SatellitePro ME July, August 2014

ISSUE 31 | JULY–AUGUST 2014

PICTURE PERFECT EIAST’s Super Resolution Tool enhances satellite imaging

COLLABORATION IS KEY Teleports must cooperate for greater success in broadcast

CHANGING LIVES Four new satellite launches promise to serve the other three billion

Design: Be Dandy

www.eutelsat.com

First choice for satellite homes Eutelsat is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. We provide capacity on 36 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies.

Leading DTH broadcasting in the MENA region The Eutelsat-Nilesat 7/8° West position is the first choice for multi-channel viewing with an audience of over 50 million satellite homes. 1,050 TV channels of which over 190 are international and 80 are in High Definition broadcasting from this neighbourhood.

Taking you above and beyond

SatEditorial Group Chairman and Founder Dominic De Sousa Group CEO Nadeem Hood

It’s showtime!

Group COO Gina O’Hara

Welcome to the summer issue of SatellitePro Middle East.

Publishing Director Raz Islam raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9129

Please allow me this opportunity to introduce myself as the new editor of SatellitePro Middle East. For those of you who know me, I thank you for your kindness and eternal support, and hope you will continue to be a big part of this new adventure. I would also love to meet new friends and contacts in the industry, so please feel free to drop me a line on my email address below.

Editorial Director Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 55 105 3787 Editor Clayton Aldo Vallabhan clayton.aldo@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5479 ADVERTISING Group Sales Manager Sandip Virk sandip.virk@cpimediagroup.com +44 7734 442526 Senior Sales Manager Rodi Hennawi rodi.hennawi@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9106 DESIGN Art Director Simon Cobon Designer Lucy McMurray PHOTOGRAPHY Jay Colina PRODUCTION Production Manager James P. Tharian james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146 CIRCULATION Database Manager Rajeesh M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +9714 440 9147 DIGITAL SERVICES Digital Services Manager Tristan Troy Maagma Published by

Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC

© 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.

In this issue we look at how O3b is changing the lives of people in remote and under-served areas. Satellite communication is critical to the economic progression of these secluded communities. Read our exclusive with Mohamed Sadek, MD of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia on page 10 of the magazine.

In other news, the satellite industry has shifted gear into show mode, and if you weren’t at BroadcastAsia, you certainly missed a golden opportunity to rub shoulders with the big wigs at the event. More than 50,000 visitors attended the show, from every corner of the globe, to catch-up with the latest technology in the broadcast and space sector. For those of you who didn’t get a chance to be there, or even those that are simply feeling nostalgic, read our show review on page 22 of the magazine.

Furthermore, we’re also very excited about IBC in Amsterdam this September.

Some of the key players in the industry will be showcasing rampant innovation in satellite technology, and announcing crucial capacity partnerships. Make sure you’ve signed up, because this year’s show promises to be the best ever.

Clayton Vallabhan Editor clayton.aldo@cpimediagroup.com

In this edition: “We strive to provide high quality affordable communication infrastructure to the other three billion” Managing Director of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia Page 10

“The tool can be enhanced and modified with a combination of parameters to fit images of any resolution.”

Saeed Al Mansoori, Assosciate Image Processing Engineer, EIAST Page 20

“The end-to-end spectrum at CommunicAsia, EnterpriseIT and BroadcastAsia showcased government frameworks, technological breakthroughs and commercial applications” Stephen Tan, CEO, Singapore Exhibition Services Page 24

“Broadcast and print journalists have to evolve rapidly beyond their traditional duties as news gatherers or gatekeepers, and take on more of the role of a news curator” John Huddle, Head of Broadcast and Media at Thuraya.

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BROADCASTING

Fix & Mobile Satellite Service Provider MVSAT

Broadband INTERNET via Satellite

New TV hotspot over the region

Satellite Segment 42 44 46 48 50

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Booth number: 4B79

54 48

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T: +971 44529993 F: +97144584662

www.northtelecom.com info@northtelecom.com

Grosvenor Business Tower / Tecom | Dubai/ U.A.E.

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SatContents Issue 31 | July–August 2014

10

News

SatEvents

4

24

Space race

Best of BroadcastAsia

UAE to send a probe to Mars by 2021, new satellites have been launched, capacity partnerships forged and more

SatLead

10

An in-depth review with a run down of some of the announcements and products showcased at the event

22

SatEvents

30

Changing lives through satellite

All eyes on IBC

O3b is helping facilitate critical communication through affordable and high-quality satellite services

A preview of what to look forward to from major satellite operators and product vendors at IBC, in Amsterdam, this September

SatImaging

SatReporting

20

38

Eagle eye technique

Satellites will fuel the next wave of journalism

Saeed Al Mansoori, Associate Image Processing Engineer explains how EIAST’s new Super Resolution Tool can do much more than boost satellite images

40

Citizen journalists can now work together with news reporters through the use of satellite technology

SatGallery

SatGuest

22

40

BroadcastAsia 2014

Collaboration is key

A gallery of some of the best looking stands and major exhibitors at Asia’s largest satellite and broadcast show, that took place at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore

With the world of TV broadcasting booming, cooperation between owners of teleports and sharing of resources is imperative for success

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 3

SatNews

UAE kickstarts space exploration; will send a probe to Mars The UAE has made its debut into space exploration with a project to send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2021. A new UAE Space Agency will be created to coordinate the UAE’s growing space technology sector and to supervise the mission.

The probe will take nine months to make the more than 60 million km journey to Mars and will mark UAE out as one of only nine countries with space programmes to explore the Red Planet. The project aims to develop Emirati human capital and boost the space technology industry as a sustainable driver of the UAE’s diversified economy.

“The UAE Mars probe represents the Islamic world’s entry into the era of space exploration.

We will prove that we are capable of delivering new scientific contributions to humanity,” UAE President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, and added: “the purpose is to build Emirati technical and intellectual capabilities in the fields of aerospace and space exploration.”

“Despite all the tensions and the conflicts

across the Middle East, we have proved today how positive a contribution the Arab people can make to humanity through great achievements, given the right circumstances and ingredients. Our region is a region of civilisation. Our destiny is, once again, to explore, to create, to build and to civilise,” said H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

LIQUID TELECOM AND EUTELSAT EXTEND PARTNERSHIP

YAHSAT ANNOUNCES THIRD KA-BAND SATELLITE

ASC INTRODUCES CARBON FIBRE ANTENNA

Liquid Telecom, a voice and IP provider in Africa, is stepping up resources leased from Eutelsat Communications to meet increasing demand for IP connectivity from a broad portfolio of clients that include national parks, out of town offices and remote mining and exploration companies.

Liquid Telecom and Eutelsat have extended their relationship to 2019 with a new multi-transponder contract for satellite capacity delivering premium coverage of sub-Saharan Africa.

The additional capacity is on the EUTELSAT 7B satellite that joined EUTELSAT 7A at 7° East on July 16. Liquid Telecom has also transferred existing traffic at 7° East onto EUTELSAT 7B to take advantage of the performance of its African footprint and has plans to ramp-up further capacity over the coming 12 months.

Yahsat has announced plans to launch its third satellite in 2016, extending its commercial Ka-band coverage to an additional 17 countries and 600m users.

This third satellite places Yahsat as the world’s eighth largest operator in terms of revenue and as a leader in innovative satellite solutions.

Al Yah 3 will extend the company’s commercial Ka-band coverage across the African continent, and will for the first time, cover South America.

ASC Signal has introduced a new, transportable, ARSTRAT-certifiable 2.5-metre carbon-fibre antenna that provides high performance across multiple bands in a reduced-weight configuration ideal for rapid deployment. The new system, which operates at L-, X-, C-, Ku-, Ka-, Q- and V-bands, is the latest addition to the company’s expanded mobile product line and complies with US military specifications for trailer mounting and remote field deployment.

