satellitepro me march 2014

ISSUE 27 | MARCH 2014

STAYING IN CONTROLManaging localised content has added weight to the challenges

facing content providers

The launch of KhalifaSat willbeckon a new era in the Middle East satellite industry

AMBITION REALISED

SIZE MATTERSMiniaturisation helps broadcasters

satiate customers’ carnivorous appetite for content everywhere

THE PIVOTAL LINKMSS boost field effectiveness

for offshore operations, but what about employee morale?

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

MORE SPACEFOR YOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Office in Dubai:EUTELSAT MIDDLE EAST FZ-LLCThuraya II tower 2003A - Dubai Media CityPO Box 502239

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EUTELSAT, KEY PROVIDER OF BROADCAST AND BROADBAND SERVICES IN THE MENA REGION AND BEYOND.

With Eutelsat you can reach audiences across the Middle East, Africa and beyond via our premium satellite neighbourhoods, including

the leading 7/8 degrees West orbital location with over 1000 TV channels and 75 in HD. We were the first satellite company to launch a

demonstration Ultra HD (4K) channel in the Middle East, which is designed to benefit you and all other actors in the broadcasting chain

wanting to acquire expertise in 4K. We can also provide you with tailored solutions to enable new data and video point-to-multipoint

distribution, efficient cost-effective broadcast solutions and to transform your DTH audiences into fully interactive homes.

Join us at CABSAT 2014, 11–13 March: Stand no. E1-10

Mep 207 270 SP Eutelsat_Pro_Satellite.qxp_Mep 207 270 SP Eutelsat_Pro_Satellite_02.2014 17/02/2014 15:06 Page1

There are certain satellite-related projects that really interest me. For one, I love learning about projects that help students in remote locations gain access to proper educational instruction. On a similar note, telemedicine applications also make me smile; these positively

affect the lives of people who often fall shy of anyone’s thoughts and concerns.

But one project I came across recently really got me going. It involves the use of satellites to monitor the movements and behaviour of sharks. As an animal lover, I am appalled by the brutality of and devastation caused by poachers and various other environmentally hazardous types. Therefore, I am very happy to know of projects that help raise awareness of our wildlife. I wish the people involved in such projects the best of luck and hope that the data gained proves to be highly beneficial. I also hope that such groups secure the funding and support they need to continue their valuable work!

As I’m always on the lookout for anything cool, I am excited about CABSAT 2014. I expect to learn about numerous new companies, their offerings and interesting industry breakthroughs. Building on past successes, I believe this year’s new features and highlights will prove again why this is one of the region’s foremost events in content management and technology.

Finally, something else pleasant is the positive response we’ve seen to the Cyclist’s Satellite Challenge. If by some bizarre chance you didn’t read the February issue, which provides all the competition details, then please do get in touch and I’ll get you up to date – we want you to enter!

Adrienne HarebottleEditor

EDITORIAL

The cool side of satellites

In this edition:

“Deregulation in the Middle East is enabling the creation of a veritable flood of smaller channels to reach smaller niche audiences”Jean-Philippe Gillet, Vice-President, EMEA Sales at IntelsatPage 24

“By the end of 2014, penetration for navigation and information services into the Russian navigation mass market will reach USD 34 million”Vladimir Klimov, Executive Director of GLONASS/GNSS-ForumPage 26

“HDTV in the MENA region has developed at an impressive rate. Over the last four years, the number of HDTV channels has grown from a handful to more than 170”Ali Korur, Regional Vice-President of MENA at EutelsatPage 24

“Innovation needs inspiration, motivation and leadership. With today’s technologies and global know-how, nobody has to be left behind”Dr John B. Sheldon, expert on global space activitiesPage 40

© Copyright 2014 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.

Group Chairman and Founder Dominic De Sousa

Group CEONadeem Hood

Group COOGina O’Hara

Publishing DirectorRaz Islam

[email protected]+971 4 440 9129

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EDITORIALEditor

Adrienne [email protected]

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Sandip [email protected]

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Senior Sales ManagerRodi Hennawi

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DESIGNArt DirectorSimon Cobon

DesignerJane Mathews

PHOTOGRAPHYJay Colina

Abdul Kader Pattambi

PRODUCTIONProduction Manager

James P. [email protected]

+971 4 440 9146

CIRCULATIONDatabase Manager

Rajeesh [email protected]

+9714 440 9147

DIGITAL SERVICES Digital Services Manager

Tristan Troy Maagma

Web DevelopersJoel Azcuna

Janice Fulgencio

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CONTENTS Issue 27 | March 2014

SatLead

14Making history The launch of KhalifaSat will beckon a new era in the Middle East satellite industry

News

4Strategic tie-upsCapacity deals, connected trains, African investments, new launches and more…

Top QuotesIndustry players track the changes and challenges of content management

SatVoxPop

24

33Exhibitors’ highlights Manufacturers and services providers explain why CABSAT attendees ought to visit them

SatEvents

40Size mattersThe miniaturisation of technology is now at pace with broadcasters’ need for access

SatVertical: Broadcast

44Staying in control Demand for compelling, localised content has created new obstacles for providers

SatContent Management

SatEvents

26Tapping the mass market Russia’s navigation industry shifts its focus from the government sector to the mass consumer market

SatShowcase

48Head-turning techA look at some of the impressive solutions on display at CABSAT 2014

SatGuest

56Where’s the inspiration for space technologies?While motivation is required for innovative feats, it can be expected to fall flat without good leadership

SatVertical: Oil and Gas

28MMS’ pivotal role in offshore operations Providing critical communications and boosting employee morale, MMS can be easier and more affordable than VSAT

28

44

14

4 | SatellitePro | March 2014

SatNews

www.avantiplc.com www.realitychecksystems.com

www.hermes.uk.com

www.itu.int

www.satirg.org

www.mictgroup.comwww.arabsat.com

HERMES DATACOMMS, AVANTI EXTEND CAPACITY IN IRAQHermes Datacomms has acquired services from Avanti Communications to boost its satellite capacity in Iraq. The company will initially deploy the capacity in remote fields before launching a programme to up-weight connectivity for enterprise customers in the Middle East. Avanti will provide Ka-band services to Hermes via its Hylas 2 satellite.

“Hermes requires high-quality, secure coverage over some of the remotest parts of the world. Powered by our Hylas 2 satellite, the contract will extend Hermes’ connectivity in Iraq. We look forward to working together in partnership,” says Matthew O’Connor, COO of Avanti.

ITU APPROVES IRG-EUI’S GENERAL ACCESS PROCEDURES The Satellite Interference Reduction Group’s (IRG) newly formed advisory committee, End Users Initiative (EUI), has received the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) approval of recommendations for General Access Procedures. The EUI, formerly called RFI-EUI, has worked with the ITU to advise on the technical requirements of updated access procedures to ensure reduced risk of issues such as satellite radio frequency interference.

The recommendation provides access procedures for fixed-satellite service (FSS), occasional use and transmissions to geostationary-satellite orbit space stations, in the 4/6 GHz and 11-12/13/14 GHz FSS bands.

Arabsat and Morgan Company for Information and

Communications Technology (MICT) have signed a capacity contract at 20 degrees East. Under the agreement, Arabsat will provide Morgan with capacity on the Arabsat 5-C satellite, providing full coverage of the African continent in addition to Arabsat’s coverage of the Middle East and large parts of Asia and Europe.

According to MICT, the first stage of this contract will see the building of two ground stations in Africa, with plans for expansion in the coming years.

“The orientation of Morgan towards Africa, together with the help of Arabsat as an Arab organisation that has weight at a regional and global level, give this agreement a strategic level which comes within the social responsibility towards Africa,” says Kazem Zain, CEO of MICT.

RCS INCREASES EFFORTS TO DRIVE BUSINESS IN REGIONReality Check Systems (RCS), a broadcast technology developer and solutions provider, has launched its first satellite office in West London, UK. The new facility will serve as an extension of the company’s Burbank operations and act as a central hub for business development, project management and technology innovation across Europe and the Middle East.

Mike Ward, European Managing Director, and Producer David Peacock will oversee new business development and ongoing projects in the region. Both will head efforts to extend the RCS offering, including real-time graphics and broadcast production tools to an expanded pool of networks, federations and sports leagues across the EMEA region.

Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of Arabsat

Arabsat, MICT sign capacity deal

Afghanistan, Eutelsat sign MOU for strategic partnership

Eutelsat and the Afghanistan Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), giving the country

satellite resources to enhance deployment of its national broadcasting and telecommunications infrastructure as well as international connectivity.

From February, Eutelsat will deploy Afghanistan 1, an in-orbit satellite, delivering full national coverage and extensive reach of Central Asia and the Middle East. The satellite is located at 48 degrees East.

“We are very happy to partner with Eutelsat on Afghanistan 1 which will provide access to ICT and broadcast services to Afghans, especially in unserved areas, and support our vision of transforming Afghanistan into an information society,” says Amirzai Sangin, Minister at MCIT.

Afghanistan 1 will support a wide range of services including broadcasting, mobile telephony backhaul and IP connectivity. Eutelsat and the MCIT have also agreed on exploring opportunities for longer-term co-operation.

March 2014 | SatellitePro | 5

www.absatellite.net

www.exset.com

www.globecommsystems.com www.eutelsat.com

DAVID HERSHBERG RETIRES, GLOBECOMM TAKES ON NEW CEOGlobecomm Systems has announced the retirement of Founder David Hershberg, who served as CEO since 1994. Keith Hall, COO and President, will replace Hershberg as CEO.

Hall has been in the industry for more than 20 years and has served Globecomm in many roles in both the infrastructure and service operations sectors for the past 17 years. Recently, he helped lead the planning and execution of Globecomm’s corporate growth strategies and business development. He has also acted as senior vice-president and general manager of the company’s service sector, helping to drive growth and profitability through the expansion of its managed service products.

ANDREW PONS TO HEAD GLOBAL SALES AT EXSET Exset has appointed Andrew Pons as its Global Director of Sales and Marketing. Pons has been with Exset for nearly two years as the company has established itself and its Digital Monetisation System (DMS) across emerging markets.

Pons’ new role will help push the company across its next growth phase as its DMS and CAS solutions continue to be deployed across Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Africa and Eastern Europe.

ABS-2 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED FROM FRENCH GUIANAThe ABS-2 satellite was successfully launched into space on an Ariane ECA launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on February 6, 2014.

ABS-2, which was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) for ABS, is a multi-mission satellite, featuring up to 89 active C-, Ku- and Ka-band transponders across 10 different

beams. ABS-2 brings expansion capacity at ABS’ prime location of 75 degrees East, extending communications and broadcast services to the emerging markets of the world.

“The ABS-2 satellite will significantly contribute towards our expansion plans and is part of our growth strategy to increase the ABS satellite fleet and become a global satellite operator in the coming years,” says Tom Choi, CEO of ABS.

