prove very challenging.

The satellite operator could have a multi-ISP ground infrastructure. In this case the corporate user can rent a virtual private network on this infrastructure, and manage it as independently as possible from an IP access and user provisioning point of view (the management of the RF part being handled transparently by the satellite operator or service provider). Terrestrial connections among gateways could be part of the virtual network or taken care by the corporate user. This multiISP approach requires a higher initial ground infrastructure investment for the satellite or n

Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec (L) and Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of ASTRA Broadband Services signed an agreement to provide Europe’s largest satellite broadband network ASTRA2Connect with next generation Ka-band Sat3Play terminals and related hub infrastructure

service operator, but a much easier and more flexible way to sell services to professional users of various natures and

sizes. From a financial point of view, the investment in a multi-ISP ground infrastructure remains modest compared to the investment in the space segment, while ensuring a quicker return on investment on the total infrastructure.

In conclusion Ka-band satellites are likely to change the circumstances for many different applications, and the companies involved with them enabling new and different business models.

Only time will tell how the industry utilises the new applications.

In our November 2011 issue, Serge Van Herck will explore media consuming habits around issues of video contribution and distribution and the advantages and drawbacks of current networks.

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 37

1,300+

Exhibitors at IBC 2011

SatEvent

nS3 Technology increaSeS bandwidTh capaciTy by 78% NovelSat, the satellite bandwidth optimisation company, will showcase the NS3 satellite transmission modulation technology at IBC 2011.

NS3 increases satellite bandwidth by 20% to 55% over current DVB-S2 and DVB-S standards respectively for 36 MHz transponders, and up to 78% for 72Mhz transponders with the highest data rate of up to 358Mbps.

NS3 applies a unique and powerful mix of algorithms that normally tend to cancel each other out. The industry’s most sophisticated FPGAs/ASICs provide the algorithms with virtually unlimited computational power. NovelSat has demonstrated that NS3 enhances spectral efficiency, through the physical testing of the technology with leading global customers, and over six satellites.

Itzik Wulkan, CEO at NovelSat commented, “More than ever before, CTOs, network VPs, engineers, and procurement managers are trying to protect the value of their planned equipment purchases, especially while preparing for the global events unfolding in 2012. The London Olympics, Euro Cup, and the upcoming US Presidential elections are just a few of the major activities to be transmitted worldwide in HDTV and 3DTV — thus demanding

NS1000 Satellite modulator 38 | SatellitePro | September 2011

technical and commercial momentum in multiplatform revenue security at IBC 2011. The featured technologies include: OTT and Hybrid Networks: VCAS for Internet TV , the standards-based solution of secure over-the-top (OTT) services delivery, will illustrate its support of a dramatically expanded range of client device types.

ViewRight Web integrations with HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) players now support smart (connected) TVs and OTT set-top boxes, Android smartphones and tablets, as well as the PC/Mac and iPad/iPhone.

These integrations illustrate user experience that unifies an operator’s premium video-on-demand (VOD) services, online video, social networking services and other interactive TV applications that can be combined with the subscriber management and service provisioning systems.

IP and DVB Hybrid Networks: VCAS for DVB, the company’s recently acquired DVB conditional access (CA) technology, is now fully integrated with Verimatrix’s IP-based content security. The enhanced solution provides support for broadcast (oneway) as well as DVB hybrid networks from a unified head-end, with a single point of integration.

Multi-Screen Services: MultiRights capabilities, highlighted by a multiscreen VOD solution developed in conjunction with RCDb, together with PlayReady-based service demonstration to PCs and game consoles will also be on display.

IBC 2011: Stand 4.B54 n

the most bandwidth capacity in history. As the industry invests in new equipment, they need to buy future proof equipment that is not only DVB-S2 but also NS3 enabled.

They need to be aware of the major satellite transmission enhancements offered by NS3 to avoid buying new equipment which is already obsolete.”

IBC 2011: Balcony suites 6 and 7.

SoluTionS for revenue SecuriTy on The inTerneT Verimatrix, the specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for multiscreen digital TV services around the globe, will be demonstrating its

gilaT To deliver Ka-band equipmenT for aSTra2connecT SES S.A.and Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. have signed an agreement for the delivery of network equipment and Ka-band end user terminals for SES’s satellite-based internet service Astra2Connect.

The use of Gilat’s Ka-band platform will allow SES to deliver significantly faster internet and Voice-over-IP services to private households and small businesses across Europe. Currently serving over 80,000 Astra2Connect endusers, SES today operates the largest satellite-based broadband network in Europe.

The use of Ka-band end user terminals supporting download speeds of up to 20 Mbit/s is part of SES’s strategy to bring its successful

Astra2Connect service to the next level.

“We are continuously enhancing our service offerings by providing satellite internet services at speeds comparable to standard terrestrial and terrestrial wireless networks such as DSL, cable, and LTE technologies.” said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director of Astra Broadband Services.