The ASC Signal 2.5-metre system combines the company’s innovative antenna design with its state-of-theart Next Generation Controller (NGC) to provide the highest level of tracking accuracy available in antenna systems of this size. The 2.5-metre design maximises gain and tracking stability in a streamlined, reduced-weight configuration and joins ASC Signal’s 2.4-metre, 3.9-metre and 4.0-meter carbon-fibre antenna products.

www.liquidtelecom.com www.eutelsat.com

4 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

The mission will be led by Emiratis trained by international partners.

“The UAE’s purpose is to enter the space industry and to make use of space technology in a way that enhances the country’s development plans,” said H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. www.wam.ae The new space agency in the UAE will supervise the 60 million km journey of the probe to Mars.

www.yahsat.ae

www.ascsignal.com

Arabsat, ABS sign payload agreement

EUTELSAT APPOINTS YOHANN LEROY AS CTO

Arabsat and ABS have signed a strategic commercial agreement for a multitransponder lifetime Ku-band payload on the new ABS-3A satellite planned for launch in late 2014 / early 2015.

This Ku-band payload deal will provide Arabsat with additional growth opportunities to serve their customers over the Middle East and North Africa regions.

The ABS-3A satellite will be one of the world’s first all-electric propulsion satellites (a Boeing 702SP platform satellite) with nearly 8-kilowatts of EOL payload power and up to a total of 48 C and Ku-band transponders.

It will be located at 3° West and will offer expanded capacity connecting the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions. Its wide C and Ku-band coverage will serve both sides of the Atlantic for trans-Atlantic as well as regional connectivity and services.

Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of Arabsat said: “We are very pleased with this payload agreement with ABS, and we hope it is the beginning of a long-term successful

Eutelsat has announced the appointment of Yohann Leroy as Chief Technical Officer, succeeding Raphaël Mussalian who will continue to contribute his experience to Eutelsat as Special Advisor on Technology Strategy, reporting to Michel de Rosen, Chairman and CEO. As Chief Technical Officer, Yohann is responsible for ensuring Eutelsat continues to exploit and invest in key satellite and terrestrial technologies for the benefit of its customers.

His responsibilities encompass leading Eutelsat’s in-orbit expansion programme including satellite procurement, launch as well as in-orbit and network operations from its teleports around the globe, and driving Eutelsat’s longterm satellite technology roadmap.

Yohann Leroy joined Eutalsat in 2010 as Director of Strategy before assuming the role of Director of Engineering in 2013.

Arabsat signed an agreement for capacity on the ABS-3A satellite.

partnership. Arabsat has put in the market a request for proposals for four new satellites at different orbital locations, and yet, we continue to see rapid increase in customers’ demand on telecommunication and broadcasting services across the region, this agreement leverages Arabsat capabilities to harness more growth opportunities over the coming three years.” www.arabsat.com www.absatellite.net

www.eutelsat.com

SES AND NEWTEC PARTNERSHIP REACHES A MILESTONE IN BROADBAND EXPANSION Newtec has announced a new milestone after delivering over 110,000 units of its IP satellite modems for the SES Broadband Services (SBBS) network in Ku and Ka-band.

Newtec has been working closely with SBBS in Europe, the Middle East and Africa since it launched the Astra Connect service in 2007. It continues to supply hubs and terminals for SBBS and

Newtec has delivered 110,000 units of IP satellite modems for SES broadband services.

recently helped to extend coverage of the 20Mbps Ka-band service to cover more of Europe, especially Germany and France, using the new ASTRA 2E and 2F satellites.

“For many years we have enjoyed a productive and professional relationship with Newtec helping to push the technological boundaries to deliver a fast and reliable satellite broadband service for our

customers, for the best value,” said Patrick Biewer, MD of SES Broadband Services.

“We are very pleased to have reached such an important overall milestone and look forward to closing the digital divide even further with Newtec as our service continues to expand.”

Newtec’s low-cost Ka-band MDM2200 IP Satellite Modem includes DVB-S2 Adaptive Coding Modulation (ACM), Adaptive Return Link with 4CPM modulation and IP traffic enhancement software for TCP acceleration. It also features a Point and Play installation technology to make self-installation and start-up a simple task that can be done by the consumer.

“SES and Newtec have worked together on many projects during that time and we are very proud of our accomplishments together.

The objective for both companies is to provide the best service without compromise whilst taking advantage of the latest developments,” said Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec. www.newtec.com

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 5

SatNews

India launches five foreign satellites on board PSLV-C23 India has successfully launched five foreign satellites from four different countries on board the PSLV-C23 rocket, which placed the satellites in orbit.

After lift-off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 0422 GMT on June 30, PSLV-C23 placed all five satellites into the intended orbits, one after the other within 17 and 19 minutes of lift-off.

Along with its primary payload of 714kg, the French Earth Observation Satellite SPOT-7, PSLV C23 carried and placed in orbit 14kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada each weighing 15 kg and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore.

The five satellites were launched under commercial arrangements that ANTRIX (ISRO’s commercial arm) entered into with the respective foreign agencies. ISRO has so far launched 35-satellites from 19 countries around the globe.

The PSLV-C23 rocket was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

www.shar.gov.in

ARIANESPACE LAUNCHES O3B SATELLITES ON SOYUZ MISSION

VIASAT AND EUTELSAT SIGN ACCESS AND ROAMING AGREEMENT

WORLD TELEPORT ASSOCIATION WELCOMES TELESPAZIO

Arianespace performed its second launch for O3b Networks, following the successful launch of the operator’s first four satellites last year. With this Soyuz launch from the Guiana Space Centre, all successful, Arianespace proves its long-term support for new operators and helps reduce the world’s digital divide.

The O3b mission will provide low-cost, high-speed Internet access to the “other three billion” people on Earth.

Arianespace lofted four more satellites in the O3b constellation into an equatorial orbit. Built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor, these four satellites will enable O3b Networks to supply broadband Internet access at moderate prices to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia and the Middle East, totaling nearly 150 countries.

ViaSat and Eutelsat have entered an agreement that will enable service access and roaming on each other’s high-capacity satellite networks. Both Ka-band networks, representing over half of all Ka-band capacity on orbit worldwide, share the same highcapacity satellite ecosystem, enabled by the Viasat broadband system, along with other ground infrastructure owned and operated

by Eutelsat and ViaSat.

The World Teleport Association (WTA) has welcomed Telespazio S.p.A. as an Industry Patron Member. The support of Industry Patrons, such as Telespazio S.p.A., makes possible WTA’s research, publishing and cooperative development programs. ”It is an honour to welcome Telespazio S.p.A. to World Teleport Association as an Industry Patron Member,” said Membership Director, Randall Barney.

“Patron Members are instrumental in their support of WTA’s various research reports, which are beneficial to the entire WTA membership and the industry as a whole.”

Telespazio, a joint venture between Finmeccanica and Thales, as well as one of the world’s leading players in satellite services. The company, headquartered in Rome, Italy, employs approximately 2,500 people.

Viasat and Eutelsat to share Ka-band capacity on each other’s satellites.

www.arianespace.com

www.eutelsat.com

www.telespazio.com

www.o3bnetworks.com

www.viasat.uk.com

www.worldteleport.org

6 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

SatNews

Intelsat, SpeedCast tie for enhanced global connectivity Intelsat S.A. has announced that it has established a strategic agreement to provide access to its global C- and Ku-band broadband mobility network to SpeedCast.

Under the multi-year agreement, Intelsat will provide SpeedCast access to Intelsat’s global C-band and Ku-band satellite capacity as well as to its terrestrially managed network, IntelsatOneSM. The agreement will also provide SpeedCast access to Intelsat’s global broadband mobility network, which is comprised of 13 customised Ku-band mobility beams on ten satellites spread around the geostationary belt.

SpeedCast will leverage Intelsat’s

satellites and terrestrial network to deliver enhanced broadband and mobility solutions to the Maritime, Oil & Gas and Enterprise markets with expanded coverage and greater flexibility.