KEY APPOINTMENTS

Market-changing satellite uplinks

DriveForce®

uPak®60

ManPak®60 ManPak®100

See us at stand F2-21www.sislive.tv


According to Euroconsult, India’s satellite communication sector has

experienced significant growth over the past five years, driven by demand from direct-to-home (DTH) pay-TV platforms and the continually growing telecommunication needs in the country.

Satellite capacity demand from DTH broadcasting grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 7% from 2008-2013, now representing 32% of the country’s total commercial satellite capacity usage. TV distribution services to cable operators and VSAT enterprise networks have equally seen growing demand in recent years, leading to an increasing number of players now operating in the country’s teleport and VSAT service market.

The cellular backhaul market has begun to see strong take-up with the arrival of

HTS systems such as IpStar as well as government-backed networks connecting schools and remote villages. Alongside satellite services, the annual satellite ground equipment market has also seen growth, generating USD 40 million in equipment revenue in 2012, dominated by international ground terminal manufacturers.

DTH, VSAT networks to boost India’s satcom steadily until 2023

Comtech Telecommunications has announced that its subsidiary Comtech EF Data Corp was awarded a USD 3.1 million order from a US Government systems integrator for DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier-powered DMD2050E satellite modems.

The equipment will be used to support the US Government’s integrated satellite terminal communications.

EXTERITY, HAMBISANA OFFER IPTV SYSTEMS TO SUB-SAHARAN COMPANIES Exterity, a provider of enterprise IPTV technologies, has launched a joint offering with Hambisana, a technology and services provider, to offer Sub-Saharan companies flexible IPTV systems. The joint offering includes IntuiTV, an IPTV and VOD architecture, and DigiLant, a DVB monitoring suite.

DigiLant, which is a configurable software-based solution, comprises a mosaic, DVB monitoring, TR 101-290, advertising monitoring, EPG and loudness. Both IntuiTV and DigiLant are based on the Exterity AvediaStream range. AvediaStream TV gateways take terrestrial, cable or satellite video and audio and make it available over an IP network as content streams of any definition. AvediaStream encoders are added to deliver channels from fixed video sources such as Blu Ray players, DVD or digital video capture devices. Content is delivered to any screen using AvediaPlayer receivers, or to PCs via Artio Content Clients. AvediaServer, the multi-user IPTV management system, allows full control of what content is available, where it can be seen and by whom.

www.euroconsult-ec.com

www.ascsignal.com

www.comtechefdata.com www.exterity.com

www.hambisana.com

The satellite modems will use DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier bandwidth compression, a technology based on Raytheon Applied Signal Technology, known as “Adaptive Cancellation”, that allows transmit and receive carriers of a duplex link to share the same transponder space.

ASC SIGNAL WINS CONTRACT TO PROVIDE GATEWAY EQUIPMENT FOR KUWAIT’S MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ASC Signal Corporation has been awarded a contract by Kuwait-based Al-Rashed Holdings to provide gateway satellite antennae and equipment for Kuwait’s Ministry of Information. The equipment will be used for the distribution of TV and radio content across the Middle East and Africa.

Under the agreement, ASC Signal will provide transmit and receive Earth stations to access Nilesat and Arabsat satellites.The Ku- and DBS-band antennae include interchangeable feed systems that will allow the Ministry of Information to use the same antenna at

different frequency bands depending on the programme. This new equipment will allow the ministry to deliver content from its facilities in Kuwait City.Al-Rashed will also provide ASC Signal’s Next Generation Controller (NGC), which will give users a single central device to control and operate multiple

antenna systems. Other features of the NGC include remote access and tracking as well as an internal spectrum analyser.

COMTECH EF DATA WINS USD 3M ORDER FOR SATELLITE MODEMS


Heirs Holdings invests in satellite technology of Planet Labs

Heirs Holdings, the pan-African proprietary investment company,

has announced its investment in US start-up Planet Labs’ innovative satellite manufacturing technology. Heirs Holdings is the only African investor in the project, which is based in San Francisco.

Planet Labs aims to transform the way imaging of the Earth is carried out, through the introduction of doves, ultra-small satellites. These doves circle the planet in low orbit and are significantly cheaper to produce and deploy than existing technology. Moreover, as they orbit closer to the Earth, they are able to take higher-resolution images than traditional satellites.

Planet Labs has already achieved some significant milestones. In 2013, the company launched four satellites on three rockets and delivered their first fleet of 28 satellites, which are scheduled for imminent launch.

SKYVISION TO PROVIDE VOICE, DATA SOLUTIONS FOR SAPETROSkyVision Global Networks has announced the implementation of its project with Sapetro (South Atlantic Petroleum), one of Nigeria’s major oil and gas companies that has new operations in Benin. The five-year contract includes the installation of a full suite of SkyVision connectivity solutions in Benin, as well as an end-to-end voice- and data-managed solution based on multiple technologies, integration and professional services.

The project includes mesh VSAT and wireless point-to-multipoint connections for Sapetro’s offices and operational sites, mobile terrestrial units and vessels, including voice and telephony over IP, two-way radios, mobile satellite phones, a managed firewall and WiFi.

“We are thrilled to have engaged the services of SkyVision for this important project, which is geared towards providing robust high-tech turnkey communication infrastructure to support our operations in the Sèmè Field,” says Martin Trachsel, Sapetro’s CEO.

www.measat.com

MEASAT ADDS OUTDOOR HD TO VIDEO NEIGHBOURHOODMEASAT Satellite Systems has announced a three-year agreement with Globecast and Outdoor Channel for distribution on the MEASAT-3 satellite. Under the agreement, MEASAT will distribute Outdoor HD via MEASAT-3’s global C-band beam, covering 102 countries from the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Outdoor Channel (Asia) is a channel that features traditional and contemporary outdoor sports and activities such as fishing, off-road, water sports and safari.

“MEASAT’s partnership with Globecast continues to expand with the distribution of the Outdoor Channel, which with its premium adventurous lifestyle programming, strengthens the variety of content offered from MEASAT’s 91.5 degrees East video neighbourhood,” says Raj Malik, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at MEASAT. www.skyvision.net

www.newtec.eu

www.ebu.ch

www.planet-labs.com

NEWTEC SIGNS MAJOR DEAL WITH EBU FOR SATELLITE SOLUTIONS Newtec and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have signed a multimillion-dollar contract to deploy Newtec’s satellite broadcast solutions as part of EBU’s major pan-European news exchange network. Newtec’s new Multiservice Broadcast system will be developed in partnership with the Eurovision network engineering teams and implemented to upgrade part of the EBU’s Eurovision network.

Eurovision is the operator of the world’s largest satellite and fibre live video network and is also a main distributor and producer of live sport, news and entertainment for the media industry.

The system provided by Newtec is an end-to-end solution that complements the full workflow automation in the newsroom environment, with dedicated and flexible network infrastructure.

Reaching the right audience comes down to a simple equation. Intelsat has

always been forward thinking when it comes to media. When we launched IntelsatOneSM,

we built the satellite industry’s largest IP/MPLS fi ber network to create fl exible, hybrid

content delivery options for our customers. And now, we’re introducing Intelsat EpicNG,

our next generation satellite platform, which combines high-throughput spot beams, for

content regionalization and targeting, with wide beams, for total continent coverage.

That’s intelligent design. Good for your operations and your bottom line.

Meet with Intelsat during CABSAT 2014 at Hall 1, Stand C1-10.

Learn how Intelsat can help you reach more viewers.

Visit www.intelsat.com/Forward-Thinking for details.

Designed for 2030. Launching in 2015.

6957-Satellite-Pro_Media.indd 1 2/20/2014 3:15:51 PM


MultiChoice and Eutelsat have joined together to create the DStv

Eutelsat Star Awards, a pan-African student competition created to raise awareness and excitement for space technology in the younger generation.

“With the fast-changing digital landscape, we have an obligation to Africa’s youth to ensure that they are empowered to adapt and to use their educational system to make meaningful change to their country and the continent’s development agenda,” says Nana Opoku-Agyeman, Ghana’s Minister of Education.

“The government recognises that it cannot single handedly tackle the challenges faced by the sector and that public-private partnerships can also accelerate progress.”

With more than 1,000 entries from 19 countries this year, two winners and two runners-up were selected in essay and poster categories. The students won trips to visit either a launch site or the facilities of Eutelsat or MultiChoice. The four winning schools attended by the overall award winners and runners-up were also rewarded with a DStv installation, including dish, TV, state-of-the-art PVR decoder and free access to the DStv Education Bouquet.

EMC TO DELIVER VSAT MOBILITY SERVICES ON TRAINS IN AFRICAEmerging Markets Communications (EMC) has enhanced its technology and infrastructure to deliver VSAT mobility services, currently active on trains across Africa and Europe. The services use EMC-owned SatLink VSAT technology and include enhanced mobility features for land, sea and aerospace deployments.

The upgrade uses high-performance, low-profile mobile satellite antennae and SatLink mobile VSATs to enable broadband connectivity and a way to constantly monitor GPS location data for enhanced safety. The antennae automatically stay locked to the satellite beam to provide uninterrupted service.

Working with the corresponding features in SatLink Hubs, the VSATs allow for mobility at speeds up to 350km/h and in constant motion in all directions. With this new technology, passengers will be able to access broadband IP connectivity for public internet access and VPNs, VoIP, content distribution and digital signage.

SES’ ASTRA 2E SATELLITE GOES LIVE AT 28.2/28.5 DEGREES EASTSES’ Astra 2E satellite entered into commercial service in the orbital arc of 28.2/28.5 degrees East on February 1, 2014. The satellite was launched on board an ILS Proton launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 30, 2013.

Extensive in-orbit tests have since then confirmed the satellite to be fully operational and performing to specifications.

Astra 2E is co-positioned with Astra 2A, Astra 2F and Astra 1N. Over the coming weeks, BSkyB, Channel4, ITV and BBC programming in the 28.2/28.5 degrees East arc will be transitioned to the new satellite with its footprint over the British Isles.

The satellite was built for SES by Astrium of France. Based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, the spacecraft carries 60 Ku-band transponders, including 12 incremental transponders for delivery of services outside Europe, as well as four Ka-band transponders. Astra 2E enables the delivery of next-generation broadcast and broadband services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

www.ses.com www.emc-corp.net

www.eutelsat.com

www.multichoice.co.za

Eutelsat, MultiChoice recognise students from Zambia, Ghana

Visit us at CABSAT 2014, booth F1-20, Hall 2

www.absatellite.com

Successfully LaunchedSuccessfully Launched

Equipped with 89 C, Ku and Ka-band transponders,

ABS-2 will deliver increased capacity to the Middle East,

Africa, Europe, Asia Paci�c, Russia and CIS countries. Contact ABS for more information at: [email protected]


MEASAT, Telered partner for video distribution

MEASAT and Telered Technologies and Services Corp have signed an agreement for capacity on the MEASAT-3a satellite.

