24
DISTRIBUTION
August 2016
Intelsat and KDDI create Epic Olympic Games
KDDI Corporation (KDDI), a Japanbased global telecommunications
company, is utilising the Intelsat
Epic high throughout satellite
platform to provide cost-effective
and regionalised video contribution and backhaul servives at the
Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,
which kicks off this month.
Ikuo Mochizuki, general manager, media sales department,
KDDI, explained: “The ability of
Intelsat Epic to deliver more megabits per megahertz enables us to
provide more efficient and highquality video contribution services
for our leading media customers.
“By providing lower-cost, HD
video transmission solutions, we
are able to differentiate our service
offerings to our subscribers. We are
leveraging the efficiencies generated by the Intelsat Epic platform
to grow our business.”
For instance, Intelsat is supporting KDDI’s contribution services for a Tier 1 global media
customer via a regionalised C-band
beam from the Intelsat 29e satellite.
This, according to Intelsat, enables
more cost-efficient transmission
of HD video signals from sports
venues at the Games to the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in
Rio de Janeiro.
The Intelsat Epic platform utilises C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, wide
beams, spot beams and frequency
re-use technology to provide a
host of customer-centric benefits,
and is fully integrated with Intelsat’s
existing satellite fleet and global
Globecomm grows vantage
point over Europe, Africa
Globecomm, a satellite communications service provider,
integrator and data management company, has expanded
the geographic coverage and services to its customers in the
media, maritime, governme nt and IoT (Internet of Things)
markets through the use of Telesat’s new Telstar 12 Vantage
high throughput satellite.
According to Globecomm, the Ku-band coverage and
power of Telstar 12 Vantage will allow the company to expand the reach of its direct-to-home (DTH) video footprint
across sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
Globecomm’s new services through Telstar 12 Vantageutilise the company’s diverse, high availability terrestrial fibre
network between Globecomm’s Long Island, New York and
Laurel, Maryland international teleports. This design allows
for full network access from any Globecomm location to be
aggregated on to the Telstar 12 Vantage satellite.
Michele Scotto di Cesare, SVP Global Operations,
Globecomm, said: “Telesat’s new Telstar 12 Vantage high
throughput satellite enables Globecomm to bring greater
efficiencies to maritime and other broadband VSAT markets. Globecomm locations are networked with diverse,
high availability terrestrial backhaul and are equipped with
industry standard multiple access modem technologies
that enable easy access to Globecomm’s global network.”
The Intelsat Epic platform utilises
C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, wide beams,
spot beams and frequency re-use
technology, and is fully integrated with
Intelsat’s existing satellite fleet and
global Intelsat terrestial network.
Intelsat terrestial network.
It is also allowing Intelsat to
continue its long-term support
of the Olympic Games, as Terry
Bleakly, regional VP, Asia-Pacific,
Intelsat, explained: “Our globalised
network has been supporting every
Games since 1968, and we continue
to innovate and work closely with
our media customers to ensure
that we deliver the most immersive,
compelling experience to viewers,
regardless of location.
“Intelsat Epic is poised to be
a game changer this summer,
bringing higher power and better
economics that will enable our
customers to extend their reach
in a much more efficient manner.
We look forward to working closely
with KDDI to bring the spirit of
the Games into millions of homes
across the Asia-Pacific.”
Hiltron completes Latvia
teleport satellite expansion
As part of pre-preparations for the Rio
Olympic Games in Brazil, Hiltron, a Dan
Technologies company, has completed
a satellite communication project at a
major teleport in Latvia.
A combined endeavour with
Danmon Group Sweden, the project
includes a five-channel satellite link,
which is carrying TV content to Europe
from the Olympic Games.
Central to the installation is the
provision and integration of a 3.6m
satellite dish on an HMAM (Hiltron
Motorised Antenna Mount) motorised mount, a Hiltron HACU (Hiltron
Antenna Control Unit) antenna control
unit, as well as an HDCU-E (Hiltron
De-Icing Control Unit) ice-sensing and
dish heating system.
Part of the Hiltron Sorbas product
family, HMAM is a high-precision
motorised satellite antenna mount
designed for two-way VSAT communication or receive-only downlink
applications, and can be used for a
The HMAM is a high-precision motorised
satellite antenna mount designed for twoway VSAT communication or receive-only
downlink applications.
wide range of applications including
broadcast and telecommunication
downlinks. The combined head and
drive form a three-axis motorised
mount with 180° of azimuth adjustment, 90° of elevation adjustment
range and fully adjustable polarisation.
Hiltron’s HACU is designed to
control three-axis motorised antennas. The antenna control unit and
associated motor-control electronics are contained in an IP65-rated
weatherproof outdoor housing with
a hinged front access port secured
by dual-key screws. The control GUI
(graphical user interface) displays all
the information required to set and
maintain azimuth, elevation and polarisation, including current and target
positions plus a database of potential
accessible satellites.
The Hiltron HDCU-E is a combined
ice-sensing and dish heating controller
for use with large satellite antennas. It
is capable of handling up to 450kW of
power across multiple heating groups.
Each group is divided into three independently controlled heater arrays;
each array, in turn, feeds up to three
antenna heater circuits.
A four-group configuration, for example, allows control of 12 arrays addressing a total of 36 heating circuits.
This modular control approach permits
easy configuration of parameters such
as antenna size, number of heater
pads and the power requirement of
each pad.
Globecast provides multiple contribution services for Euro 2016
Globecast provided multiple contribution services for a number of
international broadcasters at football’s Euro 2016, a tournament held from
June 10 to July 10 in France.
The recently concluded Euro 2016
was the biggest UEFA European
Championships in the tournament’s
56-year history, as a 24-team format
was introduced for the first time.
In order to allow multiple broadcasters to cover the tournament won
eventually by Portugal, Globecast
provided a range of contribution
services, including a combination
of satellite newsgathering (SNG) and
contribution satellite services for an
Italian broadcaster.
This allowed the broadcaster to
manage all contributions between
the International Broadcast Centre
(IBC) at Porte de Versailles and a
dedicated outdoor studio near the
Eiffel Tower.
Globecast also managed all contributions to and from the IBC for
a French and South African broadcaster. Additionally, Globecast was
contracted to provide and operate
a flyaway antenna on the rooftop
of a Russian broadcaster’s outdoor
studio, and to manage all contribution transmissions to Russia.
To support its activities during
Euro 2016, Globecast provided
French, British, Italian and South African engineers — deployed locally in
Paris at the individual broadcasters’
studios and/or at IBC — to deliver
dedicated support to each customer.
Globecast also provided live
stand-up positions in Paris/St Denis
(with a view of the Stade de France)
and Marseilles (with a view of the
city and stadium), throughout the
competition to serve a number of
international TV networks from
China, Ukraine, Germany, Japan,
South Africa, Malaysia and France.
Michele Gosetti, director of the
Contribution and Media Services at
Globecast said: “It is a testament to
our contribution expertise — whether technical or logistical — that so
many of our customers have chosen
Globecast to support their coverage
of Euro 2016.
“We have extensive experience of
handling contribution from multiple
locations at the world’s greatest
sporting events and operating in
often challenging conditions. Our
customers know that we can tailor
services to meet their specific needs
and that our support engineers have
the know-how and language skills
to fit seamlessly into their operations.”