“This new strategic arrangement between SpeedCast and Intelsat is another exciting step in the transformation of SpeedCast into a major global player in the satellite communications markets, on land and at sea” said Pierre-Jean Beylier, Chief Executive Officer, SpeedCast.

Intelsat Headquarters in Washington DC.

INMARSAT LAUNCHES E-HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR REMOTE AREAS Inmarsat will help to develop, trial and deliver innovative telemedicine initiatives around the world as a partner to the Global eHealth Foundation.

Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce signed a Memorandum of Agreement at Inmarsat’s head office in City Road, London, last week, with The Earl of St Andrews, George Philip Nicholas Windsor, a Global eHealth Foundation Trustee.

The move aims to connect healthcare specialists across the world with patients in sub-Saharan Africa and other remote locations, helping to break down healthcare barriers.

Rupert Pearce, CEO, Inmarsat.

The event was attended by Global eHealth Foundation Trustee ambassadors, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Royal Africa Society and many partner organisations across Africa, including Qualcomm, Mubadala and the Gulbenkian Foundation.The Global eHealth Foundation wants to start a technologyenabled healthcare revolution by working with governments to co-ordinate funding, education, technology and advocacy. It aims to drive policy and provide access to health services in underserved communities.

Using innovative mobile phone apps and best practice models, the Foundation hopes to transform health services in the developing world and promote the development of integrated eHealth systems.

Inmarsat’s Alphasat satellite will be used to transmit real-time images used in telemedicine, so specialists can diagnose and treat patients on the other side of the world. Launched by Inmarsat in July 2013, Alphasat is the world’s most advanced civil telecommunications satellite and was designed with the UK Space Agency and ESA to provide developmental services such as eHealth.

The foundation has a number of high profile ambassadors, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chairman of the board. www.inmarsat.com

8 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

www.intelsat.com www.speedcast.com

GOOGLE ACQUIRES SKYBOX IMAGING Google has acquired Skybox Imaging for $500 million. Skybox specialises in photography taken by satellites in space.

Skybox claims that it has built and launched the world’s smallest highresolution imaging satellite, and the company provides data analytics and video of earth taken from space.

In a statement issued by Google, the search giant said the buyout will help in the development of Google Maps by keeping the service accurate with up-to-date images.

More than keeping maps up-to-date, this acquisition will give Google the ability to design and build its own satellites.

“Over time, we also hope that Skybox’s team and technology will be able to help improve internet access and disaster relief — areas Google has long been interested in,” relayed Google’s statement.

Founded in 2009, Skybox’s satellites offer video images and stills at a resolution of just over 1m per pixel – which can track single cars travelling along a road.

The firm sent its first high resolution satellite, SkySat-1, in to space in December 2013. It circles the earth around 16 times a day, relaying 90-second black-and-white clips, permitting analysis of movement on earth. www.skyboximaging.com

ETL Systems opens Middle East HQ ETL Systems has opened a Middle East office as part of its expansion strategy and to meet the growing demand for its products and services in the MENA region. The move marks the next part of ETL’s global expansion plan, having recently launched a North American headquarters in Washington. The Middle East office will be based in Dubai and will be headed by electronics engineering expert Mather AlAli, who brings more than 18 years of sales experience targeting Middle East markets.

“The Middle East is a very active market and is growing in size by the day,” said Ian Hilditch, CEO of ETL Systems.

“We have already been very successful in the broadcasting and government satcom markets in the Middle East and we aim to grow this further. This year we estimate that over 25% of our total sales will come from the region and we have full confidence that Mather’s expertise will both strengthen ongoing relationships as well as create new ones.”

ETL’s most recent projects in the region include an L-band Vulcan Matrix for beIN Sports Channel and two Vortex L-band Matrix Systems for du and ADMC. www.etlsystems.com

UAE CID CLAMPS DOWN ON PIRATED SATELLITE SERVICES

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Dubai Police have launched an aggressive campaign to clamp down on illegal satellite service providers.

The CID has obtained a list of illegal subscriptions to South Asian TV channels, which in turn has helped the recently formed Anti-Piracy Coalition and the concerned authorities to crack down on unauthorised satellite service providers and dealers.

Colonel Salem Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Deputy Director of CID, said, “Dubai Police has a robust strategy in place to crack down on piracy related crimes, and monitor illegal devices, equipment, and decoders, through specialised CID teams. We have taken immediate action to capture unauthorised devices.” www.dubaipolice.gov.ae

New satellite will be positioned at 39° East.

INMARSAT AND HELLAS-SAT TO LAUNCH JOINT SATELLITE Inmarsat and Hellas-sat have signed an agreement to launch a joint satellite into the 39° East orbital location. The satellite will carry two missions; first, the S-band payload (designated ‘EuropaSat’), which represents Inmarsat’s commitment to deploy an integrated telecommunications network to deliver aviation passenger connectivity services on a EU-wide basis and, second, a 44 Ku-band transponders payload designated ‘Hellas-sat 3’ for Hellas-sat, a majority owned subsidiary of Arabsat that will replace the existing Hellas-sat2 satellite and provide more growth capacities to its customers with diversified footprints in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The satellite will be manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and work will commence immediately to be launched in 2016.

Khalid Balkheyour, Arabsat President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hellas-sat, said: “This agreement represents the first milestone in fulfilling our commitment to our shareholders to capture additional growth opportunities, especially after the acquisition of Hellassat. Hellas-sat-3 also represents our commitment to Hellas-sat’s existing and loyal customers and partners in maintaining and expanding their business and continue to establish 39 degrees E as one of the leading DTH hotspots in Europe. This is the first satellite contract among our announced four satellites’ programme.”

INTELSAT AND GILAT SIGN MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT Intelsat and Gilat Satellite Networks have signed a multi-year, multi-transponder contract for Gilat Colombia. The contract will facilitate leveraging capacity on Intelsat’s Ku-band satellite at 332.5-degrees East to support the Kioscos Vive Digital 2 (KVD 2) project.

KVD 2 provides connectivity to rural and remote communities and schools in six regions in Colombia within a framework established by the Colombian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

Gilat’s SkyEdge 2 WebEnhance VSAT was also chosen to be used in four regions for the project, including areas under Gilat Colombia.

www.inmarsat.com

www.intelsat.com

www.hellas-sat.net

www.gilat.com

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 9

SatLead

Changing lives through satellite O3b Networks is a next-generation satellite network enabling customers in emerging markets to extend their range and reach of service through fast, flexible and affordable connectivity. Clayton Vallabhan speaks to Mohamed Sadek, MD of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia, about how the company is connecting the world, one link at a time

10 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 11

SatLead

“Google, HSBC and SES, one of the largest satellite operators with 56 satellites, are among our shareholders. The idea took hold because it advocates a noble cause” MOHAMED SADEK, MD of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia

O3b was a concept that was conceived in Rwanda seven years ago by Greg Wyler, the founder of the company. Wyler helped to create Africa’s first commercial 3G mobile and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network and in 2008 was ranked amongst the top 50 global technology trendsetters.

He felt the need for Africa to have proper infrastructural communication as a vital means to advance economically, socially and across the spectrum. The company is dedicated to proliferation of broadband and internet coverage combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre.

It wasn’t long before Wyler realised that a dire lack of communication is not just limited to Africa, but that the situation is the same in Latin America, the Pacific Islands, Asia and the Middle East. This is when he decided to do something about it and the concept of affordable high quality satellite broadband was created.

How to get there was the trick. Wyler and his colleagues put a plan together, and over the years, a lot of time and effort has gone into developing the concept and sharing it with potential funding entities.

Mohamed Sadek, Managing Director of O3b, Middle East and Central Africa speaks about how the company managed to garner the capital for its ambitious project: “Google, HSBC and SES, one of the largest satellite operators with 56 satellites, are among our shareholders. The idea took hold because it advocates a noble cause.

The very name O3b bears the essence of 12 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

The launch of O3b’s satellites from Arianespace in French Guiana.

