Satellite Industry - The Ground Segment William Wade, President & Ceo, Asiasat Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in The Asia-Pacific Region

Satellite Industry The Ground Segment Interview with William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat Focus Asia
a Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region
Q2
2011
www.apscc.or.kr
2 ND Q u a r t e r 2 0 1 1 V o l u m e 1 8 I s s u e 2
03 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 04 FEATURES: SATELLITE INDUSTRY THE GROUND SEGMENT
04 Five Key Developments in the Evolution of VSATs 10 Method to Increase Throughput
18 INTERVIEW
18 William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat
Satellite Industry The Ground Segment Interview with William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat Focus Asia Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region
Q2
2011
www.apscc.or.kr
22 FOCUS ASIA
22 Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the AsiaPacific Region
28 SATELLITE TRENDS
28 Adaptive Coding and Modulation: Maximising Satellite Throughput and Capacity and Bringing Costs Down 34 Nations United in Space
40 APSCC MEMBERS 42 NEW MEMBERS

42 Comtech EF Data 43 ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS
44 INSIDE APSCC
44 APSCC 2011 46 CommunicAsia2011 Summit
48 SATELLITE INDUSTRY NEWS 51 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 52 ADVERTISERS INDEX
At 14:46:18 on March 11, 2011 (Japan Time), a large earthquake occurred off eastern Japan in the Pacific Ocean. Its magnitude was 9.0, the largest in recorded history in Japan. This earthquake induced the tsunami whose height exceeded 10 meters in some places. This tsunami devastated a broad range of coastal regions in eastern Japan. The casualties and missing people due to this earthquake disaster totaled about 26,000, the number of fully or partially demolished buildings exceeded 100,000, and over 400,000 people evacuated. In response to this disaster, many members of APSCC sent condolence messages to me and our employees. Let me express my thanks in this letter. In devastated areas, infrastructure, including electricity, water supply, roads, railroads, and communication lines, is recovering gradually, but it will take a lot of time to restore the municipalities that have been washed away by the tsunami. This disaster made us aware of the problem with communication at the time of disaster. The tsunami damaged the fixed and mobile telephone stations and communication cables, disconnecting about 1.9 million fixed lines and stopping about 29,000 mobile phone stations. In addition, as a lot of people called for confirming the safety of their relatives, telephone calls were restricted temporarily due to heavy traffic, and
it became extremely difficult to contact by both fixed and mobile phones. Ironically, the first article of the previous newsletter of APSCC featured satellites for disaster management. As mentioned in this article, it was satellite communication that functioned well to secure communication in devastated areas. Many satellite cell phones, VSAT terminals, SNV, and mobile satellite terminals have been used for emergency response in governments and municipalities, the backhauling for mobile phone stations, the communication in infrastructure-related firms, the telephone and Internet access at evacuation centers, and the reporting by broadcasters. The Japanese government started discussing the reform of the network for securing communication at the time of disaster based on the lessons from this earthquake disaster, and is about to announce its policy for adopting satellite communication more actively. APSCC also wants to promote the use of satellite communication for securing safety and removing anxieties during disaster, based on the lessons from the past disasters in Asia and the present disaster in Japan. Yutaka Nagai President, APSCC
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Quarterly Newsletter
FEATURES
Five Key Developments in the Evolution of VSATs

Robert Bell, Director of Strategic Marketing, Gilat
A lot has changed in our industry since the first VSATs became commercially available in the 1980s. We still call it a VSAT, which is the abbreviation of a Very Small Aperture Terminal, but besides the Aperture of the Terminal still being Very Small, the underlying qualities and features of the original VSATs, and those of the VSATs that are available today, are thousands of engineer years apart. Rapid evolution is generally stimulated when the environment presents challenges. In the case of VSATs, the environment has always been challenging. First of all, every signal transmitted from one ground segment site to another needs to arrive in an identifiable form after having travelled more than 71 thousand kilometers (44 thousand miles). Add to that the competition due to the continuous expansion of terrestrial infrastructure and broadband mobile coverage, and lets not forFigure 1. VSAT Caching
get the satellite capacity crunch. In this kind of environment, survival of the VSAT species depends to a great extent on the industrys ability to repeatedly produce technological advancements that enable a sustainable breed of VSAT equipment that continually offers advantages compared to the alternatives. This article describes some of these developments.
Traffic Acceleration
VSAT platforms have supported mechanisms for accelerating data traffic over satellite networks for many years. But recently there have been some major developments that have led to noticeable improvements. Data traffic acceleration involves compression techniques and also a sophisticated set of actions and workarounds that are designed to mitigate the negative effects that satellite latency has on some of the data protocols commonly used for Internet browsing (e.g. TCP, HTTP). The outcome of implementing acceleration on a VSAT network are improved browsing experience, and better utilization the valuable satellite bandwidth resource. One of the latest advancements in this area is data acceleration by storing internet content in the form of a Cache memory on the VSAT.
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CacheMode is a technology that enables a VSAT to store large amounts of frequently used Internet content that has been recently transmitted (multicast) via the satellite to any one of the VSATs in the network. Once content is stored on the VSAT Cache, it is available to the end users browser, and when requested by the browser, the relevant web content is sent directly from the VSAT to the browser without having to traverse the satellite link. The clever thing about CacheMode is that it overcomes a problem that is caused by an inherent quality of the satellite medium (delay) with a solution that relies on a second inherent quality of the satellite medium (multicast). The benefits of VSAT Caching are faster browsing speed and better satellite capacity utilizations making both the service provider and the end user a lot happier from the whole experience.
So in order to ensure high quality calls, VSAT systems have implemented mechanisms for eliminating jitter and preventing packet loss on voice calls using traffic scheduling and Quality of Service (QoS) assurance. This completely ensures optimal quality of all voice calls over a VSAT system well, almost completely. There is still the occasional case when one too many calls are attempted and there is not enough available bandwidth in the network to accommodate them all. What will happen in such a case is that the additional over-subscribed call will affect the quality of all the other calls. This is where Guaranteed Voice over IP (G-VoIP) comes in. A VSAT system that supports G VoIP will not only guarantee the quality of voice calls but will also prevent the above mentioned call disruption by identifying the potential over subscriber, and sending busy tone to that particular phone. Hence, as long as you get a dial tone, the call quality will indeed be guaranteed.
Guaranteed Voice over IP (G-VoIP)

Voice and voice over IP services on satellite networks are often talked about with a hint of skepticism. The natural tendency is to associate satellite with latency, which in turn is associated with bad quality when voice is in question. But a more comprehensive analysis of this would reveal that it is not really the latency that leads to voice quality issues, but rather jitter and packet-loss. When you make a call over a satellite link there will be relatively high latency, but this something that people become accustomed to. The caller only experiences a serious problem when the call quality becomes deteriorated or if the call drops in the middle, and this happens as a result of high jitter or packet loss, not latency.
People will most likely continue to perceive satellite voice and inferior to landline voice but it is features like G-VoIP that have the potential to alter this perception.
Multi-star Topology
The VSAT network topology evolution is an example of how two separate technologies (star and mesh) were merged together to get a solution that delivers the best of both worlds. The concept of a star topology (i.e. a single central site connected to multiple remote sites) makes good business sense in the VSAT environment. It is beneficial for an operator to choose a central (hub) location from which the network management systems can be operated and to pack this hub-site with a multitude of complex network enhancing
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equipment such as advanced traffic schedulers, accelerators, strong power amplifiers and huge antennas. This makes it possible to use simpler, smaller and more cost effective equipment at the remote sites. But star topology does have a certain drawback. It limits the direct connectivity from remote sites to other locations that have terrestrial links connecting them to the central (hub site). In star topology, traffic from one VSAT site intended for another VSAT site requires a double-hop (i.e. traffic passes through the satellite twice before reaching its destination). This introduces too much delay and renders this option inapplicable. The solution to this problem emerged in the form of Multi-star Topology. This is an expansion of the basic Star Topology using Mesh technology and although it involved some pretty advanced engineering efforts to develop, the result is quite simple. In Multi-star Topology, instead of having just one central hub site, you can equip VSAT sites with a Multi-star Gateway that acts like an additional hub, but has the operational simplicity of a VSAT. An associated group of VSATs can communicate
directly with the central hub and also with the Multi-star Gateway with a single hop. This is particularly useful for cellular operators and first responders. The Multi-star topology innovation is mentioned here as a key development because it allows satellite service providers to enhance their existing networks and expand into new market segments that they could not previously address due to the limitation of the traditional star topology networks.
Automatic Link Adaptivity