IBC 2011: Stand 1.B51

n

n

gpon deal from ericSSon du announced a Gigabit-capable Passive Optical Network (GPON) deal with Ericsson, in its efforts to deliver the best customer experience,.

Hatem Bamatraf, Senior Vice President Network Development, du, said: “We firmly believe that dynamic partnerships lead to success.

The tie-up with Ericsson for GPON complements our state-of-the-art Fibre to the Home (FTTH) network, which we were the first to deploy in the UAE. This new solution will allow us to offer innovations, like fastest broadband (real broadband) and du TV to our customers.”

Ericsson’s deep fibre access offering consists of Ericsson’s EDA 1500 GPON solution, passive optical components and related services.

The network is future-proof for open access, which means that in the coming years, du can implement new business models in which deployment and operations costs are split among different entities.

IBC 2011: Stand 1.D61

dev’S core funcTion producT SerieS This new product series will offer as much as 70% cost savings by reducing devices to their core functionality. The CFP (Core Function Products) series provides broadcast, satellite, and CATV customers with the same superior RF signal transmission quality for which DEV is known around the globe, but deliberately comes without certain features available in DEV’s standard product versions.

The first products in the new series to be unveiled are L-band splitters (2 x 1:8 and 4 x 1:8), broadband switches (multiplexers/ demultiplexers) n x 1:8 and n x 1:16, and CATV band combiners/ splitters (8:1 and 16:1 combiners, 1:8 and 1:16 splitters), all in a 1RU form factor. By dropping certain features such as alarm and monitoring ports, RF sensing and redundant power supplies, DEV is able to price the new CFP product series at up to 70% less than the standard full-featured versions of the products.

“For some broadcast, satellite, and cable RF applications, customers just want the core features and cost-savings offer with this new product series, without requiring all the value-added functionality that comes with DEV’s popular full-featured products, ” says DEV Managing Director Jörg Schmidt. “The introduction of DEV’s CFP series marks an expansion of our ability to serve a larger segment of the media technology marketplace.”

IBC 2011: Stand 1.F34

September 2011 | SatellitePro | 39

SatGuest

Conax Contego

growing The SaTelliTe induSTry in The mena

The ultimate solution for content security

TM

Commercial satellite revenues have grown in the MENA region by a whopping 17% per year since 2003. Hisham A. Ansari, MD of Horizon Satellite Services comments on the changing dynamics in the region You were established in 2001 as a provider of satellite services in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Since 2001, how crowded has this field become and what is required for a satellite service provider to remain relevant in this region?

The market has grown tremendously in the last few years. And even though new companies have entered the market the demand for satellite capacity over Middle East has also increased. In order to be ahead of the competition, quality of service is what counts in the long run. We have never compromised on the service or quality even though we have seen many providers offering services at lower price and compromising on quality. This approach centered on quick gains cannot be sustained for long and eventually the customer realises it and makes the shift to a quality service provider. We are known in the region for our service, quality and support. Another factor that keeps us ahead of the competition is our readiness to adapt to new technologies. We were one of the first to start DVB-S2 platforms and DVB-S2 ACM solutions that have benefited customers immensely.

With the establishment of companies such as Yahsat that 40 | SatellitePro | September 2011

been received and what is the most popular of your services?

Both the services have been very well received in the market, especially on i-Direct platform due to the easy availability of its hardware. As one of the first service providers to initiate these services in the region, we have a lead over the competition. Our main business segment is the Satellite IP services – whether it is dedicated or shared, are based in Abu Dhabi, how does it impact a UAE-based company such as Horizon Satellite?

We welcome Yahsat to the market.

It was about time we had a U.A.Ebased satellite operator and we celebrate their achievements.

There is no direct competition.

As a service provider, we have a different role when compared to a satellite operator. Also our market is the MENA-region and there are other players in the market.

Competition is a positive trend in any business line as it clearly indicates that there is demand and potential to grow for the best companies.

The latest addition to your portfolio of services is DVB S2 ACM with both iDirect and Comtech hardware. How has this

The satellite industry is considered recession-proof.

As the global economy seems to be sliding into an even bigger recession, what are the challenges ahead for your company and industry in the region?

The satellite industry in the region is recession proof because of the higher demand created by the launch of new TV channels, transformation of TV channels to High Definition (HD), and also because of the US government’s operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Access to information can only be achieved through fiber or satellite as these two modes connect people across borders. Thus the demand is increasing but again this increases competition as new satellites for the region are being launched.

securing the future_ Conax ContegoTM features next-generation security

for pay-TV operators, providing maximum security on all levels. Across all platforms and client devices, and in system performance and operation, operators are ensured that valuable content revenues are protected. In addition, freedom of choice is secured through seamless integration with 3rd party technology products.

Commitment to innovation:

With a continual commitment to innovation and R&D, Conax sets the market standard for others to follow.

Security is our business:

Conax focuses on security so you can focus on your core business in complete confidence.

Visit Conax at: IBC, Stand # 1.D69

Securing your revenues - today and tomorrow