LEO = Low Earth Orbit (100-1,500 km) MEO = Medium Earth Orbit (5,000-10,000 km) GEO = Geostationary Orbit (36,000 km) HEO = Highly Eliptical Orbit

HEO

GEO LEO

MEO

Come and see us at IBC 2014 Hall 4 Stand B74

SatLead

“We strive to provide high quality affordable communication infrastructure to the other three billion who are under-served, underprivileged and have been deprived from services. Some of our customers have never seen the internet and have never known the internet as you and I do. They have never heard of YouTube, because geosatellites do not lend itself with the delay it has, to streaming videos of any kind” MOHAMED SADEK, MD of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia.

Mohamed Sadek, MD, O3b, Middle East and Central Asia.

the company – the other three billion.

“We strive to provide high quality affordable communication infrastructure to the other three billion who are under-served, underprivileged and have been deprived from services. Some of our customers have never seen the internet and have never known the internet as you and I do. They have never heard of YouTube, because geosatellites do not lend themselves to the delay it has, to streaming videos of any kind,” explains Sadek.

O3b has developed and engineered four satellites that it launched last year, and started offering limited service to customers, given that the constellation requires a minimum of eight satellites to complete the defined geographical area of coverage. The satellites were manufactured 14 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

by Thales and launched from the Arianespace Centre in French Guiana.

Each satellite has 12 antennas, two for communications with O3b’s gateways, and 10 for its customer capacity services.

Hence, each satellite can land 10 beams to O3b’s customers. Each beam is 700 km in diameter and can produce throughput up to 1.2 Gbps. The satellites are positioned in O3b’s Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at a distance of 8000 km from earth allowing for very low latency that compares to that of fibre, hence delivering a much higher quality of service to customers.

“Customers that have been provided with our services are absolutely mesmerised by the quality of the service that they have been receiving, and have gone out and been vocal about it. The Royal Caribbean cruise liners tested

our services, and loved it,” says Sadek.

“Telecom Cook Islands is live on the O3b service, and the CEO, Jules Mahar called it ‘historic’. This is amazing evidence of the quality of service we are able to provide.

When we say fibre speed, we mean it, and it’s witnessed by our customers,” he adds.

On 10 July 2014, O3b launched the second set of satellites into its Medium Earth Orbit completing the constellation requirement for geographical coverage.

Sadek says there will be a couple of weeks of In Orbit Testing (IOT) followed by ground tests where O3b will start switching on its customers around the world.

He explains that satellite communication is absolutely essential for remote areas with no fibre links.

“Throughput for our customer base is exactly what they need, be it for remote

SatLead

education in rural villages, e-health where there can be an exchange of X-rays and MRIs in regions where people are unable to get proper healthcare services. For communications in enterprises, like the energy sector, which is one of our biggest draws, whether for offshore or onshore rigs, they are in most cases in rural and remote areas with improper broadband service, so we bring that to them. Here in the Middle East, we are finding very strong traction as we are introducing our services to our customers,” says Sadek.

When asked about where he sees the business growing, Sadek explains that O3b is signing the most of the contracts in Asia-Pacific, and the Pacific regions. He attributes this adoption purely to the nature of the islands.

“There are so many of them, and they are so isolated, so for them O3b comes as a perfect solution. Our prices are extremely competitive with geo-satellite services by far. The combination of our high-quality throughput at affordable prices is very hard to get. Hence we’re very pleased that we can cater to this segment.

In Africa and Latin America too, O3b is growing very strongly. We have landed many of our beams already and provided services to our customers. Some of them are large-scale deals,” explains Sadek.

He adds: “Government is a very The Russian-built Soyuz launch rocket, being rolled out and transferred to the launchpad.

16 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

“Up until last year we were selling our services on the basis of a PowerPoint slide and sales material. There was nothing to show for as the satellites were on the ground being manufactured and what we had was just our commitment and sales brochures” MOHAMED SADEK, MD of O3b, Middle East and Central Asia

important market segment for us, along with telecom operators, MNOs and ISPs. We do not cater to end-users per say, but rather to enterprises, carriers, governments and mobile operators.

“Up until last year we were selling our services on the basis of a PowerPoint slide and sales material. There was nothing to show for as the satellites were on the ground being manufactured and what we had was just our commitment and sales brochures, but we were able to sell

and sign a lot of contracts purely based on this. Now that we have our satellites in space, I think it’s going to be much more exciting,” continues Sadek.

The Medium Earth Orbit brings latency down to a fraction of what it is today, eliminating any delay in communication.

Customers can stream videos and browse the internet, download large data files, and use real-time applications that could not previously be used on geostationary satellite links. Fire alarms and disaster recovery, even security sensitive real time applications are now easily accessible. This is opening the doors to a host of businesses and services that were previously not possible.

According to Sadek, O3b has defined some sectors as early adopters: “The reason they want to use our services is because of the absolute need. There is no alternative.

Remote and isolated islands are part of this. We are also seeing significant growth, albeit at a slower pace in the energy sector. These companies like to examine our services on a trial basis, and send their engineers and technicians to verify and perform tests. We have complied and have begun to see a very solid pattern of growth in the enterprise and energy markets.

Here in the Middle East, energy plays a major role because there are a lot of oil and gas resources in the region, so it is

SatLead

O3b’s financial and operational supporters

SES HSBC Principal Investments Liberty Global Development Bank of South Africa Satya Capital Google North Bridge Venture Partners Sofina Luxempart Allen & Company

Each O3b satellite has 12 antennas, two for communication with O3b’s gatways, and 10 for capacity.

18 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

very important for us,” comments Sadek.

Furthermore, telecom operators in countries that have terrain which makes it difficult to deploy fibre links due to it being prohibitively expensive, prefer satellite links like O3b with fibre quality service.

“We are noticing that these mobile operators, through universal services funds and requirements are able to reach out to remote villages and towns that are beyond mountains, and provide the residents with services. Nowadays, everyone wants a smart device in their hands, whether they are in a fishing village, or an island, or in agricultural terrain. Operators think the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) is low and it won’t be adopted, but what we’re witnessing is a spike in data usage, when you provide services to these towns.

People just jump on to them, and it’s not just teenagers on social networking sites, its farmers who use these smart devices to spare themselves a trip to the bank; to get a

receipt or to meet a business colleague. They now do these transactions right from their homes as opposed to getting on a mule and travelling for miles. It is actually changing lives and facilitating commerce,” says Sadek.

The management of O3b sees the business growing by leaps and bounds, and believe that this truly is the future of satellites.

Sadek says SES recognised this early on and became a keen partner of O3b.

“This is a time to celebrate a major milestone in our journey. We intend to launch another set of four satellites by the end of this year, reaching a total of 12 satellites in orbit, as our constellation continues to grow.

“We will continue to launch satellites as long as the demand for our services is growing, but it’s also a time to take O3b to markets that we cater to and I believe our job is going to be easier as people learn more about us and our services,” concludes Sadek. PRO

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SatImagery

Eagle Eye Technique The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) recently unveiled the Super Resolution Tool. SatellitePro learns more about the technology from Saeed Al Mansoori, the Emirati engineer who developed it. Designed specifically for Dubai-Sat 2 imagery, Al Mansoori, Associate Image Processing Engineer in the Application Development and Analysis Centre at EIAST, explains how this new tool can do more than boost satellite images

20 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

How the Super Resolution tool works:

the properties of the surrounding pixels and the mathematical interpolation relations represented by a digital database, sharpening the edges in the image using a matrix of 3x3, and finally improving the image by eliminating the noise caused by the third step.

How long did it take to develop this tool?

I started developing this technology in 2013 and the project was completed in April 2014. In August last year, the idea of the project was presented at the SPIE Optics and Photonics conference held in San Diego in the United States. The tool’s principle was discussed with scientists and engineers specialising in this area and their feedback was taken into consideration when enhancing and developing the technique.

What are the limitations of satellite imagery?