The availability of VSAT systems supporting DVBS2 with ACM (Adaptive Coding Modulation) on the forward channel was considered to be a breakthrough within the satellite communications community because this enabled much better utilization of the available satellite capacity leading to improved overall efficiency. What was less acknowledged was the development of a similar technology for the return channels. This was by no means a less important breakthrough. A VSAT system that can adapt its modulation, coding and channels in both the forward and in the return directions as a response to changes in the satellite link availability can achieve better overall throughput and better efficiency than systems that only have adaptivity in the forward direction. Bi-directional adaptivity also prevents traffic disconnections as a result of rain fade (the deterioration of the link quality during rain). This is particularly important for new Ka-band systems as they operate in frequencies that are more sensitive to rain fade than Ku-band or C-band. Another, more recent development in return channel adaptivity is Dynamic Channels. Traditionally, return channels were configured statically (e.g. two
Figure 2. Multi-star Topology
256Kbps channels, one 512Kbps channel and one
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Ka-Band Support
Several new Ka-band satellites, commonly known as HTSs (High Throughput Satellites), are currently being launched or scheduled to be launched. The overall capacity of these HTSs is in the range of hundreds of Gigabits per second which could exceed the entire capacity of the currently available C-band and Ku-band capacity within a couple of years. The VSAT systems that support these new satellites differ in the range of supported frequencies but there are also major differences in their architecture that enable them to operate using the multi
Figure 3. Bi-directional Link Adaptivity
spot beams that are characteristic for these new satellites. The VSAT systems supporting the new 1Mbps channel). With Dynamic Channels the number of return channel carriers and the mix of carrier bitrates are configured dynamically based on the real-time network-wide conditions including link fade and traffic demand. This improves the network performance and availability, and also maximizes the space segment efficiency by preventing idle or low utilization return channels. These are some examples of the many steps that the ground segment equipment manufacturers have taken to successfully ensure the VSAT systems carry on being perceived by the customers as a valuable solution to their communications needs. We can however safely assume that the market will continue to exert its disruptive forces and as the years go by these innovations will become obsolete. The VSAT industry will need to keep coming up with new breakthrough developments. Until then, it is nice to appreciate the creativity that has advanced VSATs to where they are today.
Figure 4. VSAT antenna with Ka-band Transceiver
Ka-band satellites are designed to deliver broadband services at speeds in the range of 10-20Mbps, which is about ten times higher than typical speeds offered on existing C-band and Ku-band systems.
Robert Bell is the Director of Strategic Marketing at Gilat. For the past 15 years Robert has held technical and marketing positions in the
telecommunications industry. Robert has been responsible for the design and development of data communications solutions and has been involved in global deployments of advanced broadband multiservice networks. In the past years, Robert has held a marketing position in Gilat and is devoted to the promotion of new VSAT-based broadband solutions and technology. Robert holds a B.Sc. in Physics from TAU and an MBA from the Technion Institute of Technology.
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FEATURES
Methods to Increase Throughput

Louis Dubin, Vice President, Product Management, Comtech EF Data
Service providers and satellite operators are under pressure to maximize profits and minimize costs while providing customers improved reliability and higher capacity services. In the race to compete, service providers and operators look to improve bandwidth utilization and user throughput. Advances in modulation, coding gain, fade adaptation and carrier cancelling can provide substantial savings in bandwidth, improved capacity and reliability, while maintaining service level agreements (SLAs). This article summarizes technical and financial benefits of these technologies.
links. Only non-synchronous data networks (i.e. packet-based) can take advantage of a dynamic data throughput rate. Satellite links are designed to function at a certain annual availability. The closer to 100% we demand of our link availability, the more link margin we need to meet this demand. Figure 1 depicts availability vs. link margin of a Ku-Band link from Germany to Nigeria. A change in guaranteed annual availability from 99.8% to 99.6% equates to 17.5 hours/year (365 Days * 24 hours/day * .002 = 17.5 hours). These 17.5 hours/year saves 2.5dB of link margin.
Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM)

ACM is a statistical, non-static advantage that enables dynamic changes in user throughput. Benefits and value vary over time, are not guaranteed, but are predictable. ACM converts link margin to an increase in the data throughput of satellite
Someone requiring 99.8% availability instead of 99.6% would need to factor an additional 2.5dB of link margin for the year. Different links have different link margin requirements. A C-Band link between Italy and China has different availability characteristics. Figure 2
Figure 1. Ku-Band Link Margin (dB)
Figure 2. C-Band Link Margin (dB)
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depicts the same change from 99.6% availability to 99.8% requires just 0.35dB of additional link margin.
can also provide CAPEX savings by allowing a smaller BUC/HPA or antenna. Figures 3 & 4 show a conventional full-duplex satel-
Rain fade, inclined orbit operation, antenna pointing errors, noise and interference can all degrade satellite link conditions. These conditions determine the overall link margin of a system. The greater the link margin, the greater the benefit of ACM. As link margin is reduced, so is the value of ACM. Also, as guaranteed availability is increased, link margin will need to increase.
lite link compared to a CnC link, where the two carriers are centered at the same frequency, thus sharing the same spectrum.
Case Studies
We analyzed three satellite link budget scenarios. All links require a duplex, guaranteed minimum 10Mbps data rate. All calculations are made using DVB-S2 MODCOD combinations to ensure there is no confusion between link budget operational points and inferior coding techniques. All BW figures use a transmit filter figure of 0.27 to calculate occupied BW (= SR * 1.27). To truly compare technologies, link margin remains consistent within each scenario since it is directly related to link availability.
Double Talk Carrier in Carrier

DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier technology is a calculable, definitive and static advantage. Carrier-in-Carrier is based on Applied Signal Technologys DoubleTalk bandwidth compression technology. DoubleTalk uses Adaptive Cancellation, a technology that allows the transmit and receive carriers of a full-duplex satellite link to be transmitted in the same transponder space. CnC can deliver unprecedented OPEX savings. In addition to OPEX savings, DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier
Definitions
Occupied BW : The bandwidth that the carrier(s) actually occupy on the satellite. For conventional links, the occupied BW is equal to the Symbol Rate of the carrier times one plus the filter figure (Occupied BW = 1.27 * SR). In CnC links we show the Occupied BW as (x/2) because two carriers are using the same physical BW.
Figure 3. Conventional Full-Duplex Satellite Link Figure 4. Duplex Link with DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier
Threshold Mod/Cod : In conventional links, this is the most spectrally efficient Mod/Cod with a QEF performance Es/No that is at or BELOW the Threshold Es/No for the link. In CnC carriers, the Threshold Mod/Cod must be the most spectrally efficient Mod/Cod with a QEF performance Es/No + CnC Es/No penalty. CnC Es/No Penalty : The undesired penalty that must be added to the Threshold Es/No.
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Threshold Es/No Req : Is the worst case Es/No (most faded condition) the link will experience to accommodate the availability of the link. Clear Sky Es/No : The best Es/No value (least faded condition) the link will ever experience.
Clear Sky Mod/Cod A to B and B to A : In conventional links, the most spectrally efficient Mod/ Cod with a QEF performance Es/No that is at or below the Clear Sky Es/No for the link A to B or B to A. ACM Max DR A to B and B to A : The maximum
Link Margin : The difference between the Clear Sky Es/No and the Threshold Es/No. Total Allocated BW : In conventional links, the sum of the Occupied BW of Link A to B and Link B to A. In CnC links, this is the larger of the two carriers. Total Power Equivalent Bandwidth (PEB) : Relates to the amount of total power used by the carriers represented as a bandwidth equivalent. A satellite operator will charge for the larger of either Total Allocated BW or Total PEB.
data rate achievable in clear sky conditions calculated by multiplying the Clear Sky Mod/Cod spectral efficiency with symbol rate or Clear Sky Mod/ Cod spectral efficiency with (Occupied BW / 1.27). Total DR Increase % : The difference between the minimum guaranteed DR (20Mbps) and the sum of ACM Max DR A to B and ACM Max DR B to A as a percentage. Summary Section : BW/PEB is the greater of Total Allocated BW or Total Power Equivalent BW (what the per Hz price is based on).
Scenario 1 10Mbps synchronous fixed data rate duplex Characteristics : (1) synchronous data, (2) 99.95% link
availability, and (3) Non severe Ku-Band rain fade conditions.
Satellite Location Beam Txpdr Center Freq. IS-1002 359 E 312 13.955 / 12.705 Station A Location Tripoli, Libya Station A Antenna 7.8m Station B Location Oran, Algeria Station B Antenna 2.4m
Scenario 1a: Conventional two carrier link: No ACM Value

Occupied BW [1] 7.06MHz 7.06MHz Tot PEB BW [8] 12.81MHz Threshold Mod/Cod [2] 8-PSK 3/5 8-PSK 3/5 Clear Sky Mod/Cod A to B [9] 8-PSK 3/5 CnC Es/No Threshold Penalty [3] Es/No Req.[4] 0.0dB 6.7dB 0.0dB ACM Max DR A to B [10] 10.0Mbps 6.7dB Clear Sky Mod/Cod B to A [9] 8-PSK 3/5 Clear Sky Es/No [5] 11.1dB 11.1dB ACM Max DR B to A [10] 10.0Mbps Link Margin [6] 4.5dB 4.5dB Total DR Increase % [13] 0.0%
Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW [7] 14.12MHz
Scenario 1b: Carrier in Carrier link: No ACM Value

Occupied BW (9.52/2)MHz (9.52/2)MHz Threshold Mod/Cod QPSK 2/3 QPSK 2/3 CnC Es/No Penalty 0.3dB 0.3dB Threshold Es/No Req. 4.0dB 4.0dB Clear Sky Es/No 8.5dB 8.5dB Link Margin 4.5dB 4.5dB
Link A to B Link B to A
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Tot Alloc BW 9.52MHz
Tot PEB BW 9.25MHz
Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B QPSK 2/3
ACM Max DR A to B 10.0Mbps
Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A QPSK 2/3
ACM Max DR B to A 10.0Mbps
Total ACM DR Increase % 0.0%
Summary (% Improvement vs. Conventional Link)