Under the terms of the agreement, Telered will utilise MEASAT-3a for the distribution of the Viva TV and Pinoy Box Office (PBO) channels across the Philippines.

The agreement also contains an option for additional capacity to support Telered’s planned future expansion of video distribution services in the Philippines market.

“With this capacity, we will be able to serve local and regional programmers for their local distribution requirements. Our decision to enter into partnership with MEASAT was also on account of its ability to provide a flexible working approach customised to our requirement,” says Redentor Laset, President of Telered.

Raj Malik, MEASAT’s Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, adds: “MEASAT is pleased to support Telered’s plans to provide new distribution channels and playout services to the Philippines market. We look forward to continue supporting Telered’s expansion plans and carry exciting new content to audiences across the Philippines.”

ADVANTECH WIRELESS RELEASES NEWLY ENHANCED MCDAdvantech Wireless has released its enhanced Advanced Multi-Carrier Demodulator (MCD) with an aggregate throughput of up to 32Mbps. The MCD is designed for multi-frequency time division multiple access (MF-TDMA) networks and can be configured to support up to 96 return link MF-TDMA carriers on a single card while enabling terminal Capex to be minimised.

The MCD can support different encapsulation formats and symbol rate on each TDMA carrier simultaneously. This can provide capacity optimisation by using longer bursts for streaming traffic such as video, while maintaining the dynamic response of shorter bursts for more variable traffic such as internet browsing.

www.globalstar.com

www.advantechwireless.com

www.iec-telecom.com

GLOBALSTAR LAUNCHES TRACKING, MONITORING TRANSMITTERGlobalstar has launched the STX3 simplex satellite global transmitter, featuring low power-consuming technology. Engineers have shrunk the chip technology to be a third of the size of its predecessor, the STX2.

The STX3 is designed to be easily integrated into a range of M2M devices and applications for cost-effective remote sensing, tracking and monitoring of items as diverse as sheep, ships and meters.

The STX3 can be used with hybrid GPRS/GSM-based M2M tracking or monitoring devices to provide satellite-based back-up communications solutions for areas with patchy or non-existent mobile network reception.

The STX3 module sends one-way data messages via the Globalstar Simplex Network when integrated into a tracking or monitoring device. The module is easily integrated into devices for fixed and mobile asset management, remote sensing, data reporting and data logging applications over a near-global network.

www.measat.com

IEC Telecom Group has opened a new Scandinavian subsidiary in Stockholm, Sweden, marking the next step in the group’s expansion plans.

Early in 2012, the group acquired Tradee Telecom, a Norway-based company, and began to develop a presence in Scandinavia. The opening of IEC Telecom Sweden is a step towards consolidation of its business development strategy in Northern Europe.

IEC Telecom will be supplying mobile and fixed-satellite communications solutions, products and value-added services to the Swedish market. The Sweden team is expected to capitalise on know-how gained by other IEC Telecom Group subsidiaries as well as from the group’s proprietary value-added service platforms and technologies including: OptiSIM (online SIM lifecycle

management platform), Opticlooud (a set of complementary services aimed at optimising telecommunications ROI), Quicklink (video broadcast technology) and Traksat (geolocation and M2M platform).

With headquarters in Paris, IEC Telecom operates worldwide with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, United Kingdom, Norway, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Singapore and Sweden.

IEC TELECOM UPS EXPANSION PLANS WITH SWEDEN SUBSIDIARY


SatLead

Once again, Dubai has given media reason to avert attention to the UAE. But this time, it’s in the name of advanced sciences and technology. The first “Arab-made” satellite will be developed on UAE soil by a team of Emirati engineers working in Dubai. It is a milestone that stirs up national pride in the UAE Nationals responsible for the satellite, as well as for their fellow countrymen. However, its significance transcends the UAE borders; it marks a new era for the Middle East’s satellite industry. The world’s first Arab-built KhalifaSat will take to the skies in 2017.

KhalifaSat follows DubaiSat 1 and DubaiSat 2, the UAE’s Earth observation satellites that were developed by the Dubai-based Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) and launched in 2009 and 2013, respectively. EIAST joined forces with Satrec Initiative, a satellite manufacturing company in South Korea, for a knowledge-sharing partnership for the build of the first two birds. Having gained the technical experience required for DubaiSat 1 and DubaiSat 2, EIAST is now fully at the reins for the manufacture of KhalifaSat.

The name reflects the regional significance this satellite holds, says Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director of the Space

The first Arab-made satellite will mark a new era in the Middle East space industry. But KhalifaSat will do more than signify the region’s start to greater technological autonomy, it’s also expected to drive interest in the advanced sciences, writes Adrienne Harebottle

KHALIFASAT: MAKING HISTORY

Programme Department at EIAST. Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, renamed it from DubaiSat 3 to KhalifaSat at the end of last year.

“Obviously, this means a lot to the UAE and to the region as well. Shaikh Mohammad’s renaming the satellite to KhalifaSat reflects the satellite’s importance. This is a big step for the country; developing these kinds of projects on UAE soil, and I believe this is the step that will allow us to start our own satellite industry, which is quite a strategic industry to be involved in. From there, we plan to grow into different avenues. We will not necessarily stay in Earth observation satellites, we can really grow to begin serving different areas in the space field,” says Al Marri.

KhalifaSat will be a very advanced Earth observation satellite, extending the capabilities of the other two birds. From its orbital position at 600km above the Earth’s surface, it will have a 70cm resolution, representing a 30% improvement from DubaiSat 2, which has a 1m resolution. While the satellite will have significantly better mapping, pointing and downlinking capabilities, it will also be smaller.

The team working on KhalifaSat


comprises 45 Emirati engineers from across the country. While EIAST claims this team to be the “top of the top”, the satellite’s build remains a significant challenge.

“The team was picked between 2005 and 2006 and we’ve been developing it since then, adding engineers to this as we’ve gone along. Now, we have our full 45-member team. Half the team is based here while the other half is in South Korea, working on the satellite. While we’re currently in Daejeon, we’ve taken the complete lead in the project and once our facilities are ready, we’ll move to Dubai. The key challenge for us is to develop KhalifaSat here.”

Wo-manpowerAl Marri expects the high-tech facilities to be ready by the beginning of 2015, adding that while this development goes on, EIAST will continue to search for additional engineers to join the institution. According to Al Marri, finding qualified and skilled manpower remains a challenge, however, women are playing a significant role in reducing this gap, as the volume of female graduates is on the rise.

“Finding skilled and qualified people is a

Top left and right: Part of a model of DubaiSat 2 and some of members of the team of Emirati engineers that will work on KhalifaSat

“There is a misconception regarding satellite capabilities; many people expect satellites to do much more than they actually can do. When you see some of these Hollywood films, it seems that satellites are just imaging anywhere, anytime, capable of doing anything. But in reality though, this is rather far-out”

SatLead

major challenge for us. The majority of our staff is from leading UAE universities but when they first arrive, we have to invest in a lot of training and initial development. They’re still generally high quality, though. At present, we have 45 engineers, but we’ll want to hire another 45 and this is quite difficult. Many of the graduates we take in are the highest in their class, and we then put them through a stringent training and development programme. This leads to them becoming the top of the top and we’re now looking to expand this. We intend for our top-tier engineers to start training the new engineers.

“We also have a lot of women working in our team. I think this sends a bold message: men need to watch out. Women are better engineers now. There is also an increasing number of female graduates, where it is becoming easier to find female engineers. In the last four or five years, we’re been hiring an increasing number of women.”

A good percentage of engineers approach EIAST, says Al Marri, while other prospective employees are found at career fairs and through visits to universities. While some know about EIAST and its accomplishments,


he says the development and launch of KhalifaSat is another pull factor, helping to bring in new manpower to the field.

“I think KhalifaSat will have quite a strong pull factor. Since the announcement of KhalifaSat, we’ve seen quite a lot of interest with a good amount of people inquiring about it. I think it will give us a boost.”

Al Marri also sees other countries in the region promoting advanced sciences and technology in coming years, as he expects them to see that it will lead to improved manpower capabilities, which will help these countries to continue developing. This, in turn, will also boost the Middle East satellite industry. In the meantime, he says, the region has good examples to follow in Egypt and Saudi Arabia in addition to the UAE.

“There are countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt that are quite advanced in satellite systems engineering. They’ve launched a lot of advanced communications satellites and they also have a lot of university programmes complemented by many local development programmes. I think countries such as these, together with the UAE are leaders in this field.

“Other countries, as they continue growing, will start to place priority on advanced science and technology because they will realise that is really where they start to develop manpower. Even if the project doesn’t have a big return on the investment, you’re still getting a return on the investment in your people. And those people can then go into various industries and areas of government and start to grow them. I believe once they realise the impact is has on the people, then they will start to implement and develop these kinds of projects. This has been the case in the UAE and at EIAST.”

Beyond Earth observation As the launch of KhalifaSat beckons a new era in the Middle East satellite industry, where greater technological autonomy is at its core, doors to new sectors will open for the UAE, explains Al Marri. It is EIAST’s strategic ambition to go beyond developing

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and operating Earth observation satellites; the company intends to expand its offering of services across numerous areas in the space field, he says.

“Our ambition is to develop satellites that can satisfy the needs of the UAE Government and, of course, the private sector as well. If there is any need in terms of imagery or data analysis, for example, then we can provide that through our space assets. This is what we hope to achieve and our three satellites can be a big contributor to this.”

So far, EIAST’s images captured by DubaiSat 1 and DubaiSat2 have been used extensively by the UAE’s municipalities and numerous government departments. Looking to enhance this usage, Al Marri says the institution aims to have its imagery as the “default, go-to” option and the basis for mapping in the UAE – something the company is working on at present. Entities that require imagery from a reliable source are the target customer base, he says, while there will, however, still be a group of satellite imagery users that don’t care where their pictures and data come from.

This indifference is on the back of demand for satellite imagery spilling over into the consumer market, a demand rise that indicates awareness of this business

in on the incline. However, while numerous groups are well aware of the benefits of satellite imagery and its complementing data, misconceptions about satellites still exist, says Al Marri.

“At present, various companies that use satellite data do utilise our images. As for those that aren’t already using our images, we’ll start targeting them to do so. Those in a relevant field, from environmental remote sensing to universities on associated projects, are very aware of this business. But then there is also the customer that uses satellite imagery but doesn’t care where it’s from. While this type of consumer uses satellite data, they don’t do any analysis on it – they just want the end product. An example is the user of Google Images; so long as they can see a map or the features they want, then they’re not interested in anything else. However, the Dubai Municipality or the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, as an example, are very concerned about the type of imagery and its details.