Every optical remote sensing satellite has a specific resolution. If the imagery is zoomed in beyond a certain level, the image details will be blurred, resulting in information not being able to be extracted. Therefore, a highresolution image is essential and to get such an image, a very complex sensor is needed with a high level of accuracy. However, this requires a lot of sensitive hardware devices and equipment, and is both challenging and costly.

Are there ways to increase the resolution of an image?

Generally, there are three possible ways to increase the spatial resolution of the image: reduce the pixel size, increase the chip size, and super resolution. The first increases the number of pixels within the same unit area, which will increase the spatial resolution, but produce a level of Gaussian noise. In obtaining high-resolution images through hardware by increasing pixels, the density of image sensors (charge coupled device and complementary metal oxide) and chip size require high precision optics, which are quite costly. The well-known approach to enhance image resolution is super resolution.

What does EIAST’s new Super Resolution Tool do?

The aim of the Super Resolution Tool is to construct a high-resolution enlargement of a low-resolution input image. This tool was designed to increase the number of pixels, leading to enhanced image features such as edges, boundaries or contrasts, making the digital image more useful for display and analysis. This will provide a detailed version of a given image that can be used in many real-time applications including image compression and communications, medical, feature extraction, satellite imaging, entertainment and HD TV. How does the Super Resolution Tool work?

An image captured by the DubaiSat-2 satellite is used to recover a high-resolution version. This method is based on learning the correlation between low resolution and the corresponding high resolution patches from a database of known lowand high-resolution image pairs. For this tool, a special database is used.

The technical principle of the tool is focused on four basic steps: increasing the original image size by a factor of two, inserting a new set of pixels depending on

What types of images can the tool enhance?

Besides optically enhancing DubaiSat-2 satellite images, the tool was also applied to DubaiSat-1 images and it also performed well. However, the tool is useful not only for satellite imagery, it can be applied in medical applications including X-ray, radars and surveillance cameras, for example. For such cases, new parameters will play a role and minor modifications will be required.

To what limit can the tool enhance imagery?

The tool is designed to enhance image quality by increasing the number of pixels within an image by a factor of two. So if the image is 100x100 in size, it contains 10,000 pixels. Therefore, the enhanced image will be 200x200 in size, containing 40,000 pixels. This means that by applying this tool each pixel value in the original image is replaced by four enhanced pixel values.

Does your tool work on images of any resolutions?

Yes, the tool can be used across images of any resolution, but since it’s designed for DubaiSat-2, some parameters should be taken into consideration for other resolutions. When designing such a tool, we don’t focus on the original resolution alone but also on the application that it will be used for. The tool can be enhanced and modified with a combination of parameters to fit images of any resolution. PRO July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 21

SatGallery

BroadcastAsia 2014 BroadcastAsia drew more than 50,000 attendees for the four-day event, and there were announcements from nearly 2,000 exhibitors spanning more than 50 countries across the world. The show’s three conferences also drew more than 1,300 attendees 22 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 23

SatEvents: BroadcastAsia

CommunicAsia2014, EnterpriseIT2014 and BroadcastAsia2014 took attendees on a revolutionary journey with the most hi-tech technologies that will power the future in a smarter and more connected living environment, while also providing a glimpse into the latest state-of-the-art solutions in digital entertainment

The more than 50,000 attendees at the four-day event at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, set the stage for meaningful interaction with the world’s leading ICT and broadcasting companies as well as technology upstarts. They also experienced the newest technology launches and heard the latest business announcements from nearly 2,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries across the world. The show’s three conferences drew more than 1,300 attendees, with industry luminaries sharing with delegates their 24 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

views on hot and trending topics.

“We are extremely pleased with the buzz this year’s shows have generated.

By bringing together industry leaders in connected services and digital entertainment, we were able to offer our attendees a truly immersive experience to enable them to adopt the most relevant and effective technological choices for their businesses. The end-to-end spectrum at CommunicAsia, EnterpriseIT and BroadcastAsia showcased government frameworks, technological breakthroughs

Stephen Tan, CEO, Singapore Exhibition Services.

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore: The venue that hosted BroadcastAsia2014.

“CommunicAsia gives us the opportunity to do what we do best – that is to grow with our customers by listening to them and addressing their specific needs” DEEPAK MATHUR, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Asia-Pacific & Middle East, SES.

and commercial applications, all under one roof. This is what attracts our conference speakers and delegates, exhibitors, visitors and press to our shows every year,” said Stephen Tan, Chief Executive of show organiser, Singapore Exhibition Services.

CommunicAsia2014 and EnterpriseIT2014 provided a launch platform for several other exciting new products including Huawei’s thinnest flagship Ascend P7 smartphone; RugGear’s rugged smartphones, Mariner Pro RG100 and iSafe Innovation 2 for use in harsh environments; and Conax showcased its entry-level OTT Access solution and Conax Go Live solution for live streaming of TV content to mobile devices.

“CommunicAsia is a fantastic place for us to meet key players in the region and show the full range of innovations that service providers and consumers expect from Technicolor. We put a strong emphasis on middleware, Wi-Fi, smart life solutions and 4K Ultra HD, that can greatly enhance the home experience for the viewer by delivering value-added services. We also showcased new applications built on our Qeo open source solution for connecting a multitude of devices to the Internet of Things; a future that is unfolding for the consumer today,” said Michel Rahier, President Connected Home, Technicolor.

Steve Christian, Vice President Marketing, Verimatrix who has been exhibiting at the show for more than five years said, “CommunicAsia is the best option as a regional hub for us to reach out to customers and partners across APAC. It enables us to execute three of our business objectives most efficiently: customer deployments, partner relationships and new product showcases. We are very pleased with the number of meetings we had.”

Other leading companies in the CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT showcase included Airwatch, Dell, Ericsson, GlobeCast, Huawei, Irdeto, Panasonic Toughbook, Sennheiser Electronic Asia, SingTel Satellite, ST Electronics, Tata Communications, Tektronix, Toshiba and more.

The Myanmar Connect event received an encouraging response from visitors

interested in learning more about investing in the country’s newly-opened telecoms sector from Myanmar’s ICT flagship company RedLink Communications as well as Singapore legal eagle Rajah & Tann’s Myanmar practice experts.

New Business Deals and Solutions in the Satellite Industry On the back of several recent industry developments, Asia’s largest gathering of more than 160 satellite players at CommunicAsia2014 made significant announcements and led the industry discussion. NovelSat’s new NS3-based enhanced and secure satellite transmission solutions, Thaicom’s inflight Wi-Fi deal with NOK Air, and Eutelsat’s partnership with Singapore’s ST Teleport’s earth station to provide a new gateway that brings faster and more scalable connections for data, maritime, media and entertainment sectors - are some of the key developments that unfolded at CommunicAsia2014.

Commenting on the show, Deepak Mathur, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, SES said, “We have exhibited at CommunicAsia for more than a decade, and it has remained a fixture for SES because it brings together our customers and partners from across the region in a single location.

CommunicAsia gives us the opportunity to do what we do best – that is to grow with our customers by listening to them and addressing their specific needs with the power of satellite communications.”

“CommunicAsia is a fabulous trade show that has all the products and services I need under one roof. It enables to keep up with the trending technologies and connects me with the industry,” said Mr. Henry Pang, Vice President of Information Technology, Star Cruise Pte Ltd, Singapore.

“CommunicAsia has been the top ICT trade show which I always make the effort to attend. Over the years, the show has matured with more exhibitors and product/ service categories. I have also seen more SMEs which is a very good sign as that means I will have more choices to source from. CommunicAsia is a must-attend event for me,” said Mashrique Ismail, CEO, Netshoppe Sdn Bhd, Malaysia. PRO July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 25

SatEvents: BroadcastAsia

Inmarsat showcases IsatHub service

Thuraya launches Atlas IP for Maritime

Inmarsat demonstrated its IsatHub service at CommunicAsia2014.

IsatHub was proposed by Inmarsat to be the most powerful, portable solution available for connecting smart devices when beyond the reach of terrestrial mobile and fixed networks. However remote the location, the IsatHub service will enable a user to talk, text, access the internet and apps using their own smart device.