[14] BW / PEB Guar. DR Max DR Conventional Conventional CnC without CnC with ACM CnC with ACM Link with ACM ACM (Reduced BW) (Max Throughput) 14.12MHz 14.12MHz (0.0%) 9.52MHz (32.5%) 9.52MHz (32.5%) N/A 20Mbps 20Mbps 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) N/A N/A
Scenario 1 exemplifies a conventional synchronous circuit. Synchronous circuits (i.e. G.703, RS-422, and V.35) dont allow for data rate variances. Therefore, ACM cannot be used and provides no value regardless of link margin. Carrier-in-Carrier provides an unchanging advantage, showing substantial value in synchronous circuits. CnC without ACM provides a 32.5% BW/PEB savings over a conventional link. In all other scenarios, the result is either unimproved or not applicable. Assuming a cost/MHz of BW/PEB is $3000.00 USD/month, a service provider could save $975/MHz * (14.12 9.52) = $4,485/month or $53,820/year by deploying CnC on this circuit.
Scenario 2 Guaranteed minimum 10Mbps SLA duplex link Characteristics : (1) Asynchronous, packet-based
data, 2) Link 99.65% availability 3) Ku-Band rain fade conditions.
Satellite Location Beam Txpdr Center Freq. IS-1002 359 E 312 13.955 / 12.705 Station A Location Tripoli, Libya Station A Antenna 7.8m Station B Location Oran, Algeria Station B Antenna 2.4m
Scenario 2a: Conventional two carrier link: Without and with ACM
Occupied BW 5.64MHz 4.76MHz Tot PEB BW 9.84MHz Threshold Mod/Cod 8-PSK 3/4 16-APSK 2/3 Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 16-APSK 2/3 CnC Es/No Threshold Penalty Es/No Req.[1] 0.0dB 9.0dB 0.0dB ACM Max DR A to B 11.8Mbps 10.6dB Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A 16-APSK 4/5 Clear Sky Es/No 10.6dB 12.1dB ACM Max DR B to A 11.9Mbps Link Margin 1.6dB 1.5dB Total ACM DR increase % 18.5%
Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW 10.40MHz
Scenario 2b: Carrier in Carrier link: Without and with ACM

Occupied BW [2] (14.1/2)MHz (14.1/2)MHz Threshold Mod/Cod 8-PSK 3/5 8-PSK 3/5 CnC Es/No Penalty 0.3dB 0.3dB Threshold Es/No Req. 6.9dB 6.9dB Clear Sky Es/No 8.4dB 8.4dB Link Margin 1.5dB 1.5dB
Link A to B Link B to A
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Tot Alloc BW 7.05MHz
Tot PEB BW 6.62MHz
Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 8-PSK 2/3
ACM Max DR A to B 11.1Mbps
Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A 8-PSK 2/3
ACM Max DR B to A 11.1Mbps
Total ACM DR increase % 11.0%

Convention Conventional with CnC without Link ACM ACM 10.4MHz 10.4MHz (0.0%) 7.05MHz (32.2%) 20Mbps 20Mbps 20Mbps (0.0%) 23.7Mbps (18.5%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) CnC with ACM (Reduced BW) 7.05MHz (32.2%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 22.2Mbps (11.0%) CnC with ACM (Max Throughput) 10.4MHz (0.0%) 29.5Mbps (47.5%) 32.7Mbps (63.5%)
BW / PEB Guar. DR Max DR
In Scenario 2, we see that packet-based networks (when combined with ACM) can yield a higher data throughput. However, due to 99.65% link availability chosen, the link margin needed is only 1.5dB. Due to this lower link margin, we see a minimal (18.5%) increase in data throughput from ACM alone. As shown in the CnC with ACM column, Carrier-in-Carrier offers a 32.2% savings in allocated bandwidth, plus an 11.0% increase in data throughput. Assuming a cost/MHz of BW/PEB is $3000.00 USD/month, a service provider could save $966/MHz * (10.4 7.05) = $3,236/month or $38,833/year by deploying CnC and would increase user throughput by an additional 2.2Mbps for the majority of the year. Converting bandwidth to additional throughput: As seen in the CnC with ACM column, a user choosing to convert BW savings into additional throughput by running a 10.4MHz CnC link (equivalent to the Scenario 2a Total allocated BW). Even in the most highly faded condition, running 8-PSK 3/5 Mod/Cod, CnC alone would give the user 29.5Mbps of capacity (14.7Mbps each way). This is a 47.5% increase over the 20Mbps guaranteed SLA. CnC, without ACM, in a highly faded link condition provides a 29% throughput advantage over ACM in CLEAR SKY CONDITIONS! When clear sky conditions do arise, CnC with ACM will run at Mod/Cod 8-PSK 2/3 offering 32.7Mbps of capacity (16.3Mbps each way). This is 63.5% over the 20Mbps contracted SLA and 45% better than ACM alone. When running a BW limited link, we know that the cost/month for the CnC 10.4MHz is the same as the conventional (non CnC) 10.4MHz and we have now increased our data rate capacity by up to 63.5% over our SLA. When looking at all available options, it is clear that CnC combined with ACM provides the best overall result.
Scenario 3 Guaranteed minimum 10Mbps SLA duplex link Characteristics : 1) Asynchronous, packet-based,
Data Link, 2) 99.7% availability 3) Severe Ku-Band rain fade conditions
Satellite Location Beam Txpdr Center Freq. IS-1002 332.5 E 71 14.0425 / 10.9925 Station A Location Abidjan, Cte d'Ivoire Station A Antenna 7.8m Station B Location Lome, Togo Station B Antenna 2.4m
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Scenario 3a: Conventional two carrier link: Without and with ACM
Occupied BW 6.35MHz 4.23MHz Tot PEB BW 10.15MHz Guaranteed Mod/Cod 8-PSK 2/3 16-APSK 3/4 Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 32-APSK 5/6 CnC Es/No Threshold Penalty Es/No Req.[1] 0.0dB 7.8dB 0.0dB ACM Max DR A to B 20.8Mbps 11.7dB Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A 32-APSK 9/10 Clear Sky Es/No 15.9dB 18.6dB ACM Max DR B to A 14.9Mbps Link Margin 8.1dB 6.9dB Total ACM DR increase % 78.5%
Scenario 3b: Carrier in Carrier link: Without and with ACM

Occupied BW [2] (14.1/2)MHz (14.1/2)MHz Tot PEB BW 7.53MHz Threshold Mod/Cod 8-PSK 3/5 8-PSK 3/5 CnC Es/No Penalty 0.3dB 0.3dB ACM Max DR A to B 20.8Mbps Threshold Es/No Req. 6.9dB 6.9dB Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A 16-APSK 5/6 Clear Sky Es/No 14.9dB 13.8dB ACM Max DR B to A 18.5Mbps Link Margin 8.0dB 6.9dB Total ACM DR increase % 96.5%
Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 32-APSK 3/4

