❝ With fierce competition in the broadcast industry , broadcasters face challenges to cut costs , driving the trend of outsourcing .❞
2016 SPECIAL
Singtel Satellite keeps customers ahead of the curve
Lim Kian Soon , Head of Satellite , Singtel , discusses some of the key issues impacting the satellite industry , and outlines what Singtel Satellite has to offer in 2016 .
At last November ’ s WRC-15 , it was decided that the 3600- 4200MHz band will continue to be allocated to fixed satellite services worldwide for the foreseeable future . What are Singtel Satellite ’ s views on this ruling , and how do you think this will help to shape the future growth of the satellite industry ?
Lim Kian Soon : A position of ‘ No Change ’ was adopted in the 3600-4200MHz band , which bodes well for the satellite industry as a whole . This spectrum allows the industry to continue to support applications in the area of cellular backhaul , as well as broadcast distribution and contribution . C-band is very important for this — to support a multitude of video , television and data services , and to expand Internet access .
Asia is a huge consumption of C-band spectrum where rainfall is heaviest , and only C-band is the most resilient spectrum to guarantee high quality , reliable delivery of content and connectivity .
Specifically , what do you see are some of the areas of growth in Asia-Pacific in 2016 ? For instance , how do you see 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) or HTS developing in this region ?
Lim : The main areas of growth will be in the areas of cellular backhaul , direct-to-home ( DTH ) and content distribution . Asia remains as one of the hotspots for the cellular backhaul market . Growth has been primarily driven by countries such as Indonesia and India , with demand from emerging countries in Indochina . The take up of 4K / UHD will not be swift due to the lack of 4K / UHD content relative to HD and SD content . For 4K / UHD to be really successful , content production and delivery would play a critical role .
High-throughput satellite ( HTS ) technology is growing in importance . It is clear that HTS offers many opportunities and will provide more bandwidth at lower cost to customers , so that they can experience high throughput to support their broadband aspirations , which in turn will accelerate take-up rates .
Bearing these developments in mind , what will be some of the key challenges facing the broadcast and media industries in 2016 ?
Lim : For new DTH operators , there is much difficulty in getting the appropriate satellite coverage and capacity . Lack of capacity will hamper their roll-out of services , and this inadvertently results in high costs .
With fierce competition in the broadcast industry , broadcasters face challenges to cut costs , driving the trend of outsourcing .
How is Singtel Satellite preparing itself to help customers in these sectors overcome these challenges — what initiatives can we expect from the company in 2016 ?
Lim : We are exploring the
Besides working to free up capacities to address customer demands in areas such as DTH , Singtel Satellite addresses broadcasters ’ outsourcing needs with its Smart Playout services . The company also offers customised solutions to ensure content availability on air , while a suite of security solutions identify threats and take swift and appropriate actions to defend against cyberattacks .
❝ With fierce competition in the broadcast industry , broadcasters face challenges to cut costs , driving the trend of outsourcing .❞
— Lim Kian Soon , Head of Satellite ,
Singtel
possibilities of grooming our existing satellites to free up capacities to address customer demands , especially in DTH , which requires large quantities of capacity .
To address broadcasters ’ outsourcing needs , Singtel ’ s Smart Playout services support a low-cost startup and peace of mind with our 24 / 7 / 365 customer and technical support , besides gaining significant savings .
Disaster recovery for broadcasters is vital . To ensure content availability on air , Singtel offers customised solutions , whether it is at our teleport , or at our clients ’ premises .
Lastly , the risks of cyberattacks are real and the need to have cyber security protection for our customers ’ networks is critical . Besides our satellite and teleport services , Singtel has a suite of worldclass security solutions that will swiftly identify threats and take appropriate actions to defend against cyberattacks and protect customers ’ businesses .
4 An Supplement