With its commercial launch in August, the new service will be accessible via the Wideye iSavi terminal from AddValue. A small, lightweight terminal (less than half the size of a standard laptop), iSavi can connect to any iPhone, iPad and/or iPod Touch or Android device via WiFi. Using the IsatHub control app on their smart device, users can gain access to the IsatHub service, allowing them to use both its data capabilities and dedicated high-quality voice line.

Once the IsatHub connection is established, it will provide a personal and secure network up to 30m (100ft) from the terminal.

The control app has additional features such as set-up assistance, full control over additional device access, as well as visibility of data usage from each device sharing the IsatHub connection.

“You could be a thousand kilometres from the nearest mobile network and still connect to the rest of the world for applications ranging from video calls to accessing your emails,” said Drew Brandy, Vice President of Strategy and Development, Inmarsat Enterprise, who attended IsatHub’s live demonstration in Singapore.

“For companies, this means that employees can stay productive and in contact regardless of whether they are in a mobile signal ‘blackspot’ or the middle of a desert. For private users, IsatHub means that experiencing an adventure - from the Amazon to the Andes - can be shared with family and friends in real time.”

IsatHub features the highest data rate of any equivalent service with standard IP data up to 240/384kbps (send/ receive), in addition to a dedicated, high-quality voice line.

At CommunicAsia2014, Thuraya Telecommunications further extended its maritime product portfolio with the launch of Atlas IP, a feature-rich broadband satellite terminal.

Thuraya Atlas IP is the second maritime-specific product launched by Thuraya in 2014 and is designed to complement the Thuraya Orion IP broadband terminal by offering a fully-featured voice and data product with additional functionality built in.

Designed and manufactured for Thuraya by Addvalue of Singapore, Thuraya Atlas IP delivers superior performance compared to more highly-priced competitor terminals, but with a higher specification and at a lower cost.

Capable of standard IP data transfer at rates up to 444kbps and asymmetric streaming capability of 16kbps-384kbps, Thuraya Atlas IP is available with Thuraya’s range of attractive and flexible pricing plans, designed to provide users with exceptional value and choice.

Randy Roberts, Vice President of Innovation at Thuraya said, “The Thuraya Atlas IP terminal cements our position as a credible choice for maritime users who value innovation alongside value and flexibility. As our second maritime terminal launch of 2014, Atlas IP represents an option for users who want an added value terminal that can act as a shipboard hub. Together with some of the most competitively-priced airtime packages available, it represents a serious challenge to the established order in maritime.”

In addition to the voice and data capabilities of Atlas IP, key software components include a built in firewall, Wi-Fi and fleet tracking feature based on distance or time with accurate geo-fencing. The terminal also has the ability to configure and limit data sessions by time or volume through a multi-lingual web interface. Corporate users wanting to take advantage of specific applications can choose a customisation option to have their application embedded on the terminal’s core module.

26 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

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SatEvents: BroadcastAsia

MEASAT demonstrates services over MEASAT-5

MEASAT partnered with Aviindos, Maxis Communications Berhad and Village Island Asia Pte. Ltd. to showcase multimedia services over MEASAT-5, at CommunicAsia this year.

Under the cooperation, IP multicast technology was used to demonstrate multimedia distribution via the MEASAT-5 satellite, with a live demonstration at the Malaysian Pavilion Booth.

“MEASAT is demonstrating the MEASAT-5 capability to bridge connectivity in remote areas through not only broadband Internet and VOIP, but also through multimedia services using IP multicast technology,” said Raj Malik, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing, MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. “We are delighted with the support provided by Maxis, Aviindos and Village Island in showcasing MEASAT-5’s potential.”

“Village Island and Aviindos have cooperated with MEASAT on various projects,” said Jonathan Triboulet, Sales Director, Village Island Asia. “With the strong time constraints we had in order to prepare this demonstration for CommunicAsia2014, the Sencore units’ high reliability and ease of implementation came in handy. We provided our best technical support remotely and locally to ensure optimal streaming.”

“In line with our focus towards the broadcast and satellite industry, Aviindos is pleased to have supported MEASAT in the implementation of this IP multicast technology on MEASAT-5,” said Naveendran Murthy, Sales Director, Aviindos. “We are impressed with the overall team dedication to enable the upcoming live demonstration.”

MEASAT-5 provides 3Gbps of satellite broadband capacity across Malaysia. In partnership with telecommunications companies and vendors, today supports satellite broadband services to over 6,000 remote locations.

28 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

Vislink and ND SatCom announce cooperation

Vislink entered into a cooperation with ND SatCom at CommunicAsia this year. The agreement gives the companies access to each other’s product portfolios, and the ability to offer suitable products to customers in their respective broadcast and surveillance markets.

The cooperation will see ND SatCom’s SKYWAN 5G modem made available as part of Vislink’s range of SATCOM equipment.

The SKYWAN 5G is an MF-TDMA modem with an integrated DVB-S2 receiver, capable of achieving significant data rates.

Designed as an all-in-one device with high network redundancy and a wide range of IP support, the SKYWAN 5G is optimally suited for use in Vislink’s highly portable MSAT range.

The MSAT is the world’s smallest and lightest satellite data terminal, intended for use in the broadcast and military sectors.

Highly durable and weighing only 12.5 kg, the MSAT is designed for one-man operation in challenging environments or rough terrain, where a full satellite system cannot be deployed.

“This cooperation will let Vislink offer the SKYWAN 5G modem and functionality across the company’s full range of broadcast and surveillance solutions,” said Ashley Dove, Solutions Engineering Director at Vislink. “This agreement has also opened the door to further joint development down the line, and for Vislink’s technology to be integrated into a wider range of SATCOM equipment overall.”

“The SKYWAN 5G is built to enable new business opportunities.

Now Vislink will be able to optimally support critical applications for broadcasting and surveillance,” said Petra Visuri, Head of Product Management and Marketing at ND SatCom. The first Vislink units utilising integrated SKYWAN 5G technology will be ready for shipment in Q4 2014, with other products expected to be available to customers in due course. PRO

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SatEvents: IBC2014

All eyes on IBC

The IBC Exhibition covers fourteen halls across the RAI and hosts over 1,500 exhibitors spanning the creation, management and delivery of electronic and media entertainment.

This year’s show will attract over 50,000 attendees from more than 170 countries and combines a respected and peer-reviewed conference. Visitors can expect to learn about the developments which are shaping the industry, interact with the latest technology, experience world first demonstrations and do business in a professional and friendly environment 30 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 31

SatEvents: IBC2014

SatLink presents OTT innovations for TV Everywhere

SatLink Communications will be debuting its latest innovative end-to-end (E2E) OTT cloud solution, which will enable broadcasters to offer subscribers the very best of TV with immediate access to personalised content anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Designed for broadcasters and operators, the solution will offer a full telco grade broadcasting experience from the creation of new feeds through to the transcoding, live content streaming and management tools, for a seamless simple, friendly and fun user experience

across all devices. Maximising Satlink’s global access to content and unique aggregation capabilities with the most innovative technology through a payper-service model, the new E2E OTT cloud solution was developed to meet growing customer demands and generate new revenue streams for broadcasters.

The solution will enable broadcasters, such as sports, movies, lifestyle or ethnic content owners, to offer live and VOD content to their subscribers via a cost effective and interactive cloud based

service platform. With the ability to launch a managed service via the cloud within days, subscribers will be able to receive personalised content via both an application and Set Top Box’s (STB) based on their preferences with interactive content options, endless TV alike features and new monetisation capabilities.

During IBC SatLink will also offer special promotions on its new Hotbird DVB-S2 platform, in cooperation with Sky Italia, and AsiaSat 5 DVB-S2 satellite platform to aid international broadcasters looking to expand their reach into new TV markets in Europe and Asia.