Conventional Conventional with CnC without Link ACM ACM BW / PEB 10.58MHz 10.58MHz (0.0%) 7.53MHz (28.8%) Guar. DR Max DR 20Mbps 20Mbps 20Mbps (0.0%) 35.7Mbps (78.5%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 20Mbps (0.0%) CnC with ACM (Reduced BW) 7.53MHz (28.8%) 20Mbps (0.0%) 39.3Mbps (96.5%) CnC with ACM (Max Throughput) 9.90MHz (0.0%)* 28Mbps (40.0%) 55.1Mbps (175%)
Packet-based networks running ACM can significantly improve throughput. A 99.7% link availability, Ku-Band operation, and geographical locations that experience severe fade creates a link margin demand of 6.9-8.1dB. Due to high link margin, we see substantial (78.5%) increase in data throughput due to ACM alone. Carrier-in-Carrier with ACM offers a 28.8% savings in allocated bandwidth and 96.5% increase in data throughput seen in the CnC with ACM column. The increase in data rate due to ACM was slightly higher in the CnC with ACM circuit than in the ACM only circuit (96.5% vs. 78.5%). The link margin of 6.9dB available in clear sky conditions exceeded the most efficient Mod/Cod (32-APSK 9/10) Es/No requirement and could not be converted to increased capacity. This is another advantage of using CnC technology in combination with ACM. In virtually all CnC circuits, a lower Mod/Cod can be used as we are spreading the signal, requiring a lower Es/No. As you can see in the Ideal spectral efficiency vs. Es/No graph below, for every 5dB of link margin, in an ideal DVBS2 implementation, throughput should increase by 60-80% regardless of where you begin (Threshold Es/No).
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Assuming a cost/MHz of BW/PEB is $3000.00 USD/ month, a service provider could save $864/MHz * (10.58 7.53) = $2,635/month or $31,622/year by deploying CnC and would increase user throughput by an additional 19.3Mbps for the majority of the year. Converting bandwidth savings to additional throughput: In Scenario 3, the CnC link is power limited, running a 7.05MHz carrier is equivalent to using 7.53MHz PEB. Therefore, we need to compare a 9.9MHz (Total Allocated BW) CnC link equating to a 10.58MHz BW/PEB, as this will give us a realistic equivalent satellite cost. As seen in the CnC with ACM column, a user could convert BW savings into additional throughput by running a 9.9MHz CnC link. In the most highly faded condition, running 8-PSK 3/5 Mod/Cod in both directions, CnC alone would give the user 28.0Mbps of capacity. This is a 40.0% increase over the 20Mbps guaranteed SLA even in the most faded of conditions.
When clear sky conditions arise, CnC with ACM will run at Mod/Cod 32-APSK in one direction and 16-APSK 5/6 in the opposite direction offering 55.1Mbps of capacity (29.2Mbps A to B, 25.9Mbps B to A). This is 175% over the contracted 20Mbps SLA and 96.5% better than ACM alone. It is clear that DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier combined with ACM provides the best overall result.
Conclusion
When considering bandwidth conservation, data throughput or a combination of the two, there are many choices and technologies available. Synchronous circuits greatly benefit by using Carrier-in-Carriers definitive and static BW/PEB savings, and cannot benefit through the use of ACM. Non Synchronous, packet-based circuits can be improved by ACM, but these improvements are even more substantial when a combination of ACM and Carrier-in-Carrier are deployed.
Louis Dubin is Vice President, Product Management where he oversees business development and product management of high-speed,
TDMA and broadcast products. Dubin joined Comtech through the Radyne acquisition where he was formerly President and VP, Sales. He has 18+ years experience in telecommunications and transmission, holds an EE degree from FIT, and completed the Stanford Executive MBA program.
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INTERVIEW
Interview with William David Wade President & CEO, AsiaSat
How do you view the performance of AsiaSat and that of the Asian satellite industry over the past year?
We saw healthy expansion of the Asian satellite market over the past year as a result of recovering economic activities that have driven the growth of the television broadcast and telecommunications business in the region. The growing regional demand for HDTV and an increasing number of new DTH satellite television and other pay TV platforms have boosted not only the quantity of television channels but also the quality of the video content delivered across the region. This trend was fully reflected in the performance of our core business as many of our existing users introduced new services and new customers launched new channels on AsiaSat. We were very pleased that AsiaSat was able to benefit from this positive development and achieved record results in 2010 through improved satellite utilisation, expansion of our high quality customer base and the introduction of new customer products and services. Over the past year, our subsidiary businesses also saw positive developments. SpeedCast, our whollyowned subsidiary reported encouraging growth with an increase in both turnover and net profit. By actively investing in new areas such as the maritime services, SpeedCast has now become the fastest growing mari-
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AsiaSat 7, AsiaSats new satellite planned for launch in Q4 2011
AsiaSat Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong
time broadband service provider in Asia and is in the top 10 globally. Our new DTH project, DishHD, also entered into service and is offering the most HD content to targeted subscribers in Taiwan.
from our competitors with new quality capacity and value added services that meet the needs of our customers. Over the past few years, we have successfully expanded our satellite fleet to offer more capacity and diverse beam coverage that enabled us to expand into multiple markets and introduce new services. For
What are the major challenges you see as Asias leading satellite operator?
From the industry perspective, we see major challenges coming from the intensifying market competition and the regulatory barriers that limit our access to the domestic markets of some Asian countries. We expect market competition to increase with national systems launching new and larger satellites, and regional and global players expanding their fleets to provide new and replacement capacity to fast growing markets such as South Asia, South East Asia and the Middle East. However from the company perspective and following a very successful year in 2010, we think our biggest challenge is to achieve growth amid this highly competitive market, and to carry the momentum throughout the remainder of 2011 and beyond.
example, with AsiaSat 5 expanding our capacity at the orbital location of 100.5 degrees East, we have successfully supported the deployment of new DTH platforms in Vietnam and India. To meet the increased demand from customers for comprehensive transmission solutions, we have significantly expanded our ground facilities at our Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong. From this facility we provide cost effective one-stop transmission solutions including DVB-S2/S distribution platforms for high definition or standard definition video distribution in either MPEG-4 or MPEG-2, and support our customers with other value added activities such as uplinking, back up emergency services and equipment hosting.
What would be the major developments to achieve your growth strategy in the coming year?
In addition to continuing to invest in expanding our teleport facilities to diversify our service offerings and support the operations of
How will you deal with these challenges to maintain your market leader position?
To meet these challenges, we need to capitalise on our reputation for providing high quality and continue to differentiate ourselves
our subsidiary companies, we will be launching a new satellite AsiaSat 7 the fourth quarter of this year. We are also looking to expand into new markets geographically and into applications that complement our existing services. While we operate a very Asian focused satellite fleet, we see opportunities for us to grow further
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West in our satellite coverage. This can be done by making acquisitions or forming joint ventures that give us access to new orbital locations to open up new markets, for example in the Middle East and Africa. At the moment, our AsiaSat 5 is serving a very important role of being the gateway providing Euro-Asia connectivity. We are looking to invest in business opportunities that can further strengthen our connectivity with regions that expand and complement our existing coverage.
From its Tai Po facility, AsiaSat provides an expanding range of transmission services
How do you see the future development of the satellite industry in the region? Do you see any opportunities for your company growth?
We talked about regulatory constraints earlier on, however we also have seen changes in local regulations that have opened up new opportunities for us. In countries where the number of pay TV platforms has increased as a result of relaxed regulation and the market being opened up to competition, we see that increasing demand for content from these platforms has driven channel providers to look for capacity for additional satellite distribution. These include both international broadcasters who are looking to expand their existing services to provide more localised programs, and new niche and specialty channels seizing the opportunity to expand into Asia. The steady growth in demand will continue to reduce supply surplus in some sectors thus helping to firm up lease prices, particularly high quality C-band transponders in Asia remain in short supply for services over large geographic areas. As satellite continues to demonstrate its significant advantage over other distribution methods for point to multipoint distribution, we remain in a strong position to support the development of new applications especially in the areas of HDTV, video to mobile communications, DTH and VSAT services. We are optimistic about the outlook for the coming year. With economies in the region continuing to grow, we should be able to maintain our growth by continuing to demonstrate to customers our significant advantage over our competitors, not only in the quality and performance of our transponder capacity and the excellent market penetration of our satellite fleet, but also our long reputation for reliability and customer services.
William David Wade
was appointed as CEO on 1 August 2010 to lead AsiaSat, with his title changed to President & CEO
from 1 January 2011. Prior to assuming his role as CEO, he had served as AsiaSats Deputy CEO for 16 years. Mr. Wade has over 25 years experience in the satellite and cable television industry.
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FOCUS ASIA
Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region