“There are so many different applications for satellite imagery and the potential is massive. People are becoming more aware of the role that satellites play in society as well as the array of benefits they afford. A good example is Google Earth and the

A model of a technical component from DubaiSat1, the UAE’s first Earth observation satellite built by EIAST

“There are so many different applications for satellite imagery and the potential is massive. People are becoming more aware of the role that satellites play in society as well as the array of benefits they afford. A good example is Google Earth and the weather forecasts it offers. People are now more aware that these services and data are from satellites”

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weather forecasts it offers. People are now more aware that these services and data are from satellites.

“But there is still a misconception regarding satellite capabilities; many people expect satellites to do much more than they actually can do. When you see some of these Hollywood films, it seems that satellites are just imaging anywhere, anytime, capable of doing anything. In reality, though, a satellite comes over Dubai twice a day, it takes an image and then it takes a couple of hours to downlink that image before you can start looking over the data. So the idea of the Hollywood movies, where they get instant imagery at the blink of any eye, is rather far-out, especially in the case of one or two space assets. This idea is only more tangible when you have numerous satellites and ground stations to downlink the data.”

However, there should be no misconceptions regarding the capabilities of the people behind KhalifaSat. Real examples of meeting and exceeding expectations can be found within this engineering team, says Al Marri. The boundaries are constantly pushed and new limits are set and exceeded repeatedly, he adds, explaining that it is because of this drive that the UAE is able to produce the first Arab-built satellite.

“If 10 years ago you said we are going

to develop a satellite here, it would have seemed like an unrealistic challenge. But here we go; we’re doing it. We’ve launched two satellites and now we’re working on KhalifaSat, and the impressive thing is that no matter the engineering background, we’re able to push the limits and overcome many obstacles. It’s been a long road, but we’re doing it. We’re reaching that stage and we’ll get there. This is a big highlight.”

While this road to greater technological autonomy has had its fair share of highlights, says Al Marri, the team has taken everything in stride, with a work-as-usual attitude. There is still a lot of development that needs to take place, he says, and with this comes significant challenges. But overcoming these will make the 2017 launch celebrations all the better.

“EIAST is proud that we can bring this technology through the UAE Nationals in order to develop KhalifaSat. But at the end of the day, it’s still our day-to-day work. From a broader perspective, though, I think the first Arab-built satellite being built by Emiratis on Emirati soil is a national pride. EIAST is also very proud to have been given the chance to work on this project. A lot of other institutions could have been chosen to work on it, so we feel fortunate that we were selected, something we are proud of. PRO

“If 10 years ago you said we are going to develop a satellite in the UAE, it would have seemed like an unrealistic challenge. But we’re doing it. We’ve launched two satellites and now we’re working on KhalifaSat. The impressive thing is that no matter the engineering background, at EIAST we’re able to push the limits and overcome many obstacles.”

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SatEvents

In the lead up to CABSAT, SatellitePro caught up with several industry players to discuss the changes seen in content

management over the years, as well as the challenges and emerging technological trends

TOPQUOTES

JEAN-PHILIPPE GILLET, Vice President of EMEA Sales at Intelsat “As consumers have become more demanding, broadcasters’ requirements have evolved, leading to an increase in the demand for satellite capacity over the last 20 years. Many trends have contributed to this evolution. One is deregulation, which is enabling the creation of a veritable flood of smaller channels to reach smaller niche audiences. Today, viewers in the region can choose among 650 free-to-air TV channels, up from just 100 in January 2004.”

SAFIA RANA, Head of Sales and Marketing at ViewSat “Growing internet stability has opened up the opportunity for our customers to remotely access their servers and manage their own content from around the world. This has led to our clients having greater autonomy over their own programming. In addition, the storage of content on digital platforms instead of physical tapes has also led to a significant cost-saving for clients”

IAN HILDITCH, CEO of ETL Systems“ETL’s design engineers are constantly impressed by the knowledge and new ideas of teleport RF engineers around the world. They are at the forefront of helping us to redesign our RF equipment to meet the changing demands for live traffic. Equipment needs to remain as high density as possible, as pressures on rack space continue. RF engineers need to understand that good designs and reliability come at a price.”

VOLKER JARSCH, Director of Satcom Solutions at ND SatCom GmbH “The speed at which new communications and recording media were introduced into an otherwise technically conservative world has been impressive. Interviews are nowadays done with smartphones instead of high-quality cameras and audio equipment. However, the pure volume of contributions is not yet a sign of quality and relevance. Striving for maximum hits on websites encourages ‘loudness’ instead of relevance.


STEVEN SOENENS, Vice-President of Product Management at Newtec “The number of direct-to-home (DTH) platforms has tripled over the last ten years and this has, in turn, established the need for more satellites and satellite capacity. Today there are 4,000 transponders for video broadcast and contribution, which is more than double compared to 10 years ago, and within just seven years this will grow by another 1,000. The technology to support this has also improved, and both high-throughput satellite and Ka-band technology can be used for DTH. At present, there are about 30,000 TV broadcast channels on satellite, and this is set to grow to 50,000 in the next 10 years.”

ANDY NOBBS, CMO at Civolution “Content providers face the increasingly easy propagation of unauthorised content online: piracy starts with an ‘index case’ and spreads rapidly outwards. As a show is aired, a pirate makes the first copy, which can then be shared multiple times, potentially leading to millions of downloads or live streams propagated over the internet. Disrupting this piracy chain at its source is crucial, and can be achieved by embedding a watermark. With forensic watermarking, each copy carries a unique identifier. This forensic watermark is an imperceptible unique identifier that is embedded into the video or audio signal. It makes every viewer accountable and enables content owners to trace back the source of illegal copies.”

ELEUTERIO FERNANDES, Middle East Sales Director at Exterity “A major trend in the region is the explosion of international visitors, which has led to demand for access to local and international content. Enterprise IPTV systems need to adapt to local requirements if they are to be successfully selected. It is particularly crucial for head-ends used in IPTV delivery to be able to handle all types of broadcast signal, whether terrestrial, satellite, cable, online or any other video sources, without picture or quality of service degradation.”

ALI KORUR, Regional Vice-President of MENA at Eutelsat “With the advent of larger HD screens, now at affordable prices, HDTV has developed in the MENA region at an impressive rate. Over the last four years, the number of HDTV channels has grown from a handful to more than 170. From the 7/8 degrees West orbital location, we have seen the number of HDTV channels broadcast explode in just three years, reaching over 70 at the end of 2013 against 12 in 2010.”


SatEvents

Since 2011, Russia’s domestic navigation technology market has grown by 20-25% annually. The bulk volume of GLONASS-based technologies deployed in automobile transport was around USD 510 million in 2013, a figure that is expected to grow to USD 570 million in 2014, according to Russian industry experts. GLONASS is the Global Navigation Satellite System operated by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

Driving this year’s growth will be the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects such as ERA-GLONASS, predicts Vladimir Klimov, Executive Director of GLONASS/GNSS-Forum. ERA-GLONASS is the national system created by the Russian Government for emergency response to accidents (ERA) which uses the GLONASS system.

“The mass consumer market will also drive growth in navigation technologies, equipment and services in 2014. By the end of the year, the level of penetration for navigation and information services into the Russian navigation mass market will be around 10% of the total volume of provided

Russia’s navigation industry has long served government bodies but after prolonged double-digit growth, the industry is shifting its focus to mass consumers. The eighth edition of the International Satellite Navigation Forum will highlight the rising demand and

shed light on the path steering navigation to new horizons

TAPPING THE

MARKET

telematic services, reaching USD 34 million in monetary terms,” adds Klimov.

Addressing this expected growth, the eighth International Satellite Navigation Forum, taking place this April in Moscow, will focus on developing services for end users and highlight the need to provide the mass consumer market with web-accessed services that afford consumers mobile control. There is demand, say the experts, for real-time information via mobile devices about locations and the movement of people, animals and personal vehicles, as well as about different emergency situations.

While navigation and information services for mass consumers in Russia is just starting to be developed, the experts agree that this market is one of the most promising and will continue to drive the industry as a whole over the next several years.

“Market players are shifting their focus to the mass sector. Most of them are preparing to present new navigation products that will undoubtedly be in demand among end users,” says Valentina Kartashyeva,


Executive Director of Professional Conferences, the organiser of the International Navigation Forum.

“As forum organisers, we keep track of market developments and we can’t help notice the increasing call for navigation and information services. We see navigation going far beyond GLONASS technology’s traditional limitation to B2B usage. We’ve picked up a number of interesting solutions that will be demonstrated at the forum and coinciding NAVITECH exhibition in April.”

Navigation market growth will also spur the automobile transport segment, say the experts. According to the Non-commercial Partnership GLONASS (NP GLONASS), the system’s sole federal navigation network operator, the motor transport segment, which includes equipment, systems, solutions and services, will grow 20-fold, reaching USD 9 billion by 2020.

“Now, Russian navigation market players are increasing the number of technology tools and developing brand new concepts including ones for the mass market. For example, just a few years ago, our technology platform was aimed at producing navigation and communication equipment to help address the business challenges of monitoring vehicle fleets. However, now they are also offering miniature portable devices weighing less than 120gm, with low power consumption, long battery life and high positioning accuracy. These new-generation devices create new ways to use navigation and information services. Recently, we demonstrated a GLONASS schoolbag prototype which was fitted with a miniature device, and the

product received great interest. People were ready to buy early prototypes right from the exhibition stand. And this shows the high demand for navigation and information

services in the mass market,” says Svetlana Khadonova, Marketing Director of SpaceTeam Holding.

The final factor boosting mass consumer demand

is the reduced cost of navigation devices. As devices are now

priced across the board at a quarter of the amount seen in

earlier years, industry players forecast increasing demand continuing robustly for the

next several years. PRO


SatVertical: Oil and Gas

With assets worth millions of dollars at stake, oil and gas operators demand advanced communications equipment to boost field effectiveness, enable asset tracking and coordination, and keep employees connected during emergency situations.

As such, satellite communications have a pivotal role to play in ensuring a high level of operational efficiency at offshore exploration and production facilities. This is especially evident in cases where companies are required to expand their exploration and production activities further into remote regions, where satellite networks are often the only viable option for delivering reliable, “always on” connectivity.

Besides establishing vital communications links between offshore workers and head offices, satellite technology can make a key difference in maintaining morale among employees who are required to operate in remote environments for extended periods, by allowing them to stay connected with their family and loved ones. The growing demand for applications such as video conferencing, email communications and data transfer has further driven up bandwidth requirements.

Another key trend is the emergence of machine-to-machine (M2M)

Satellite technology links offshore workers and head offices while also boosting employee morale. Fahad Kahoor, Thuraya’s Director of Market Development for Energy, addresses the trends that are enabled by mobile satellite innovations

MSS’ PIVOTAL ROLE IN OFFSHORE OPERATIONS

communications to support remote facility monitoring and real-time asset management across the energy sector. From facilitating oil pipeline monitoring at remote, unmanned sites to tracking operational assets that are constantly on the move, the widespread adoption of M2M applications will, in turn, lead to growing demand for more bandwidth and higher throughput speeds.