Also being showcased will be SatLink’s capabilities to provide end-to-end broadcasting solutions and support for all global live, linear and non-linear digital media requirements including satellite uplink, downlink, turnaround and multi feeds aggregation for Pay TV operators; sports and news occasional use delivery; playout; content management, Digital Archival and TV channels localisation; productions, real time news monitoring and satellite engineering solutions.

Newtec to launch multi-service Dialog platform at IBC For the first time at IBC, Newtec is showcasing its efficient, flexible and scalable Newtec Dialog multiservice platform to visitors at its booth in hall 1, A49. Dialog is a scalable and flexible multiservice platform which allows operators to build and adapt their infrastructure easily as their business and the satellite market grows and changes.

“IBC 2014 marks the European Launch of our Newtec Dialog platform, which is designed to be used for every type of network: from the very smallest, to the very largest, and from single coverage to multispot High Throughput Satellite (HTS) networks,” said Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec.

The platform is designed to give 32 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

operators optimal modulation and bandwidth allocation regardless of the application it is being used for.

Newtec’s engineers have achieved this by inventing a new patented return link technology called MX-DMA or CrossDimensional Multiple Access. Together with the new HighResCoding (HRC), it combines the best of both worlds. It enables services to run more efficiently than ever before over satellite, while still providing the option to have the platform also run in either SCPC or MF-TDMA. For dedicated capacity services Mx-DMA typically brings two attractive options: save more than 35% bandwidth or serve 54% more customers with the same bandwidth.

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SatEvents: IBC2014

Eutelsat promotes 4K and Global Connectivity The main themes for Eutelsat this year will be the development of the 4k ecosystem which is taking the industry closer to the commercial launch of ultra HD. The satellite operator forecasts that we will be able to see this by 2016.

Eutelsat recently launched the first 4k demo channel encoded in HEVC and broadcast at 50 frames per second with one billion colours. Called 4k1, it’s being transmitted from the HOT BIRD neighbourhood that reached Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and is the first Ultra HD channel which can be received by consumers using 4k TVs equipped with DVB-S2 demodulators and HEVC decoders.

Another key development that will

be discussed is the trend towards video content availability anytime, anywhere and on a multitude of devices. This is what consumers want. Telecom operators cannot and will not deploy fibre everywhere, and will need complementary technologies to offload content. Satellite is very high on the list, because only satellite can meet such consumer demand.

Eutelsat’s third theme will be Global Connectivity. With the acquisition in January this year of Satmex (renamed Eutelsat Americas), it now has a broader range of satellites as well as a network of owned and partner teleports complemented by terrestrial fibre and PoP, to strengthen its response to customers.

Jampro to showcase DAB Combiners and filters Jampro Antennas Inc. will be showcasing DAB Combiners, Bandpass Filters, and Mask Filters at IBC 2014 on Stand 8.B96.

Jampro will also highlight its popular broadband solutions as well as its complete range of antenna solutions that can be found in more than 25,000 broadcast installations worldwide.

“Jampro has built a reputation on accommodating the exact specifications of every individual broadcaster,” says Alex Perchevitch, President, Jampro. “As DAB continues to grow in popularity, especially in Europe, we are responding by bringing filters and combiners to a market which has embraced it from the start. IBC is one of the most important shows of the year and we are delighted to provide attendees with products that provide economical, practical and high-quality solutions for their region.”

Jampro’s RCCC-DT4-DAB filters and combiners will also be showcased at IBC. The easy-to-tune units meet all the requirements of Eureka 147 and satisfy individual broadcasters’ requirements.

Filters with up to eight sections in constant impedance and reflective configurations have been supplied in systems requiring 34 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

stable group delay and rejection characteristics. The RCC-DT4-DAB units are ideal for combining with existing TV transmitters in an existing VHF antenna.

Jampros’s RF System Series RCEDXXX-DAB Reflective Bandpass Filters are designed to provide superior mask performance for low and medium power DAB transmitters. Passband insertion loss is minimised by the use of high-Q aluminum cavities. Temperature stability is maintained through tight manufacturing techniques and Invar tuning rods. These mask filters are designed for input power levels up to 4.5kW. Its RCBC-D06-DAB bandpass filter is designed to provide superior performance at an affordable price. Invar tuning rods create temperature stability and the high-Q aluminum cavities provide low passband insertion loss in a compact package.

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SatEvents: IBC2014

Globecast to demo encrypted satellite distribution At IBC 2014 Globecast will be highlighting its ability to handle everything in a secure way, from content acquisition and distribution/delivery – including encrypted satellite distribution and over-the-top geo-localisation of feeds – to local ad insertion. Visitors to IBC2014 will have the opportunity to learn about Globecast’s range of monetisation tools, which can extract greater value from content, through both advertising and subscription management models for OTT services.

The company is introducing a single unique workflow to deliver all content preparation services, including playout, VoD preparation, content formatting and creative services.

The workflow will allow Globecast to more efficiently support broadcasters, enabling them to manage and localise content for individual territories.

In addition to its worldwide presence in

15 countries, Globecast’s Media Factories in Paris, London, Singapore and Los Angeles - will leverage the company’s proven expertise in handling both linear broadcast and on-demand services. The Media Factory approach delivers dedicated operations management in close cooperation with

clients and goes beyond traditional media management, logistics and playout services.

Broadcasters and content providers need to reach as wide an audience as possible, delivering content that’s relevant to them.

At IBC2014, Globecast will highlight a range of solutions such as Edge playout that allow content to be adapted to local markets, handling relevant branding, advert insertion and even compliance issues.

Globecast’s technical expertise and in-depth knowledge of complex content workflows removes the technical, logistical and legal complexities associated with delivering content internationally, across multiple regions and platforms.

In an ever more competitive media landscape, Globecast aims to provide new ways to reach the largest possible audience by facilitating distribution across all platforms to reach every screen, while protecting and monetising the content.

Volicon showcases Observer Media Intelligence At IBC 2014, Volicon will demonstrate five powerful new applications within the company’s Observer Media Intelligence Platform for the first time in Europe. The Media Intelligence Platform boasts an enterprise-wide solution that records a station’s media from ingest to playout, as well as multiple on-air broadcasts.

In addition to enabling multiple users to stream, analyse, and review content from anywhere at any time, the platform supports a range of applications including compliance, quality assurance, competitive analysis, production, and repurposing for multiple platforms and social media outlets.

Built on Volicon’s digital video monitoring technology, the new Monitor application allows users to monitor video quality, respond to fault reports, and use a full recording of the on-air broadcast for instant review of errors and their impact. While continuously analysing logged content for a variety of faults such 36 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

as black or static screen, loss of video or closed captions, and incorrect audio levels, this application provides flexible, individually configurable alert thresholds, with notifications delivered via email or SNMP traps. Quality measurement thresholds may be configured per channel to optimise performance and error reporting. The application provides

an integrated multiviewer feature that enables users to use their standard displays as multiviewers or record the output of a traditional multiviewer. With multiple streams presented on a network wall, users can respond immediately to any issues, instantly grabbing the suspect stream via their desktop interfaces to begin resolving the problem. PRO

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SatReporting

Satellites will fuel the next wave of journalism In recent years, major events such as the Arab Spring and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake have brought the role of citizen journalists into global prominence. As mainstream news outlets adapt to this emerging trend, professional journalists and average citizens alike can explore the use of satellite technology as a key enabler to delivering news from anywhere in the world Without doubt, the rise of citizen journalism has transformed traditional means of newsgathering and dissemination. A new breed of public citizens and independent media are leveraging the latest advances in digital technology to provide on-theground news updates. Independent news outlets around the world are gaining in credibility, especially in terms of providing alternative viewpoints and driving online news collaboration that is relatively free of censorship.

38 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

At the same time, the accelerated demand for breaking news content in today’s digitalized world places more pressure on traditional news organizations to crowdsource and incorporate user-generated content into their news packages.

The increased trend of professional journalists working together with a network of citizen contributors — either to develop stories or to update a news report with the latest information — reflects how citizen journalism has already impacted the way

major news organizations operate. This trend is evidenced by the growing number of major news outlets, such as CNN with its iReport initiative, that have successfully incorporated amateur video or pictures of breaking news stories into their programming mix.