Patrick M. French, Senior Analyst & Head, Singapore Office, NSR LLC
It is common in our industry to treat the Asia-Pacific commercial satellite market as one monolithic whole. In fact, most trends are so different from region-to-region within Asia, even by country, that any analysis of Asia-Pacific has to dig into the many distinct sub-markets in order to comprehend the individual trend lines and how to successfully develop strategies for tackling each specific market. One fair generalization that can be made about the Asia-Pacific commercial satellite capacity market is that video dominates. Be it video distribution for cable, bouquets, free-to-air, DTH or various contribution and SNG services, NSR estimates that various video applications accounted for US$1.35 billion in revenues from leased capacity in 2009, or about 62% of all capacity leasing revenues in the Asia-Pacific region for that year. Driven mainly by
gains in SD and HD channels plus the eventual emergence of 3D, the video markets will continue to capture just under two-thirds of all capacity leasing revenues in Asia-Pacific while scoring on average over US$85 million in net new revenues per year through 2019. Looking to a more specific regional assessment, the following information is drawn from NSRs recently published Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand 7th Edition study and attempts to highlight a number of the important C- and Ku-band capacity demand trends throughout the Asia-Pacific region as well as discuss the applicability of widebeam Ka-band and High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services to this market.
East Asia
Even within a region like East Asia, which NSR defines to include greater China, Mongolia, the Korean peninsula and Japan, the market trends can be dramatically different. C-band transponder demand in East Asia is driven mainly by growth in cable markets and national/provincial channel distribution in China, plus pan-Asia video hot birds. Some additional C-band demand, again mainly for China, could come from video contribution & OUTV, backhaul and some additional other services, but this is offset by declining C-band demand for classic telephony & carrier markets and the migration
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of some heritage broadband VSAT services, once more mainly in China, from C-band provisioning to Ku-band. Conversely, it is Japan and South Korea that dominate the existing base of leased Ku-band capacity in East Asia mainly for DTH and other video distribution services. The combined Ku-band video services markets in East Asia (these being of video distribution, DTH and video contribution & OUTV) will account for about three-quarters of Ku-band demand in the region for the coming ten years as well as generate the most new capacity demand, notably in Japan and South Korea. The Chinese DTH market is also rather unique in that there is only one officially sanctioned DTH service in the country, and technically this service is only legally receivable in specially designated rural communities. Yet, illegal DTH dishes are rampant in China with millions of dishes in the country pointed at non-Chinese satellites as well as a huge base of illegal dishes pirating signals of the official domestic DTH service on Chinasat-9. Beyond video, there is steady growth in Ku-band transponder demand for VSAT services primarily in China as well as good Ku-band demand in a number of East Asia countries for mobility and disaster preparedness/disaster response missions.
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the Indian market knows that it is a world unto itself. It is undeniable that DTH services in India are undersupplied in terms of Ku-band capacity with a complete business collapse just one on-orbit satellite anomaly away for most any of the DTH service providers in the region. VSAT service providers are also left scrambling for the scraps of Ku-band capacity that they can lay their hands on in order to serve burgeoning demand for networking services both for corporate clients as well as for governmental clients. And on the C-band side, which is in less desperate straits in supply terms, the enormous success of DTH is slowly but surely forcing the cable industry to respond with new and better services, and NSR expects that the next big wave of C-band capacity demand in India will come as the larger MSOs start adding substantial HD programming in order to remain competitive with the DTH players plus continue to expand classic SD channels. Beyond India, Pakistan and a number of other South Asia countries are important sources of both Ku-band and C-band demand for networking and backhaul services and DTH, though at a smaller scale than India, continues to be an important current and future demand driver. Even Nepal has seen the launch of two (admittedly small) DTH services in the last twelve months. Another important capacity demand driver in South Asia is Indian Ocean capacity being used for mobility services and government/military clients. The maritime market, while still relatively small, is growing quickly, and UAVs are
South Asia
Moving to South Asia, which NSR defines to include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Himalayan nations, it is clear that India is the dominant market in terms of pure capacity demand. The recent contract SES World Skies signed for 12 Ku-band transponders on the SES-7 satellite for the Indian market is only a step in satisfying the Ku-band demand that substantially exceeds supply.
an important source of capacity demand for services over Pakistan and into neighboring Afghanistan (which NSR technically places in the Middle Eastern & North African market).
Southeast Asia
The Southeast Asian region largely breaks down into the Australia/ New Zealand zone and the ASEAN countries. Australia and New Zealand are large Ku-band markets with only a small amount of C-band demand mainly for video distribution to cable headends and some other specialized services. It is DTH and video distribution for national channels and such bouquets as VAST in Australia and Freeview in New Zealand that drives the large majority of current Ku-band demand and will likely generate much of the future growth for Ku-band capacity leasing. There are some additional mobility and networking plays for Ku-band in Australia and New Zealand, but these have a smaller total potential than the video and DTH segments.
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In the ASEAN countries, C-band is still used for a substantial amount of classic telephony & carrier services as well as backhaul applications, notably in Indonesia. The telephony & carrier segment is generally seeing decreasing C-band demand, while gains from backhaul typically more than offset this decline. Further, both regional and pan-Asian video distribution services at hot bird slots are a major driver for C-band capacity demand and will generate most new C-band capacity demand among the ASEAN countries for the foreseeable future. Just as in South Asia, not only are gains in HD channel carriage pushing C-band demand in the region, but there remains healthy demand for carriage of additional SD channels. Further, C-band video contribution & OUTV will continue to manage slow but steady gains in terms of capacity demand throughout the Southeast Asian region. Looking to Ku-band demand in the ASEAN countries, this segment is largely a DTH driven market with DTH service multiplying throughout the region. Vietnam saw four DTH platforms launched in the last 18 months, competition is heating up in the Philippines and Indonesia can certainly support additional DTH growth. Beyond this, Ku-band networking services are quite important in the ASEAN countries both for classic corporate verticals like banking and oil & gas, as well as for government backed USO and digital inclusion projects. Further, mobility and other niche applications should add some marginal additional Ku-band demand in the coming years.
Pacific Ocean Region, the ultimate potential for generating future capacity demand in this market is inherently limited. It should come as no surprise that the C-band transponder market is by far the most important in the Pacific Ocean Region because the region is so large and much of the traffic is connectivity-type services, thus better suited to the bigger C-band footprints. The dominance of connectivitytype services also means that the classic telephony & carrier market is the biggest C-band market in the region. However, the C-band classic telephony & carrier market will decline, and cellular backhaul gains just offset losses in heritage voice and private line demand. Other C-band services, driven by commercial and maritime leasing, and video distribution, with new channel carriage, will generate the most new C-band demand in the coming years, but the relative number is actually quite small. While the Ku-band transponder market in the Pacific Ocean Region is only one-third the size of the C-band market, NSR forecasts that Ku-band capacity demand growth will be much stronger and that the total Ku-band market will grow by 70% in the coming ten years. Leading the increased demand will be the mobility sector and growth in DTH services followed by additional demand for VSAT networking.
Widebeam Ka-band and High Throughput Satellite Trends

NSR clearly distinguishes in its published Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand, 7th Edition study between Ka-band capacity that is widebeam in payload terms meaning relatively large beams and minimal frequency reuse and High Throughput Satellites (HTS) where the payload makes use of many smaller spot beams with a high level of frequency reuse. Within the Asia-Pacific market, there is relatively little available commercial widebeam Ka-band capacity, while the sole HTS currently in the region is the Thaicom-4 satellite. The commercial widebeam Ka-band capacity today in the AsiaPacific is primarily found on the domestic fleets for Japan and South
Pacific Ocean Region

The Pacific Ocean is a huge region that is ideally suited to satellite services; however, the relatively small population density, often low GDP, and difficulty in aggregating markets means that while commercial satellite services have a long future ahead of them in the
Korea. Yet, after years of attempting to nurture this market, little commercial demand has developed. In addition, there are a number of dedicated military Ka-band payloads on a number of domestic satellites, but these are not considered part of the commercial market.
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a largely new direction and is now more than willing to lease straight capacity off of Thaicom-4 to clients in different countries and for different applications. NSR generally believes that Thaicom has hit on a successful formula and within another year or two will be able to lease a substantial fraction of Thaicom-4s capacity to clients in the region. The other main HTS project under way is within the context of Australias NBN program where it seems all but certain that two, large dedicated HTS will be launched to bring broadband access services to rural households in Australia. What these assets Overall, NSRs assessment is that throughout the Asia-Pacific region the widebeam Ka-band market will remain a niche play. The best potential for demand would be in selling commercial Ka-band capacity (making use of either military or non-military Ka-band frequencies) to government clients looking to supplement their dedicated Ka-band capacity. There may also be some room for SNG services and specialty VSAT networks, but as a whole the widebeam Ka-band transponder leasing market is not projected to gain significant traction in the Asia-Pacific region in the coming ten years. For HTS capacity, NSR does see a good future, but it is limited to a few specific cases. First looking to Thaicoms IPSTAR service, it would be fair to say that except for the Australian market that had the benefit of the Australian Broadband Guarantee program, the IPSTAR business plan has certainly not developed along the lines originally conceived. While not going into the many reasons why this occurred, it must be recognized that over the last two years, Thaicom has taken the IPSTAR service in might be used for beyond this core application is certainly open to debate, and this will be a key project to follow in the coming years. NSR is also aware that ISRO appears set on attempting to domestically build an HTS for the Indian market. Again, much speculation about true market demand and technical capability swirl around this program as well, but it again bears watching. Finally, NSR considers the Inmarsat-5 satellite as HTS, and these services will certainly be applicable to the Asia-Pacific market with mobility applications being the core market driver here. Beyond these above noted projects, NSR does not see a clear market driver anywhere else in the Asia-Pacific region that would lead one to conclude that an HTS (either a full dedicated satellite or as hosted payload on a traditional C/Ku satellite) makes business sense. Yet, NSR will certainly not rule out either market changes in the future or pure nationalistic drivers that could lead to the launch of an additional HTS for the region.
Patrick M. French is the Senior Analyst & Head, Singapore Office for NSR LLC. He is the lead
author of NSRs Global Assessment of Satellite Supply & Demand 7th Edition and Broadband Satellite Markets 10th Edition studies.
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SATELLITE TRENDS
Adaptive Coding and Modulation: Maximising Satellite Throughput and Capacity and Bringing Costs Down
Koen Willems, Product Marketing Director, Newtec
Among all trends influencing the satellite communication industry nowadays, the convergence of broadcast, corporate, government or backhauling markets towards IP is the obvious choice. The key question for the satellite service provider is how to carry these different services from one part of the world to another in the most efficient way, considering growing CAPEX and OPEX pressure, whilst still allowing for increased room to drive business. For authorities, the question remains - how to cope with the convergence, and how to prevent the digital divide between developed and emerging countries from becoming too large? Satellite is the best, if not the only, means of access in regions such as Africa, Asia and Latin America that are deprived of terrestrial infrastructures because of economical or natural obstacles. Advanced satellite technologies provide answers to both questions, but it is not always easy to identify which technology is best suited to which application or network configuration.
The first challenge is that satellite services have become less competitive in comparison with terrestrial services in regions where they are already present or will become available. This challenge urges satellite service providers to offer differentiators in order to secure future revenues. These can be better Service Level Agreements (SLA), faster service deployment, additional flexibility in selling multiple SLAs, addressing different applications or simply lowering prices. The second concern is pressure surrounding profitability of satellite services. As profitability is driven by the operational costs (OPEX), which is dominated by the cost of the satellite capacity, there is a definite demand for technology to reduce bandwidth needs or to allow operators to do more business with the same satellite capacity. The lack of satellite capacity to expand business in some areas is the third problem that needs to be tackled. How can companies in the IP trunking business find new additional capacity in these regions? One answer is to use transponders that are left by
Customer Challenges and Requirements

Continuous interaction with the market has revealed four major challenges that satellite service providers, teleports and satellite operators are facing.
others because they cannot be used efficiently or reliably with conventional technology. The final challenge for satellite service operators comes in the form of Quality of Service (QoS) expectations. Real time services such as VoIP or real time video streaming demand a guaranteed
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QoS, constant data throughput, and minimum delay. Network congestion, rain fade and signal propagation delays are inherent factors of a satellite transmission system that make it tough for the operator to fulfil the QoS expectations of their customers while building efficient business models.
In medium to higher speed Point-To-Multipoint networks, the forward links from the central location to the remote sites are often multiplexed and transported on a common forward carrier. Many of these systems were initially implemented with a DVB-S forward carrier. The main advantage here is that the forward link only requires one piece of modulation equipment at the uplink and is compatible with
Existing Technical Implementations