Fuelling demandIt is for these reasons that mobile satellite services (MSS) have become a mainstay in the oil and gas community, particularly in addressing the gap between the communications capabilities enabled by GSM backhaul services and VSAT networks.

Service reliability is the foremost requirement for successful offshore operations. L-band satellite technology is not affected by rain fade, and has long been an attractive option for oil and gas operators in maintaining offshore communications. For geographically remote locations that are not served by GSM networks, offshore workers can leverage the strength and capacity of L-band networks to enjoy uninterrupted connectivity — even when operating under adverse weather conditions.

The cost and complexity associated with offshore exploration — where the search for energy resources often takes operators deep into the world’s most remote environments — present another key operational challenge.

Besides being less expensive to install than VSAT offerings, MSS products are also relatively easier to deploy and manage.


For instance, operators can easily set up L-band terminals to establish high-speed internet broadband access — in a matter of seconds, and without technical assistance. By contrast, VSAT systems often require trained personnel to handle the installation process.

To ensure users gain the maximum value from their communications expenditure,

Thuraya takes a highly tailored approach of working with its customers that are engaged in oil and gas exploration by delivering customised MSS solutions that offer reliable performance over Thuraya’s congestion-free network to accommodate a wide range of offshore activities.

Satellite phones remain an important part of the communications mix for oil

“The widespread adoption of M2M applications will, in turn, lead to growing demand for more bandwidth and higher throughput speeds”FAHAD KAHOOR, DIRECTOR OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT FOR ENERGY AT THURAYA

and gas operators, serving as the most fundamental means of connecting onshore offices to remote facilities. To this end, it’s paramount that handsets are comprised of ruggedised material that are proven to withstand the toughest operating conditions. It is also essential that satellite telephony solutions providers offer flexible and cost-competitive choices across their

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geographic footprint. Low latency is also a crucial factor as operators need to minimise voice call drop-out.

Broadband data terminals also play an important role in meeting increasing bandwidth demands and the need for secure data transmission. While oil and gas operators are looking to tap into innovative capabilities, they also require ease of use. Therefore, a broadband data terminal must offer simplicity in its set-up and operation. It is all the better if no specialised training is required to use and manage the device.

In addition to users wanting a device that is ready for connection in any location at any given time, broadband speeds, depending on the intended usage, can be as important as the reliability of the offered capabilities. Being robust and portable enables the terminal to be deployed on short notice for the transmission of critical operational data, to support remote monitoring processes and to facilitate crew calling via VoIP solutions.

Thuraya is working closely with an ecosystem of product developers and solution partners to drive future technology developments that have the potential to enhance operational efficiency at offshore exploration sites.

This commitment to understanding and addressing our customers’ requirements is at the core of Thuraya’s innovation strategy. Going forward,

Thuraya seeks to continue delivering mobile satellite products that meet the energy sector’s evolving demands for reliable voice connectivity and optimised data speeds at cost-competitive rates. PRO

ADDRESSING THE NEEDS FOR DATA COMMUNICATIONSIP TerminalTo address increased bandwidth demands and the need for secure data transmission, the Thuraya IP+ was developed. The terminal offers simplicity in its set-up and operation, and requires no specialised training to establish fast and secure communications. The Thuraya IP+ currently offers broadband speeds of up to 444kbps on standard IP and 384kbps on streaming IP with an integrated antenna — ready for connection in any location. The streaming capabilities of the Thuraya IP+ helps users manage costs by controlling their upload and download speeds based on specific usage requirements.

Satellite phone adaptorUnderstanding the impact and importance of satellite phones for oil and gas operators, Thuraya introduced the world’s first satellite adaptor for the iPhone and android-based Samsung smartphone. The Thuraya SatSleeve makes satellite technology more accessible and intuitive for end users by converting your handheld device into a satellite phone by simply slipping it into the adaptor. It facilitates vital business communications and allows offshore crews to stay connected using familiar smartphones while stationed outside the coverage of terrestrial networks.

“Operators can easily set up L-band MSS terminals to establish high-speed internet broadband access while VSAT systems often require trained personnel to handle the installation process”


SatEvents

A plethora of experts, decision makers and industry movers will amass for this year’s edition of CABSAT, one of the region’s foremost events in content management. With a line-up of new features punctuating its busy agenda, the exhibition is expected to have a lot on offer. SatellitePro caught up

with several industry players to find out why attendees should visit their stands

EXHIBITORS’ HIGHLIGHTS


At this year’s exhibition, Safa Telecom is joining forces with Quicklink to showcase the new Merlin backpack along with the full power of Quicklink Media Manager (QMM).

“Quicklink is showcasing the new powerhouse version of the Merlin backpack for the first time at Cabsat 2014. The new Merlin will include advanced hardware that can take the strain of any demanding situation and a software upgrade that really makes a difference. The enhancements include a much higher achievable data rate even in the worst 3G areas, a massive improvement of stability in highly congested urban areas as well as increased resilience, full bonding of multiple connections and an improved user experience,” says Dominique Audion, Managing Director at Safa Telecom.

“Quicklink will be demonstrating the awesome power of the QMM and proving how it is a game-changer for live IP distribution, as well as the enhanced performance of the LNG software and 3008 encoder, both carrying optimisations parallel with new technological advancements in satellite connectivity.”

SatEvents

Newtec is embracing changeNewtec is unveiling its Dialog platform, which will be on exhibition together with its modem portfolio for low- and high-speed applications. Newtec will also be showcasing its other solutions for the broadcast, military and government, cellular backhaul, trunking, and consumer and enterprise markets.

“Our customers are in a continued race to deliver different services, reduce overall transponder cost and deploy infrastructure that grows with their business. To meet that demand, we have created the Newtec Dialog platform, a scalable and flexible multiservice platform that allows operators to build and adapt their infrastructure easily as their business and the satellite market grow. Newtec Dialog offers the industry a brand-new platform that always runs using an optimal modulation and bandwidth allocation,” says Didier Tymen, Vice-President of EMEIA Sales at Newtec.

The company’s key innovations that reportedly increase efficiency are being showcased, including the new return link technology Mx-DMA with HighResCoding (HRC), which results in MF-TDMA flexibility and on-demand variable bandwidth allocation at SCPC efficiencies.

Visit Newtec at hall 1, stand B1-21 Safa Telecom is exhibiting at hall 2, stand 201

Come see our “game-changing solutions”


Showcasing epic satellite solutions Intelsat is presenting the IntelsatOne terrestrial network and EpicNG high-throughput satellite platform at this year’s CABSAT exhibition.

“The IntelsatOne terrestrial network, which consists of eight strategically located teleports and more than 36,000 miles of leased fibre, operates seamlessly with our fleet of more than 50 satellites. It offers one simple, reliable source for multiple high-bandwidth services. The network continues to be expanded, with the addition of a Miami Point of Presence (PoP) as well as a peering agreement with BT’s Media PoP in Rio de Janeiro. This should be of particular interest for media organisations in the Middle East seeking access to Latin America for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics,” says Jean-Philippe Gillet, Vice-President of EMEA Sales at Intelsat.

“Intelsat EpicNG is an important part of the company’s plans for this region, both for meeting the challenges of media, mobility, broadband and oil and gas organisations and addressing growing demand for bandwidth. The backwards compatible platform allows customers to expand and improve network performance using existing hardware. It also allows network design flexibility through the use of ‘best-fit’ spectrum. This means that end users will have the unique capability to choose and use the right frequency band based on application needs,” says Gillet.

Intelsat will be at the show to discuss the current and future needs of media organisations and provide them with a solution that reflects these conversations, he adds.

“In today’s competitive environment, they need a technology solution that ensures optimal results and a provider that listens to them and develops solutions that are best fit for their current and future needs. Intelsat’s expertise and experience, as well as its knowledge of the region, makes it the ideal partner to provide media organisations robust and flexible satellite solutions.”

Meet with Intelsat at hall 1, stand C1-10

Broadpeak’s solutions are on exhibition at hall 6, stand A6-33

A regional first

At this year’s CABSAT, Broadpeak is showcasing its content delivery network (CDN) technologies as well as live and video-on-demand (VOD) server technologies that are especially designed for content providers and network service providers deploying IPTV, cable and over-the-top (OTT) services.

Broadpeak’s key demonstrations will involve its nanoCDN, umbrellaCDN and streaming servers as well as CDN equipment.

“For the first time in the region, Broadpeak is demonstrating a new video transparent caching application for nanoCDN that allows operators to efficiently handle the growing volume of unmanaged video content on their backbones. The innovative application reduces peering costs for ISPs while optimising an operator’s network resources,” says Jacques Le Mancq, CEO of Broadpeak.

NanoCDN is a video delivery technology that leverages home gateways to make them an extension of the CDN. Broadpeak will demonstrate the first application of nanoCDN, which reportedly eliminates live multiscreen consumption peak issues by turning millions of broadband gateways or set-top-boxes (STB) into active components of an operator’s content delivery infrastructure.

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Rugged security

Civolution is focussing on the robustness of its solutions at this year’s exhibtion. Its product line-up includes NexGuard-PayTV for content protection, SyncNow for content interaction, which includes synchronising content or advertisements between the first and second screen, and Teletrax for content tracking. The company’s demonstrations will also inlcude the latest developments in watermarking and fingerprinting.

“The Middle Eastern media landscape is rapidly changing, with PayTV services requiring more security and advertisers looking for synchronised campaigns that maximise reach by communicating with audiences across every screen. Our demonstrations at CABSAT will show broadcasters and content owners how to utilise robust tools that secure content. We’ve also extended our ACR solution SyncNow to provide the missing link between TV and online advertising that brands and agencies are increasingly requesting. We believe brands in the Middle East would benefit from simulscreen advertising and advanced solutions for content protection,” says Andy Nobbs, CMO at Civolution.

Find out more about Civolution’s products at hall 7, stand CD-10

Exterity is demonstrating its extended portfolio that has been tailored to the needs of Middle Eastern broadcasters and pro-AV installers.

“New developments include full HDCPv2 compliance across our entire solutions portfolio, SDI and HD encoding capability, dual tuners in TVgateways and enhanced system management in AvediaServer 6,” says Eleuterio Fernandes, Middle East Sales Director at Exterity.

“Visitors to our booth will see how the entire IPTV system adapts to demand in the region while also ensuring that the content industry’s security requirements are met fully. We are also showcasing enhanced system management and

features designed specifically for the hospitality market, which demonstrates our increased focus on the region.”

The latest version of AvediaServer reportedly enables system administrators to manage IPTV devices and software clients, as well as monitor the end-user access and content libraries.

“We also have the latest version of Artio portal, which facilitates the creation and management of customised TV, VOD and interactive pages, and offers a consistent user interface across multiple end points.”