Increasingly, broadcast and print journalists have to evolve rapidly beyond their traditional duties as news gatherers or gatekeepers, and take on more of the role of a news “curator” — using their experience to bring context, fact-checking and critical analysis to

citizen-submitted content. Equally important, journalists today have to adapt quickly to the use of a diverse range of technologies at the scene of breaking news.

Impact of future-oriented technologies The increased prominence of citizen journalism is synonymous with the rise of a new, technology-driven era of journalism.

The popularity of social media and online video platforms has revolutionized how news is being disseminated. Facebook and Twitter rank highly as online news sources today, and the sheer pervasiveness of YouTube has enabled citizens’ video contribution to fuel the demand for real-time, interactive news updates.

Both public citizens and professional journalists alike are increasingly adept at using a wide range of social media, mobile apps and technology for reporting purposes. An example is how quickly Vine, the Twitter-owned mobile app launched only in January 2013, has been embraced by journalists to capture instantaneous video clips and provide timely news coverage.

Consider how these developments have already impacted the everyday routines of print journalists, who are now expected to possess the capability to capture live video footage while covering breaking news on the ground — even in situations where they only have their smartphones at their disposal. Indeed, the breadth of mobile technology advances available today are staggering, ranging from smartphone video apps that enable reporters to edit their footage while on the move to equipment that can be easily deployed to set up a robust satellite connection from anywhere.

As digital tools evolve, journalists expect to have access to portable devices that are capable of delivering broadcast-quality content on par with that captured from remote broadcasting equipment. Major news outlets can also tap on the latest technology to facilitate news gathering in a more economical and less time-consuming manner. No longer do they need to deploy an entire team of reporters and a satellite newsgathering (SNG) truck to deliver breaking news as it happens. Using his or her mobile device, a single journalist is now able to provide reliable news coverage and accommodate 24-hour news cycles without the need for expensive equipment.

In this respect, the role of satellite as a key enabler for journalists and public citizens to report and broadcast from anywhere cannot be underestimated. Satellite technology provides a significant advantage in allowing journalists to operate with Internet access when outside of cellular coverage, and to make use of their personal devices to stay connected at all times.

John Huddle Head of Media and Broadcast, Thuraya.

“The increased prominence of citizen journalism is synonymous with the rise of a new, technology-driven era of journalism” JOHN HUDDLE, Head of Media and Broadcast at Thuraya Telecommunications Company

A reporter using the Thuraya IP+ terminal.

Pushing the boundaries further with wearable devices Another key development that underpins how new technology will continue to open up the possibilities of newsgathering is the advent of wearable devices among journalistic circles. Mobility is an important consideration for on-the-ground news reporting, and wearable technology such as Google Glass provide journalists with greater flexibility and new levels of technical sophistication.

Journalists have started exploring the broadcasting capabilities of hands-free wearable technology to capture breakingnews video footages without having to hold and operate a camera. As the next breakthrough in mobility, the wearable technology trend has already captured the imagination of many. In May 2014, CNN became the first news agency to embrace the use of Google Glass by its iReport network of citizen journalists to submit stories, photos and video content.

Another innovative feature of wearable recording devices is that they enable journalists to present a first-person perspective — to literally put the audiences at the scene of a street protest, for instance, experienced through the eyes of a reporter. To be sure, this cannot be achieved in the absence of connectivity.

Satellite has a pivotal role to play in empowering professional journalists to stay relevant in today’s technology-driven media environment — regardless of devices, location, and the network they are operating on. Thuraya will continue working closely with our partners and solution developers to establish an entire ecosystem to foster new technology and applications for journalists to deliver breaking news from the most challenging environments. PRO

By John Huddle, Head of Media & Broadcast at Thuraya Telecommunications Company.

July–August 2014 | SatellitePro | 39

SatGuest

Collaboration is key TV channels in the MENA are on a growth spurt and shows no signs of slowing down; cooperation with other teleports is the key to success The broadcast market has been witnessing a swelling number of TV channels in the MENA region for some time, with significant growth seen in the last 10 years. The cherry on top is that industry insiders expect this robust growth to continue, just like the situation over in Asia and that of down below the equator in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

For satellite services provider and teleport operator STN, business appears to be very good. The company will see this new growth starting in the Q1 of 2015. This robust increase in TV channels surpasses the company’s 2008-2009 boom, when the number of TV channels, antennae, revenues and employees grew. This upcoming rise sets a new precedent, one that the company is ready to not only realise but also sustain.

According to Andrej Lovsin, CEO of STN, the company has already gone through a series of expansion and can presently accommodate the new 150-200 TV channels, in addition to the 450 channels it already transmits.

“The existing capacity of our equipment centre, without any additional investment, is already capable of broadcasting 900 channels. It includes 65 RX antennae, 24 TX antennae, of which three are new, and 5,400 fully equipped rack units. Currently, we are transmitting more than 450 TV channels and approximately 300 radio channels. While we have a new round of expansion in the pipelines, we are ready now to accommodate these new TV channels,” says Lovsin.

In 2007, STN ushered in its first significant expansion just in time for the boom. Serving 30 TV channels to European audiences with its new direct-to-home platform, the company had already began transforming from its humble beginning of two channels, two employees, 50 square-metres of work space and just three RX antennas and one TX. By 2013, the company had its headquarters on 10,000 square-metres, accompanied by another 10,000 square-metres ready 40 | SatellitePro | July–August 2014

“STN’s strategy includes collaboration with similar teleports. STN’s management board is convinced that mutual cooperation will offer amplified and complementary services” ANDREJ LOVSIN, CEO, STN

to accommodate further expansion.

This additional operating space will be developed as STN’s third phase of expansion, explains Lovsin, adding that it is scheduled to begin in 2015 and be completed in 2016.

“Once the third phase of STN’s expansion is completed, the area of 10,000 squaremetres will house 20 new antennae, ranging between six and 15 metres in size. This will, of course, be built to STN’s standards and based on the latest technology, which ensures secure, reliable and uninterrupted high-quality services,” says Lovsin.

With a hard-earned reputation for quality and state-of-the-art facilities, STN will fully utilise the growth evident in the Far East, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

“The additional 150-200 channels are a result of new projects due to start in the Q1 of 2015. We secured this client’s projects because of our proven high-quality service and commitment to ensuring success,” says Lovsin.

“New secured channels will originate from geographic markets worldwide. In addition to the MENA region, we see overall market potential in North and South America, the Far East and Africa. We are also particularly focused on the continuation of market expansion in China and India,” says Lovsin.

With growth on the horizon, STN is upbeat. However, Lovsin calls for greater competitiveness, considering that collaboration can bring in industry success.

“The key is to strengthen the competitiveness, which can be achieved by matching core competencies with opportunities. This should be in addition to ensuring and facilitating growth and development within the company. STN’s strategy includes collaboration with similar teleports. STN’s management board is convinced that mutual cooperation will offer amplified and complementary services that will ensure continued success.” PRO

System Integrators and Ground Operators Regional Resellers and Authorized Distributors Installation, Maintenance, Training and Turnkey Voice - Video - Data - Internet - GSM Backhaul - Broadcast Mena nets provides 4 activities to the Mena region: i. System integration where we design and provide solutions over satellite ii. Supply hardware as resellers and authorized distributors of many manufacturers like ASC Signal, Skyware Global, Cobham, Xicom/Comtech, Anacom, Codan/CPI, NJR, SMW, iDirect, Thomson, etc. iii. Ground operations which includes installation, technical support, maintenance repairs, etc iv. Training and consulting such as the GVF HOST.

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

www.menanets.com MENA NETS FZE Building Jafza 15, Unit 15-419, Jebel Ali Free Zone, POB 261670, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Office: +971-4-887 6606, Fax: +971-4-8876605 Email: info@MenaNets.com

info@wiseband.net www.wiseband.net