Several technologies are commonly used on the medium to high speed point-to-point and point-tomultipoint markets. The most common implementations use different combinations of DVB-S, DVB-S2, proprietary Turbo and LDPC codes, signal cancellation, Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM) and supports adaptive coding and modulation (ACM) technologies. Because they rarely need to interoperate with other systems, many Point-to-Point links are implemented with proprietary technologies such as Turbo or LDPC codes. Recently DVB-S2 has been used more commonly on higher speed Point-to-Point links. Firstly, because DVB-S2 provides a more efficient error correction code than Turbo codes and, secondly, because DVB-S2 supports ACM, which allows dynamic optimisation of the transmission parameters and guarantees the link availability against rain fade.
a wide range of cost effective IP receivers in the remote sites. The common carrier allows statistical multiplexing among the various services, allowing the operator to overbook its satellite capacity. The DVB-S2 standard adds new ways to optimise networks with a shared forward carrier by allowing the dynamic adjustment of the modulation parameters. This feature can be used VCM or ACM modes. In the first mode, independent modulation parameters can be chosen for each remote site, allowing for the use of different antenna sizes in the remote sites and to smooth away differences in EIRP coverage. The efficiency of the network is not dictated by the weakest station in the network any longer. In the ACM mode, the modulation parameters are selected dynamically in order of the instantaneous receive conditions at each site, allowing it to operate with minimum rain (or other fading) margins and therefore optimising the throughput at all times with average efficiency gains of up to 100 percent.
Figure 1. Inclined orbit
Figure 2. Rain Fade
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has the direct benefit of being able to saturate a transponder with a single multi-service carrier, adding an extra 12 percent efficiency to the satellite link. Another benefit of Multistream is the direct reduction in the number of transmission devices, as the different services can be modulated or demodulated on the same piece of equipment. Further increases in efficiency and reliability of DVB-S2 Point-to-Point links can be made by providing an optimum implementation of the DVB-S2
Figure 3. Point-to-Point
ACM mode. In ACM mode, the receive site of a transmission link monitors the instantaneous receive conditions continuously and reports this information to the uplink site in real time. The
DVB-S2 and ACM in Point-to-Point Links

In the quest to get more bits per hertz through the satellite link, DVB-S2 offers a multitude of advantages for Point-to-Point links compared to DVB-S. Whereas DVB-S was initially developed for transmission of TV signals over satellite and was therefore sub-optimal for the transmission of IP data, DVB-S2 -, the second generation DVB standard for satellite communication, was optimised for both TV and IP. The V in DVB-S2 no longer stands for Video but rather for Versatile. The efficiency of DVB-S2 is obtained through a mixed bag of optimisations, from the use of more powerful error correction codes, through the support of enhanced encapsulation formats such as XPE (Extended Protocol Encapsulation) or the standard GSE (Generic Stream Encapsulation), to the use of a longer framing structure that respects the native IP format. In all, a simple shift from DVB-S to DVB-S2 promises as much as a 40 percent performance increase for any IP Trunking applications over satellite. To better address the convergence towards IP in the broadcasting, telecom, government and trunking markets, DVB-S2 allows the combination of different services onto a single carrier without additional multiplexing. This feature is called Multistream and
uplink site is able to change the modulation parameters dynamically without losing the synchronisation with either the receiver or any data in the process. Thanks to this mechanism, the transmission system can operate with a minimum link margin at all times: whenever the link degrades for one reason or another, the system automatically increases the level of error protection and/or uses a more robust modulation constellation, so the demodulator remains locked and the transmission remains error-free. When the link improves again, less error correction and higher modulation schemes are automatically reactivated increasing the efficiency again. This guarantees optimal availability which is important to operators when considering Service Level Agreements. Since statistically rain fades are short and happen quite rarely over time, higher modulation parameters can be used and the average throughput of such a system is much higher than the fixed throughput of a conventional system. In point-topoint networks these varying bitrates are acceptable as they target one recipient at the receive side. The SLA in the point-to-point configuration addresses the availability taking into consideration the fading conditions, which only occur at sporadic intervals. Only after the reception point is the total
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bandwidth divided over different local service providers depending on contracts and SLAs. In other words ACM implementations in point-to-point networks bring a variable rate to withstand fading conditions employing the optimum transmission to increase important OPEX savings. These savings help operators to either drive down costs or to add revenue by re-addressing the liberated bandwidth. It is clear that the reliability and the efficiency of the ACM implementation heavily depends on the quality of the estimation of the link condition and the mechanism to provide this feedback to the uplink site. Systems need to accurately measure not only the level of the noise but also the amount of distortion in the transmission chain. These can be put in place to anticipate degrading satellite conditions in a very precise manner ensuring a transmission in the most optimal and efficient condition.
Figure 4. Point-to-multi-Point
DVB-S2 and ACM in Point-toMultipoint Links

In these configurations, medium to high speed connectivity is provided from a central location towards different remote recipients, being for example local Internet, Wimax, LTE or 3G service providers or remote government offices situated at various locations in the satellite footprint. The connectivity is provided via a single shared satellite carrier. It goes without saying that the individual users do not want their service to be affected by the services or link conditions of other users. As a consequence the satellite service provider needs to provide fixed or Committed Rate Service Level Agreements to each of the users in the system. The question is therefore how to optimise the efficiency of the system while respecting these Committed Information Rate (CIR) and Peak Information Rate (PIR) SLA requirements. The simplest solution is of course to firstly ensure that the shared satellite link has enough bandwidth to accommodate for the sum of the committed rates for all users, and secondly to fix modulation parameters to guarantee the availability (as agreed in the SLA) even for the worst station in the network (i.e. the station with the smallest antenna and/or the station located at the furthest edge of the footprint). In DVB-S2 this mode is called Constant Coding and Modulation (CCM). DVB-S2 CCM has the advantage of offering up to 40 percent efficiency gains compared to DVB-S or Turbo implementations, as well as offering the possibility to dynamically balance the load of the various services within the single carrier, which would be impossible with separate carriers for each service. The big disadvantage however is that the rain marFigure 5. CCM
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station. In other words, each remote site uses transmission parameters that are in accordance to its capability in order to meet the agreed SLA. The network allows the addition of less performing remotes without them having a negative impact on the total network efficiency. This provides an improvement in bandwidth efficiency that can be as high as 23 percent. Like in CCM mode, load balancing among the services is still possible but tricky: when bandwidth is moved from one service to another, it may use different modulation parameters and therefore the bandwidth efficiency of the
Figure 6. VCM
system varies over time, leading to variations of the total throughput. Arbitrating the allocation of bandwidth to the different services becomes, therefore, a complex and dynamic operation.
Conclusion
As a market trend, we have identified the convergence of telecom, broadcast, government and trunking services towards IP. This puts a lot of pressure on service and teleport operators to bring this mixed bag of services efficiently over satellite towards multiple customers. Satellite capacity conFigure 7. Fixed rate ACM
straints, OPEX and CAPEX considerations all need to be taken into account whilst serving the customer with the best possible SLA offering. gin necessary for the worst station in the network is applied to all stations. Hence the network is dictated to by the worst station and all others are forced to work at a lower efficiency than their potential. The remote stations operate with a bigger margin than needed for the SLA. This results in lots of IP bandwidth wastage. A first improvement compared to CCM can be achieved through the implementation of the DVBS2 Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM mode). In VCM, each service is modulated with its own set of fixed parameters, chosen in response to functions of the characteristics of the corresponding receive New ACM technologies are able to provide solutions for high and medium speed trunking networks over satellite. Moreover ACM is being used on multiple satellite links in rain fade sensitive areas, on inclined orbit satellites and in satellite networks to drive for optimal efficiency. On top of the bandwidth reduction provided by ACM techniques, innovative technologies are further improving the end-to-end efficiency of the satellite link. Satellite service providers and teleport operators are upgrading their legacy networks in order to fully optimise the bandwidth efficiency and
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Figure 8. Cross Layer optimization
performance of their networks. The resulting bandwidth saving gives the operators the opportunity to either increase revenues by increasing their customer base, or reduce OPEX costs and increase the profitability of their business. By bringing fixed rates to ACM, the service providers in point-to-multipoint configurations improve efficiency by providing constant throughput at optimal availability in the most efficient way.
solution utilises advanced technologies ACM, NoDE (Noise & Distortion Eliminator), Cross-LayerOptimization and ThiMM (Thin Margin Manager). All can be used individually to optimise the satellite link. However, when combined, they further enable the user to get the very most out of the bandwidth available to them, doubling on average the throughput, pushing down costs and pushing up profitability.
The Newtec solution

Newtec has responded to these challenges in an innovative way by creating FlexACM. Newtecs award-winning FlexACM solution is an advanced technology that provides auto-optimisation of satellite capacity through a one-stop, end-to-end solution for IP backbone and IP trunking networks. The
Koen Willems starts his career in 1998 with Lernout & Hauspie, as project manager in the Consulting & Services division. More recently he
joins Toshiba as a Product Marketing Manager for the Benelux and later for the European market. In a total of 6 years Koen contributes to all major Toshiba Retail IT product releases. Mr. Willems is at present Product Marketing Director for Newtec. Koen holds a degree in Germanic Languages (University Ghent, Belgium, 1997) and completed a Master in Marketing Management program at the Vlekho Business School in Brussels (1998). He acquires a Six Sigma Black Belt for product development and process improvement in 2006.
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SATELLITE TRENDS
Nations United in Space