Discover Exterity’s products at hall 4, stand G4-22

Solutions tailored to the Middle East

Portable satellite uplink units man up SIS Live is exhibiting a selection of portable satellite uplink units, including the first-ever showing of the new ManPak 100, a light-weight, manually-operated tripod VSAT unit. The showcase also includes the ManPak 60, a portable 60cm terminal with no loose parts, and uPak 60, a fully-automated compact VSAT terminal.

“The innovative ManPak 100 leads the way in the next generation of VSAT terminals. This 1m and 1.2m tripod-style antenna comes with a revolutionary control case that makes the manual acquisition of satellites simple, even for non-technical users, through the use of two simple wheels controlling the azimuth and elevation, and a graphical user interface (GUI). ManPak 100 is low cost, incredibly quick to deploy, and can be out of the bag and on a satellite in less than three minutes,” says David Meynell, Managing Director at SIS Live.

The ManPak 100 is lightweight, IATA compliant and packs into two robust cases which lock together, making one trolley case for easy transportation. The completely waterproof and rugged design allows for operation in even the most challenging conditions, from a war zone for military communications to capturing breaking news stories from the front line or distributing CCTV from remote locations on international borders.

Find out more about SIS Live’s products at hall 2, stand F2-21


Handling larger RF routing systems

“Visitors stopping by the ETL stand will be able to enjoy a first look at Stingray – ETL’s new fibre product. Building on existing RF expertise, the new range has superior RF specs and provides a unique design for high isolation applications. The compact design incorporates single-mode fibre links and enables remote control and monitoring of temperature, fan status and power supply status via web browser interface and SNMP,” says Ian Hilditch, CEO of ETL Systems.

ETL’s 128x128 compact Vulcan matrix and new Scorpion components mounting system will also be on display.

“The Vulcan matrix is extremely compact with impressive RF performance. It’s typically used for distribution of multiple L-band signals in a broadcast environment, through large satellite teleports with a high volume of satcoms traffic.

“The new Scorpion components mounting system has a compact 1U high shelf, which can hold mixed-size and functionality passive splitter and combiner modules. It offers a cost-effective solution to mounting passive components in a 19-inch chassis, eliminating the need to mount passives in mid air on the back and side of racks,” explains Hilditch.

SatEvents

ETL Systems will be exhibiting at hall 2, stand G2-23

ViewSat will be exhibiting at hall 2, stand H2-20

Recognising the value of the MENA regionViewSat will showcase its portfolio of services including an enhanced OTT offering and live broadcast solutions. With over 70 clients already working with ViewSat across the MENA region, the company is looking to expand its pressence and expects the exhibition to be an ideal platform to connect with new and existing contacts.

“We are planning further investment in the region in the year ahead, including setting up a standalone office in Dubai, designed to support our existing MENA clients,” says Awaes Jaswal, CEO of ViewSat.

“This year is going to be an eventful year for us, as we continue to grow our client base in this important area, whilst undertaking a brand refresh to segment our position in the market and highlight our offering to the direct-to-home industry. From accessing content on the go to streaming our clients programming live, we are keen to stay at the forefront of our sector and provide our clients with a quality and reliable distribution service.”

FGC will 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

all of your options and help you finalise your requirements. We’ll guide you

as you upgrade your network to achieve faster, more secure and cost-effective results.

FGC offers the most advanced and reliable solutions on the market. Our satellite-based broadcast solutions are being deployed by leading DTH platform providers to deliver a vast array of DTH services across the Gulf region. The modulators that we deliver demonstrate optimal performance in both DVB-S and DVB-S2, also enabling HDTV services at a cost widely accepted by the industry.

We believe that TV has a bright future – and with good reason. The global market for ‘anytime, anywhere’ media consumption has only just begun – and the visual medium is at the heart of an increasingly personalised consumer experience.

As we move away from one-way, single-screen viewing into an interactive, multiscreen environment, the need for multiple architectures, platforms and processes gains clarity. So do the benefits of streamlining technology, expertise, and consumer and business insights that allow you to focus on the bigger picture.

A complete TV solution, strategic collaboration, unmatched insights and adaptable pricing models support a new vision of multimedia. It brings our unique range of cross-segment expertise – combined with award-winning technology and solutions – to help you thrive in this new business landscape.

www.fgcltd.com

P.O.Box 25560, Riyadh 11476, Saudi Arabia Tel: +966 1 219 0888, Fax: +966 1 219 1888Email: [email protected]



In a highly competitive broadcast environment, small but powerful broadcast technology benefits from customer-driven requirements. Stuart Brown, Broadcast

Systems Director at Cobham Broadcast, discusses the advantages of miniaturisation

SIZE MATTERS


In a “see it now” world, you have to figure out how to get there first. The carnivorous appetite for content by consumers worldwide is driving broadcast technology designers and manufacturers to look at every opportunity to make their devices and processes smaller, faster and more efficient – right from the ability to replace an OB truck with a single flight case to HD transmitters that can disappear in the palm of your hand. It’s not quite “magic”, but only a few years ago it certainly would have been seen as such.

For example, there has been a significant move to produce lightweight, compact SNG systems that can be operated by one person. No need for an engineer to establish the uplink. A reporter, doubling as a cameraman (or vice versa) can now jump on a plane or dash off in a vehicle, arrive at a scene and begin reporting in minutes. The fluency of such an undertaking would have been all but unthinkable without a full-blown crew only a few short years ago. The fact is, in a ratings-driven, I-want-it-yesterday, multi-platform world, being second equates to being first in the unemployment line.

Broadcasters are under unprecedented pressure to transmit footage from a scene as quickly and efficiently as possible. The challenge is that those scenes are increasingly remote and difficult to access, but the consumer doesn’t care about that. Fortunately, for content consumers and for broadcasters that need to provide it, the miniaturisation of technology is now keeping pace with the need for access, if you know where to look.

Put simply, miniaturisation provides freedom, more specifically, the freedom “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” If you’ll excuse the dated pop culture reference, it’s actually a highly relevant

phrase today. Audiences want to experience news and events, not just from places they’ve never been before, but from a point of view that they’ve never seen before. Static camera positions still have their place, but to excite and compel viewers, news, drama, sport and cultural events need to be captured from new vantage points, new angles, new frames of reference, and modern technology manufacturers are responding with the enablers.

Cameras and their transmitters are getting smaller and smaller. The trend towards lighter, smaller and increasingly robust wireless transmission systems is having a major impact on the ability of broadcasters around the world to cover news, events and sport. The desire to get as close to the action as possible and transmit reliable HD signals from camera to studio is ushering in a new world of creative possibilities for those who want, indeed need, to differentiate themselves with compelling content. Solid wireless transmission links are vital to achieve this, but how do you get an SD or even HD signal out of a matchbox-sized transmitter, and do it wirelessly? Going wireless is, after all, a major contributor to the ability to extend a broadcaster’s untethered reach, the operative word being “untethered”.

Compression and connectivity are the keys. In fact, they’re vital, using one example, for newsgathering. Current and rapid changes in satellite technology such as the development and deployment of a number of large, multi-transponder Ka-band satellites and Ka-band networks is increasingly offering a viable and economic alternative to heavily used and frequently oversubscribed Ku band.

Inmarsat’s new Ka band-based Global Xpress service, which will start delivering,

“Miniaturisation provides freedom, more specifically, the freedom to boldly go where no man has gone before”STUART BROWN, BROADCAST SYSTEMS DIRECTOR AT COBHAM BROADCAST


via its next-generation Inmarsat-5s satellite system, higher transmission speeds through more compact terminals at a lower cost than existing VSAT services, using far less congested spectrum. When the full service starts, production teams will be able to capture events at distances never before possible and transmit bandwidth-intensive, high-quality video from anywhere. Production teams with modern wireless transmission systems that include IP-connectivity will also be able to make video calls, watch their home team score a goal, read the news, shop or even use social media if they want to.

Additionally, it is IP-connectivity that is changing the game, so long as it includes connectivity via 3G, 4G and LAN. The ability to utilise 3G is particularly important at the moment, as it ensures access to super-fast, wireless 3G internet connections from even the most remote locations.

There has also recently been a lot of discussion about a number of advanced video compression standards such as HEVC H.265, which I believe will undoubtedly augment the space-saving benefits of wireless systems. Why? Because at the moment, all wireless systems have to trade range for bit rate. It’s just the way it works in the wireless world. The higher the picture quality you want, the lower a wireless system’s achievable range will be.

However, by adopting improvements in compression that come with new standards such as HEVC H.265 and no doubt others on the horizon, high-picture quality can be attained but at ever-lower bit rates, which,

in turn, extends the range of the system to achieve, and maintain, the expected quality – importantly, without failure. Production teams stand to benefit the most from increased range at current picture quality thresholds, but improved compression will extend that reach ever further, and the results will be dramatic, both in terms of quality and content for the viewer.

Let’s pause for a moment and consider the ultimate space saver; that is, no space at all. Wireless transmission links require no cumbersome cable. Anyone involved at the business end of outside broadcast of any type is very familiar with the thick lattice of heavy cables strewn across the ground. Broadcast professionals scarcely take notice, but still have to negotiate paths around, through or over them. Less experienced field producers, or members of the public, can easily get tripped up or entangled in the maze.

Of more direct, practical importance to broadcasters is that implementing wireless transmission systems vastly reduces onsite rigging times. I’ve already mentioned that the ability to get to a site and to be first to air within minutes, even seconds, is critical. Cables are heavy, large and – for coax – limited in effective range. Going wireless means that those set-up times are slashed, with the added benefit of not having to transport and deploy large spools of copper coax. The reduction in production costs is noticeable, which pleases the accountants.

We’ve talked quite a lot about the ever-decreasing size and mobility of wireless transmission systems, new compression standards and Ka-band satellite availability, but there are many other initiatives that will continue to make newsgathering, event coverage and production techniques better, faster and smoother, not to mention more financially viable. The bottom line is that the ability to get to a location, capture images and link to a satellite to get that information back to base as quickly as possible is now a requirement, not an option, and the diminishing size, coupled with vastly improved functionality, of new technology are heralding a new age in broadcast production. PRO

“Broadcasters are under unprecedented pressure to transmit footage from a scene as quickly and efficiently as possible”


T: +971 44529993F: +97144584662

North Telecom L.L.C | P.O. Box 113483|O�ce # 2001Grosvenor Business Tower / Tecom | Dubai/ U.A.E.

[email protected]

Fix & Mobile SatelliteService Provider

Welcome to NorthTelecom Boothat CABSAT 2014, 11-13 March Hall 2 ,A2-20

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BROADCASTING

BroadbandINTERNET via Satellite

MVSAT

Satellite Segment

New TV hotspot over the region



TV viewers are used to having compelling, localised content at the touch of a button while usually no consideration is

given to the difficulties facing the content providers enabling this luxury. Roger Franklin, CEO of Crystal Solutions, explores

the challenges of today’s entertainment environment and how these are overcome

STAYINGIN CONTROL


The world of TV has evolved dramatically in recent years, with consumers across the globe having access to a wide range of compelling content localised for their region. For those providing the content, it means a need to keep up with demands and a delivery network much more complex than ever before.