Giovanni Verlini
As a forum where space-faring nations can dialogue and cooperate to find common rules, an organization promoting space-based resources and a client of the satellite sector, the United Nations aims to harness the potential of space for the benefit of mankind. Fifty years ago almost to the day, on 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space, representing a huge milestone in the so-called Space Race, the competition between the USSR and the USA for supremacy in outer space. Following the end of the Cold War in the late 1990s, the Space Race between the two superpowers became the relic of a bygone age. More recently, the two countries tend to cooperate rather than compete on endeavours relating to space exploration, as multinational projects such as the International Space Stations clearly indicate. Naturally, times have moved on and several nations have also independently developed the know-how and acquired the resources to invest in space technology. Todays space exploration is no longer limited to the two former rivals of the 1950s: many new, powerful actors, such as China and India, can also boast remarkable achievements pursued at a national level Chinas manned spaceflights aboard the Shen Zhou spacecraft perhaps being the most visible and remarkable of them all. Yet, international cooperation among nations remains an underlying trend of the modern
UN in Geneva Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Gagarin's Space Flight (Photo courtesy by UN)
space and satellite sector, one set to become increasingly important for future space explorations. In this
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sense, an agency such as the United Nations (UN) has a crucial role to play, leading and coordinating international efforts. From the earliest days of space exploration, the UN recognised that space-related technologies can lead to improvements in peoples lives around the world and embarked on a coordinated programme of space activities alongside its family of specialised agencies. Every year the United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities convenes to discuss current and future activities, emergent technologies of interest and other related matters. The meeting issues a report on it deliberations for the consideration of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the primary UN body that deals with peaceful uses of space and international cooperation in outer space. The meeting also produces, on behalf of the UN SecretaryGeneral, a report on the coordinated space-related activities of the UN system.
dialogue and cooperate to find common rules, and that of an agency promoting and using space-based resources for the benefit of mankind.
An International Forum
As the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space states, outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means. Today we take for granted the principle that space is a global common. This principle, however, had not always been around. When nations began discussing how to ensure the peaceful use of outer space, it soon became evident that only the UN would be able to provide the neutral ground to allow nations to find consensus on these issues. Through its Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the UN still fulfils that role. UNOOSA was initially created as a small expert
In other words, the UN has double role: that of an international forum where space-faring nations can
unit within the Secretariat to service the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(Photo courtesy by UN)
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established by the General Assembly in its resolution 1348 (XIII) of 13 December 1958. The office implements the decisions of the UN General Assembly and of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. This means that it is, de facto, the vehicle to implement nations consensus on space issues. UNOOSA has the dual objective of supporting the intergovernmental discussions in the Committee and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee, and of assisting developing countries in using space technology for development. In addition, it follows legal, scientific and technical developments relating to space activities, technology and applications in order to provide technical information and advice to countries, international organizations and other UN offices. It also maintains the Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space and disseminates information transmitted by states and other parties to the Registration Convention. UNOOSAs Committee Services and Research Section prepares and distributes reports and publications on international space activities and international space law. In addition, it prepares and distributes reports, studies and publications on various fields of space science and technology applications and international space law.
Societies (JBGIS) it recently launched a joint publication Geoinformation for Disaster and Risk Management, which publicizes examples and best practices from around the world on managing risk and disaster situations, such as earthquakes, tsunami, floods, volcanic eruptions, dust storms and wildfires. Through this publication, UNOOSA aims to raise awareness among Governments, disaster management professionals and other decision-makers of the potential uses of geoinformation technologies to reduce the impact of natural disasters and support decision-making in all phases of disaster management, prevention and mitigation as well as immediate response and recovery. [Space] technologies offer little-known and rarelyused solutions that could help us reduce disaster risks and losses and mitigate damages to livelihoods and property associated with disasters, explains UNOOSAs Takao Doi, who heads the Space Applications section. In addition, through the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, UNOOSA conducts international workshops, training courses and pilot projects on topics that include remote sensing, satellite navigation, satellite meteorology, tele-education and basic space sciences for the benefit of developing nations.
Promoting Space Resources

The promotion of space technology and its applications to benefit all humanity, are the second leg of UNOOSAs mandate. This is an area of growing importance in an increasingly globalized world. In fact, debates over issues such as water resources management, climate change, risk and disaster management and sustainable development, are increasingly informed by space-derived geospatial data. UNOOSA has been active in this area. Together with the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Aiming to develop a uniform geo-referencing system in Central and Eastern Europe, for example, UNOOSA recently held a five-day workshop on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) technology and its applications in Chisinau, Moldova. Participants discussed how GNSS-enabling technology can strengthen a network of national reference stations and promote the interoperability of navigation, positioning and timing systems in adjacent regions.
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(Photo courtesy by UN)
This is only part of a wider initiative on space navigation systems. Serving as the Executive Secretariat of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG), in fact, UNOOSA is mandated to organize a series of regional workshops and international meetings to promote the global use of GNSS, focusing on deploying instruments for the international space weather initiative (ISWI), developing a GNSS education curriculum, and utilizing regional reference systems that support sustainable development, in particular in developing nations.
The initiative was given the name of United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response, which according to UN standard terminology made up the rather cool acronym of UN-SPIDER. Whilst there have been a number of initiatives over the years that have contributed to making space technologies available for humanitarian and emergency response, UN-SPIDER is the first to focus on the need to ensure access to and use of such solutions during all phases of the disaster management cycle, including the risk reduction phase. Proponents of the programme believe that this will
Disaster Management Tools for All

An area in which the potential of space-based resources has been fully acknowledged by the UN is that of disaster management. In 2006, the UN General Assembly agreed to establish a programme aimed at ensuring that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle.
significantly contribute to a reduction in the loss of lives and property around the world. UN-SPIDER is being implemented as an open network of providers of space-based solutions to support disaster management activities. Besides Vienna (where UNOOSA is located), the programme also has offices in Bonn, Germany, and in Beijing, China. Additionally, a network of Regional Support
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Offices multiplies the work of UN-SPIDER in their respective regions. The worth of such initiative became evident in the aftermath of the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that struck the north-eastern coast of Japan on 11 March 2011. UN-SPIDER set up a SpaceAid resource page in support of relief efforts in the affected area (www. un-spider.org/japan-pacific), coordinating with its established networks and other agencies to collect relevant pre- and post-disaster space-based information on the devastating event. It is a well-known fact that satellite images and maps are vital in supporting the response and relief work. Mazlan Othman, Director of UNOOSA, commented: The devastation caused by the earthquake in Japan is massive. We hope that SpaceAid resource page can contribute to the efforts to disseminate space-based information, informing of the worst hit areas in order to help assess damages and facilitate recovery planning. Through the UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices, the nominated National Focal Points in the Pacific region and the leading providers of space-based information and social media resources, UN-SPIDER put together available space-based information that could represent a significant source for the disaster relief efforts in Japan. UN-SPIDER has also been cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by means of exchanging data and sharing information. In particular, the Program has been supporting monitoring activities related to the
potential threat of deposition of radioactivity in Japan and its possible effects for neighboring countries in the Pacific region.
Clients of the Satellite Industry

The UN system is not just a promoter of space and satellite technologies, or a forum where space law is forged, but its also a client for the space sector. It does not possess any space hardware of its own, but utilizes the satellite communications system of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) for some of its communications needs. States also provide imagery from their satellites for the many UN projects that use remote sensing data. In addition, UN Agencies use space-based technologies for their daily tasks. Users of space resources include the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN regional economic and social commissions in Africa and Asia and the Pacific, as well as specialized agencies and other organizations in the UN system, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). But whatever the angle, the UNs ultimate goal of its involvement with space and satellite technology remains the same: to harness its potential for the benefit of mankind.
Giovanni Verlini is a communication executive and freelance journalist. He is a regular contributor to Via Satellite magazine and former editor of the Satellite Evolution Group. Email: giovanniverlini@hotmail.com
Platinum Member
Gold Member
Affiliate Member
Regular Member (Governments)
As ofAs of 20 04, 2011 March May 2011
Regular Member
42
APSCC Welcomes A New Regular Member