The lives of programming providers have become severely more complicated in the past decade. It used to be the case that they only needed to provide a single, linear programme. But recent years have seen this change drastically, with the world now demanding much more regionalisation and personalisation, meaning where one version was once enough, now numerous versions of the same programme need to be created. This comes with a rather unique set of challenges for the content provider.

There are numerous ways that this content can now been altered for multiple regions, but the main complicating issues we are currently witnessing include multiple languages, graphics insertion and web streaming.

Arguably, the most crucial part of localising any content is ensuring it is in the local language. With an estimated 7,000 languages in the world, even when translating only a small fraction of those, it is no mean feat. As well as finding the right experts to ensure an accurate translation of content, from a technical perspective, it means there will be numerous versions of each programme and some regions may even need several of those to allow for different languages within the region. Naturally, the content provider will need to ensure the right

version is delivered to the right region at the right time.

Graphics insertion is a great way of localising content with a wide range of compelling functions, such as up-to-the minute local sports scores or local advertising information. Again, this means that each piece of content will need different versions depending on the graphics inserted, and again this may potentially go right down to a local level.

Web streaming of content is also becoming more and more popular, with an estimated 46 billion online viewers as of September 2013, an increase of 210% from January 2009 (according to comScore). The same report from comScore also demonstrated that viewers are spending more time watching online videos, with an increase of 300% in the same time period to 21 hours per month. For content providers, it means access to a large, otherwise often inaccessible customer base. However, it again requires another version optimised for web viewing, and often several versions optimised depending on the availability of bandwidth.

Of course, the other challenge with localised segments, regardless of how the content is localised, is that the various programmes will all change in different ways. For some, it may be a graphic insert, others perhaps will have a different language version, and for another percentage, there may even be no change at all. Therefore, the broadcaster also needs to keep track on which programme needs to perform what action in order to add the appropriate overlay or other information at a given time.

“Localisation is an extremely useful way to make content relevant to any given region, but it also greatly complicates distribution downstream, leading to a chain involving multiple third-party control systems and user interfaces that all still need to be controlled centrally”ROGER FRANKLIN, CEO OF CRYSTAL SOLUTIONS


Maintaining controlWhilst localisation is an extremely useful way to make content relevant to any given region, it also greatly complicates distribution downstream, leading to a chain involving multiple third-party control systems and multiple third-party user interfaces that all still need to be controlled centrally. Each vendor will likely have a control system to control their equipment, but the content provider still needs to access each vendor’s user interface, remember the syntax and particulars of each one, and carefully direct all their actions at critical times, such as the beginning or ending of a live sporting event.

Naturally, that leads to a complicated scenario seemingly impossible to manage. Therefore, the content providers really need a tool to control and manage multiple versions and functionality automatically. By automating the collection of stimulus from various sources, such as automation systems or real-time touch screens in control rooms, interpreting the received codes and then commanding the appropriate uplink- or downlink-based equipment as necessary, the entire process can become much simpler for the operators.

In a real-time broadcast control room, operators are dealing with a number of tasks all at once, and ensuring the content is displayed correctly and at the right time is key. Therefore, simplicity and ease of use is paramount. Having multiple third-party user interface screens is extremely confusing and likely to be an issue for those faced with that task. Therefore, being able to pull all of the control systems and user interfaces into one overarching and simple-to-use user interface will make that much more efficient, enabling the control room to easily keep track of all those systems and, crucially, the content.

In order to address the challenges of this demand for localised content and the subsequent plethora of programme versions being supplied by content providers, a content substitution tool for multiple distribution paths greatly helps. Providing such a tool, Crystal Solutions launched Connect, which turns easy-to-identify text-based command names of the operator’s choosing into one or more directives for

other third-party equipment – and in a fraction of a second. Using a single, programmable touch screen, the operator is presented with a series of buttons whose legends identify, in simple language, what major events may be required for that programming segment. When a button is pressed, the touch screen sends the button stimulus to Connect, which then interprets the code and sends all the resultant codes to the third-party control systems (or directly to uplink-based equipment, such as ASI switches or video routers). The button uses a series of colour codes to give the operator immediate feedback such as if the command was received by Connect, and if the resultant codes were received and acknowledged by the respective third-party systems.

All commands to downlink equipment (IRDs, splicers, graphics overlays, etc) are addressable to the programme to which they are associated. Therefore, events may be configured to only direct a certain programme to perform an action, while those in another programme perform a different action, or do nothing at all.

The Connect system is fully redundant. The back-up system is always kept up to date “on the fly” with changes to the primary system (such as which control file is currently active), so switching over from the primary to the back-up system does not require manual reconfiguration by the operator.

Staying in controlAs the broadcast and content provision environments continues to evolve, with more and more need for numerous versions of any given content, providing and managing that content is becoming increasingly complicated. It would be unfeasible for any content provider to manage that without a certain level of automation and control. However, with so many solutions on the market, managing those control systems is evolving into a complicated process. It is essential to solve that complexity by automating the management of all of those systems, and ultimately helping the content provider concentrate on providing content. PRO

“Web streaming of content is also becoming more and more popular, with an estimated 46 billion online viewers as of September 2013, an increase of 210% from January 2009”


MENA NETS FZE

Building Jafza 15, Unit 15-419, Jebel Ali Free Zone, POB 261670, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Office: +971-4-887 6606, Fax: +971-4-8876605

Email: [email protected]

www.menanets.com

System Integrators and Ground Operators Regional Resellers and Authorized Distributors

Installation, Maintenance, Training and TurnkeyVoice - Video - Data - Internet - GSM Backhaul - Broadcast

Mena nets provides 4 activities to the Mena region:i. System integration where we design and provide solutions over satelliteii. Supply hardware as resellers and authorized distributors of many manufacturers like ASC Signal, Skyware Global, Cobham, Xicom/Comtech, Anacom, Codan/CPI, NJR, SMW, iDirect, Thomson, etc.iii. Ground operations which includes installation, technical support, maintenance repairs, etciv. Training and consulting such as the GVF HOST.

these 4 activities are delivered through 6 product lines:i. Earth station antennae (3.5 meter to 9.4 meter) from ASC Signalii. VSAT antennae (75 cm to 2.4 meter) form Skyware Globaliii. Mobile satcom (on the move and on the pause) from Cobhamiv. Outdoor electronics: TWTs, BUCs, LNBs, Feeds, etc from Xicom/Comtech, NJR, Anacom, Codan/CPI, SMW, etcv. Indoor electronics: broadcast encoders, decoders, multiplexers, video servers, power supplies, combiners, splitters, routers, satellite modems, redundancy con-trollers etc from Thomson, Paradise/Teledyne, iDirect hubs/modems and others.vi. Installation, maintenance, support, logistics and training (GVF) and turnkey solutions involving system integration of all activities and prod-uct lines to provide customers with a complete end-to-end product. The objective is simple: meets customer needs with the latest technologies at the best price/quality mix delivered through experience.

SatShowcase

HEAD-TURNING

TECHFrom simplifying numerous broadcasting roles and workflows to hiking up efficiencies and greater optimisation of bandwidth, these products and solutions deserve their time in the spotlight. These,

together with a myriad other impressive technologies, will be on display at CABSAT 2014



Working to achieve greater throughput Designed to optimise bandwidth, improve signal quality and reduce operating expenses, WORK Microwave’s product line-up offers several enhancements.

DVB-S2 Broadcast ModulatorPowered by a combination of video and IP technologies, WORK Microwave’s DVB-S2 Broadcast Modulator provides operators with an ideal solution for IP network links and TV contribution. The modulator’s advanced feature set helps operators get the most out of expensive satellite bandwidth, optimise data transport and improve satellite signal quality. New Carrier ID support defines the modulation, channel coding and signalling protocol intended for the identification of the host carrier, enabling operators to eliminate or reduce radio frequency interference between satellite signals. Other innovative features include DVB-S2 multistream, TSoIP and wideband (up to 80Mbaud).

DVB-S2 IP-Modem SK-IP The DVB-S2 IP-Modem SK-IP harnesses XipLink traffic shaping and WORK Microwave OptiACM functionalities to optimise throughput and increase network bandwidth for service providers, corporate networks and telcos.

Showcasing improvementsWORK Microwave has made a range of improvements to its Fixed Frequency Block Converter Series, including Ka-band support for uplink and downlink services, superior phase noise and adjustable slope compensation. The new enhancements optimise the performance and bandwidth of satellite communications links, enabling operators to cost-effectively deliver a superior signal quality.

Focusing on efficiencies, cost savings Harmonic’s product offerings reportedly bring increased operational efficiencies and cost savings to broadcast and multiscreen production and delivery, while ensuring video quality on any screen.

multiscreen preparation solutionHarmonic’s ProMedia offers support for HEVC encoding and 4K video format, increased synergy with the Harmonic MediaGrid shared storage system for the delivery of time-shifted TV services, and support for closed captioning, regional blackouts and local ad insertion.

Proview familyHarmonic has enhanced its ProView integrated receiver-decoder (IRD). ProView is the industry’s first 1-RU, scalable, multiformat IRD, transcoder and MPEG stream processor. The platform performs broadcast-quality SD/HD MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC decoding and video transcoding, giving content providers, broadcasters, cable MSOs and telcos the ability to easily and cost-effectively streamline their workflows and decrease operating costs. This solution also supports AVC HD 4:2:2 10-bit decoding up to 1080p.

Ellipse contribution encoderThe new Ellipse 3000 employs MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC 4:2:0/4:2:2 8- and10-bit compression technologies to enable transmission of real-time video over satellite and broadband contribution networks. By encoding the highest picture quality at the front end of the broadcast chain, the Ellipse 3000 offers broad codec support and simple in-field firmware upgradability.

Spectrum ChannelPort Harmonic’s Spectrum media server features new channel-in-a-box capabilities, such as dual DVEs with independent branding. The Spectrum ChannelPort platform speeds the cost-effective deployment of new SD and HD TV channels by integrating branding and master control switching with clip playback on the media server platform.

Visit WORK

Microwave at CABSAT: hall 2,

stand C2-30

Harmonic is exhibiting

at CABSAT: hall 7, stand E7-12

www.CommunicAsia.com

The 25th International Communications and Information Technology Exhibition & Conference

www.goto-enterpriseIT.com

The 11th International Information Technology Exhibition & Conference for the Enterprise

17-20 June 2014Basement 2, Level 1 & 3

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Organised by: Worldwide Associate: Held concurrently with:Incorporating:

Pre-register your visit to the exhibition at www.CommunicAsia.com/pre-registration NOW!

, a part of CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT2014, brings together a congregation of satellite companies from around the world. Learn about the latest satellite services / technologies from the impressive showcase from exhibitors such as APT Satellite, Asia Broadcast Satellite, iDirect, Intelsat, KNS, MEASAT Global, SES, THAICOM Public Company and many others. Visit www.CommunicAsia.com/satcomm2014 for more information.

Network with over 1,300 exhibitors and witness relevant technological innovations at CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT2014

Bridging Communication Borders, Optimising Business Opportunities

Find out more by scanning the QR Code.

What’s

?New elements in 2014!

CE14AdW207xH270.indd 1 24/12/13 10:17 AM


Migrating, managing and monetising content Front Porch Digital focuses on flexible and scalable media workflows, offering purpose-built technologies that operate on site and in the cloud. Its solutions are said to be able to manage large and complex media files and workflows while ensuring optimal performance and security.

Head in the cloudLYNX is reportedly the industry’s first enterprise-scale cloud implementation of content storage management (CSM). LYNX delivers adaptable, on-demand scalability, reduces capital and operational costs, and revolutionises the way media organisations manage assets. LYNX leverages the latest cloud and web technologies to provide a range of networked and distributed solutions.

Efficient media asset management DIVAdirector V5.2 is the latest version of Front Porch Digital’s DIVAdirector media asset management (MAM) system, a permission-based web application that enables complete access to file-based content stored by DIVArchive content storage CSMs. DIVAdirector’s latest enhancements make the MAM more stable and versatile. With support for multiple audio channels

for different language tracks, users can provide multiple language options for a given video file.

Upping the applicationsThe DIVArchive V7.1 CSM system offers new features and capabilities, enabling a broader array of applications. The new AXF Explorer offers an intuitive interface for parsing Archive eXchange Format (AXF) objects, with straightforward operations that are performed using drag-and-drop procedures just as with the Windows operating system. DIVArchive V7.1 enables a complete range of video transcoding and workflows, and is directly integrated with Telestream’s Vantage Transcode and Vantage Transcode Pro.

Keeping it simpleGlobecast provides media management and playout solutions as well as global content delivery via fibre, satellite and IP. Through its fleet of SNG vehicles and production partners, the company also provides coverage of news, sports and special events around the globe.

OTT Managed Services From content preparation to delivery, Globecast offers end-to-end OTT solutions, including monetisation tools, to help broadcasters make the most of their content. The company’s service proposition removes the technical complexities associated with providing content to multiple platforms, in multiple formats, across multiple territories with associated rights issues from the broadcaster. Through a managed solution, broadcasters can deliver OTT services to market rapidly without having to make a capital outlay for hardware and software, keeping operating expenses under control and predictable.

Playout solutions Globecast provides a range of its scalable playout solutions that align with broadcasters’ strategies and budgets. Whereas it used to be broadcasters delivering content in the form of a linear channel to a single or perhaps a small multiple of handover points for onwards distribution to consumers, now that can be hundreds of handover points and a mixture of linear feeds and non-linear packages for catch-up and on demand. Globecast technical centres offer a wide range of tailored broadcast management services such as the graphical integration and regionalisation of content, which broadcasters can take advantage of wherever they are in the world.

Globecast is showcasing

its services and solutions at CABSAT:

hall 2, stand E2-20

See Front

Porch Digital at CABSAT: hall 6,

stand B6-20

Teaming upGlobecast will be co-exhibiting NETIA, a provider of

software solutions that enable efficient management

and delivery of content to a full array of media

platforms. NETIA solutions allow content producers

and owners to manage content from ingest to delivery,

targeting multiplatform outlets including the internet,

VOD, IPTV services and mobile devices.


Microwave solutions to heat up CABSAT Integrated Microwave Technologies (IMT) is a business unit within the Vitec Group’s Videocom Division and an innovator of advanced digital microwave systems for the broadcast, sports and entertainment markets. It offers digital microwave video systems for portable and fixed-link applications from its Nucomm and RF Central brands.

Speed chaserThe Nucomm CPTx-II (compact portable transmitter) is a lightweight RF video transmitter that delivers HD/SD output at up to eight watts in 2k DVB-T (coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) COFDM mode. Ideal for covering motorcycle and bicycle races, marathons, triathlons and other fast-paced, high-speed electronic newsgathering (ENG) or OB events, it supports video/audio/data/telemetry with selectable modulation bandwidths of 6, 7, and 8MHz. In addition to its small size, the unit has very low latency and power consumption. Weighing around 3kg, it comes with a variety of mounts, including special mounts for motorcycles.

Boosting bandwidth IMT’s Nucomm CamPac2 Plus HD/SD COFDM Microwave Transmitter is intended for wireless camera applications, such as sports coverage and ENG. It offers efficient

encoding/decoding, high-quality HD and low power consumption. It is available in licensed bands along with other bands upon request. Its rugged machined housing provides durability and good thermal characteristics for operation in the harshest of conditions. The CamPac2 Plus offers the same quality transmission as its predecessor

in half the amount of bandwidth, utilising MPEG-4. It also allows more video paths in the same amount of bandwidth, attractive to stations in markets with high amounts of

RF congestion.

Video on the goNucomm’s Newscaster DR2 is a split-box HD/SD COFDM diversity microwave receiver intended for outside broadcast and other mobile video applications. It has four RF inputs that communicate directly with the system’s external intelligent receivers in the 1.99 to 2.70GHz and 6.40 to 7.75GHz bands, with other bands also available. The use of external intelligent receivers allows the receive antennae to be remotely mounted.

Discover IMT’s

products at CABSAT: hall 8,

stand B8-21


SatShowcase

Audacious automation Mosart Medialab is a specialist in developing automation systems for news, sports, weather and live broadcasting applications. Its tools target control room crew and large broadcasters with multiple studios.

New Mosart Newscast Automation 3.6This upgrade has enhanced the GUI, enabling more flexibility at the director’s fingertips. It provides access to a customisable pool of content and enables direct playout, regardless of the rundown location. Content and sources from any point of the rundown can be sent to studio walls, both directly and through preprogrammed salvos taken to air at a single click. These innovations help improve nonlinear news production by giving directors instant content access and further enhance the Mosart automation system’s capability to perform in breaking news situations, during deviations from the newsroom computer systems (NRCS) rundown, and when directors are making on-the-fly decisions about which content and assets to use.

Mosart Multi-Studio SolutionThis is a software package for larger broadcasters with multiple studios. Combining Mosart Media Router and Mosart Template Sharing, the package enables sharing of resources and coordination across several control rooms. New functionality added to the Mosart Media Router enables the sharing of video wall, lighting and camera resources.

A range of Mosart solutions

will be on display at CABSAT: hall 8,

stand D8-10

Find out more about

Newtec’s products at CABSAT: hall1,

stand B1-21

Keeping up with business changesNewtec Dialog is a new scalable, flexible and bandwidth-efficient multiservice platform that allows operators to build and adapt their infrastructure easily as their business grows and in tandem with industry changes.

Dialog gives operators the power to offer a variety of services on a single platform while assuring the most optimal modulation and bandwidth allocation. In addition to supporting SCPC or MF-TDMA, it now includes a third revolutionary patent pending return link technology called Mx-DMA. Together with the new HighResCoding, it combines the best of both worlds and enables services to run more efficiently than ever before over satellite.

The Dialog platform consists of hubs and terminals. The hubs are modular (scalable) and can be configured in different sizes fitting the varrying needs of customers.

IBC2014 Discover MoreIBC stands at the forefront of innovation, drawing more than 52,000+ creative, technical and business professionals from over 170 countries. It couples a comprehensive exhibition covering all facets of today’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewed conference that helps to shape the way the industry will develop.

Also, take advantage of a variety of extra special features included as part of your registration at no extra cost:

• IBC Content EverywhereIBC Content Everywhere Europe is the first in a series of exciting new events focussing on rich media production, devices, apps, digital marketing, social media, content personalisation, big data, cloud services, second screens, investment and much more

• IBC Big Screen Experience providing the perfect platform for manufacturer demonstrations, ground breaking screenings and insightful, free to attend conference sessions focusing on the latest developments in digital cinema

• IBCWorkflowSolutionsdedicated to file-based technologies and provides attendees with the opportunity to track the creation management journey

• IBC Awards celebrating the personalities and the organisations best demonstrating creativity, innovation and collaboration in our industry

• Future Zone a tantalising glimpse into the future of tomorrow’s electronic media

IBC Third Floor, 10 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1BR, UKt. +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 f. +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 e. [email protected]

www.ibc.org

RAI AmsterdamConference 11-15 September | Exhibition 12-16 September

CPI_IBCDiscover2014.indd 1 24/02/2014 19:38

WHERE’S THE INSPIRATION FOR SPACE TECHNOLOGIES?


SatGuest

A few years back it was predicted that a new wave of countries would be reaching for the stars by starting their own space programmes and activities. Today, this trend seems to be declining. Why is this?

The activities of countries with existing space programmes are ongoing, but the expected growth in developing countries entering space is slow to materialise. Also, where are the indigenous scientific and engineering talents to fulfill the space ambitions of these countries? Various universities in the Middle East offer courses for space engineering, Earth observation and

communication, but it seems these topics are not in vogue anymore. How can this resource and inspiration gap be filled?

Dr John B. Sheldon, Fellow at the George C. Marshal Institute and expert on global space activities, provided one answer in a roundtable discussion on the topic.

“Any innovation needs inspiration, motivation – and leadership. With today’s technologies and global know-how, nobody has to be left behind. A good example could be for universities to start their own space projects using CubeSats, NanoSats or other small scale units.”

Motivation is paramount when it comes to innovation and its follow-up developments, but its effects fall short without sound leadership, writes Torsten Kriening

Have you worked on these kinds of projects? Share your experience and thoughts with us. Write to the editor at: [email protected]

Starting from less than USD 1 million, a CubeSat can be built and launched within a year or two. These kinds of initiatives are popular around the world and are supported by international specialists and expert communities. Sheldon spoke of the benefits of these projects, saying that experience from building and orbiting a CubeSat is unique and creates a sustainable opportunity to build on for the individuals involved and their country.

“The theory and the principles are similar to building large, more expensive satellites for communication, observation or exploration. If you plant the seeds today, you build your own indigenous capacity for tomorrow. The analysis of programme benefits and the decision process to start a programme can be supported by various analytic tools and technologies, taking account of any value next to cost.”

Inspiration and motivation for developing a viable and substantial space programme does not have to come with a big price tag, explains Sheldon. Today, space programmes can be scaled from very small but outstanding projects, to large and expensive undertakings. Either way, the key element is the vision and the passion at the leadership level. PRO

Torsten Kriening is the Managing Director of Kriening International and a business development consultant. He holds an executive MBA in Space Business and Management from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France

[email protected]

satellitepro me march 2014

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