NEW MEMBERS
Comtech EF Data
Comtech EF Data the leader in satellite bandwidth efficiency and link optimization. Our advanced communication solutions enable commercial and government users to reduce OPEX/CAPEX and to increase throughput for fixed and mobile/transportable applications. Our featured products include: Advanced VSAT Solutions
For mobile backhaul, USO, corporate networks, Internet access and other applications requiring high-performance IP transport in hub-spoke networks. Incorporating advanced technologies developed by Comtech EF Data, Comtech AHA and Memotec, these products provide unmatched performance at an attractive price.
Modems
Our bandwidth-efficient Modems use technologically advanced components, innovative designs and application software for superior performance and features. Supporting virtually all satellite applications, our award-winning technologies (DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier, VersaFEC) offer the performance, flexibility, security and control you require.
WAN Optimization
- Stampede FX Series : One-sided application delivery and two-sided WAN optimization plus remote side software WAN optimization. The FX Series delivers unprecedented application performance, optimization, transparency, availability and management. - turboIP-G2 : WAN optimization for satcom. Acceleration and caching improve network responsiveness, keeping user experiences optimized. The advanced compression techniques minimize data traversing satellite links, allowing the reduction of WAN bills or avoiding additional bandwidth purchases. - Memotec NetPerformer : Combines a data router, a multiplexer and a voice gateway in a single device, enabling users to create converged networks and transport any type of traffic over satellite or terrestrial links. - Memotec CX-U Series : A flexible access device + mobile backhaul traffic optimization with a variety of interfaces and transmission options. The CX-U offers Abis/Ater optimization, 2G/3G aggregation, DCME voice trunking optimization, TDM Pseudowire, all over IP, Frame Relay or MLPPP protocol support.
Managed Bandwidth
Contact Us: Comtech EF Data 2114 West 7th Street Tempe, AZ 85281 USA Telephone +1.480.333.2200 Email sales@comtechefdata.com www.comtechefdata.com
- Vipersat Network Products : Software applications that optimize SCPC bandwidth utilization and provide powerful network management. - SkyWire : Combines the throughput and robustness of a SCPC system and the bandwidth savings of a TDMA system to provide the ultimate in satellite network performance.
RF Products
Frequency conversion and amplifier solutions for indoor and outdoor environments. The products are cost-effective with field proven performance and reliability. Deployed by commercial and government users, our products support a variety of fixed and mobile/transportable applications.
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APSCC Welcomes A New Regular Member
ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS
ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS, is a leading provider in the fields of telecommunications, telemetry and high data rate transmissions applications. For space industry, ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS designs, supplies and integrates complete ground stations for satellites communications, for satellite Tracking Telecommand and Control (TT&C) and for Remote Sensing. ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS is the world leader in the field of TT&C (Cortex CRT) and remote sensing (Cortex HDR) equipment. For satellite communications, ZODIAC DATA SYSTEMS provides all-inclusive solutions to display, analyze, monitor and locate carriers and interferences in order to improve the Quality of Service of your transmission.
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INSIDE APSCC
APSCC 2011
Satellite Conference & Exhibition
tunities to the participants exclusively to network with senior executives as well as administrators from the Indonesian satellite industry.
APSCC will hold its annual flagship Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications, Broadcasting and Space Conference and Exhibition (APSCC 2011), an international festival of the satellite and the spacerelated industries, on September 27 29, 2011. This year the event will be held at the Island of God, Bali, Indonesia. It is the 14th conference of APSCC and the first one taking place in Indonesia triggering the attention of the satellite industry for business activities to the Southeast-Asian region. Over the last decade, the APSCC annual event has earned a reputation in the satellite industry as the prime event not only in Asia but also worldwide regarding both its contents and its volume. A series of panel sessions and presentations along with an accompanying exhibition ensures that the conference has broad appeal across the satellite and space arena. Themed All Eyes on Satellites, the APSCC 2011 Satellite Conference and Exhibition not only focuses on opportunities in the mainstream markets commercial, broadcast and policy but also digs deeper than ever before into providing fresh data, keen market intelligence and the strategies you need to achieve new levels of business development. Delegates range consists of satellite operators, broadcasters, manufacturers, service providers, financing professionals, government regulators, users and academics including key players in the satellite and space-related fields including the most influential executives of the industry. At APSCC 2011 you will be able to reach the highly targeted selection of satellite professionals to promote your business. The event also will offer premium oppor-
2011 APSCC Awards
Since 2004, APSCC has recognized companies and individuals in the satellite and space industries to honor their significant contributions for the development to the industry. The APSCC Awards recipients are acknowledged for their innovations and achievements in the industry, as well as their leadership in developing and expediting the distribution of new services via satellite in the Asia-Pacific region. APSCC also has recognized individuals who assisted in the formulation of policies, regulations and technical standards in the industry through the awards. The 2011 APSCC Award ceremony will be presented on the first day of the annual APSCC Satellite conference and exhibition on 27 September at the gala dinner (sponsored by Arianespace). APSCC 2011 participants are cordially invited to this honorable ceremony to celebrate this years winner. For this years award nomination process, the APSCC Award Committee will be established among the APSCC management team. The Award Committee will be responsible for soliciting nominees, selecting winners from among the nominees, and arranging for the formal conferring of the awards. The selection process includes rigorous discussions among the award committee members and extensive research on the industry and technology trends by the committee.
For more information on APSCC 2011 Award, please visit http://www.apscc.or.kr/apscc2011.html.
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INSIDE APSCC
CommunicAsia 2011 Summit

Satellite Communications Broadband Driven Trends 21 June 2011 Marina Bay Sands Singapore
APSCC presents the Satellite Communications Summit at CommunicAsia 2011 on June 21 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore in partnership with talk Satellite and Singapore Exhibition Services. Themed BroadbandDriven Trends, the Satellite Communications Summit this year will address hot issues of the Asia-Pacific satellite scene and provide pro-active dialog on how as a satellite industry can best meet the challenges that lie ahead. APSCC members can take a 15 % discount off the summit registration fee. APSCC cordially invites its members and satellite executives to join the satellite summit to share what the distinctive satellite leaders talk! Please visit http://www.communicasia.com/satellite-communication-broadband-driventrends for further information.
09.00 09.10 09.20
Opening Address by Conference Chair Kevin French, Publisher, talk Satellite Welcome by Yutaka Nagai, President, APSCC Keynote Presentation Ermady Dahlan, Director of Network & Solution, Telkom Indonesia Mobile Backhaul & Broadband Internet Services made Affordable by a New Generation of Satellites Tom van der Heyden, CEO, Sky Fiber Opportunities and Challenges of the DTH market in AsiaPacific Elias Zaccack, VP, Sales, Asia-Pacific, SES World Skies Morning Refreshments Panel Discussion: Mobility Moderator: Gregg Daffner, CEO, G3 Global Communications Panelists: Daniel Enns, Senior VP, Strategic Marketing & Business Development, Comtech EFData Amiram Levinberg, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Gilat Satellite Networks Ramesh Ramaswamy, VP, HUGHES Rick Abbasi, Senior Product Marketing Director, Network Services, Intelsat Panel Discussion: Satellite Broadband Moderator: Patrick French, Senior Analyst, NSR Panelists: Ramesh Ramaswamy, VP, HUGHES Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, VP Marketing & Sales Southeast Asian Region, Thaicom Anver Anderson, VP Asia, Newtec Tom van der Heyden, CEO, Sky Fiber Lunch
13.30
Cloud Computing Does it Make Satellite Obsolete or More Important than Ever? Amiram Levinberg, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Gilat Satellite Networks Panel Discussion: Maritime Communications Looking Forward to a Decade of Growth Moderator: Kevin French, Publisher, talk Satellite Panelists: Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO, Speedcast Christian Bergan, Director of Vertical Marketing, iDirect Chris DAguiar, VP, Sales & Marketing, Inmarsat Eradicating Interference before it Starts Martin Coleman, Executive Director, Satellite IRG Enabling Asia-Pac Smart Grid Initiatives with Satellite Christian Bergan, Director of Vertical Marketing, iDirect Satellite International Regulatory Framework: Added Value or Hindrance to Development? Yvon Henri, Chief, Space Services Department, International Telecommunication Union Panel Discussion: South Asia DTH/Capacity/ISRO Moderator: Gregg Daffner, CEO, G3 Global Communications Panelists: Thomas Choi, CEO, ABS Deepak Mathur, VP of Sales, South Asia and the Middle East, SES World Skies Yau Chyong Lim, Senior Director Sales & Marketing, Measat Satellite Systems Vivek Couto, Executive Director, Media Partners Asia End of Satellite Communications Broadband Driven Trends
13.50
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10.10
14.30 14.50 15.10
10.30 10.50
15.40
11.40
16.30
12.30
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48
Satellite Industry News

Satellite Business SES WORLD SKIES Inks New Capacity Deals with Global Crossing
vice. Gilat Satcom has integrated the iDirect platform with an MPLS-enabled routing network to provide both dedicated and shared services. The new service will support the needs of a wide range of customers, including banks, government offices, educational facilities, healthcare providers, TV networks, cellular operators and business enterprises.
April 25, 2011 - SES WORLD SKIES announced three new capacity deals with Global Crossing to meet growing connectivity demand across Latin America. The agreements represent the latest expansion in a longstanding alliance between SES WORLD SKIES and Global Crossings Latin America unit, which now utilizes about 290 MHz of capacity aboard SES satellites to serve markets across the region. On the heels of last years 90 MHz renewal on NSS-10, Global Crossing secured an additional 12 MHz of C-band capacity on the spacecraft to enable the implementation of a new VSAT network to meet growing demand for corporate connectivity in Brazil.
HNS Brazil Signs Pre-launch Agreement for Capacity on Telstar 14R

May 3, 2011 - Hughes do Brasil, Hughes Network Systems Brazilian operating company, has signed a long term contract for capacity on Telesats Telstar 14 satellite to serve Brazil that will transition to Telstar 14R when the new satellite is operational. Telstar 14 is a Ku-band spacecraft with a strong customer base operating from a highly desirable orbital location at 63 degrees West Longitude that provides service throughout the Americas and Atlantic Ocean Region.
Integral Systems' Military and Intelligence Group Awarded Multiple Government Contracts
May 2, 2011 - Integral Systems, Inc. announced that its Military and Intelligence Group (MIG) has been awarded approximately US$21.8 million through multiple contracts from the U.S. Government in the Company's second quarter, Fiscal Year 2011 that ended April 1. Under the terms of the contracts, Integral Systems will provide its industry-leading EPOCH Integrated Product Suite (IPS) Satellite Fleet Management Solution, as well as technical expertise to help build, maintain and plan for some of the military's most strategic satellite-based systems. The contract awards demonstrate the MIG's expanding relationship with the U.S. Military and Intelligence communities.
IPSTAR Signs Contract with NBN Co for Australias New NBN Interim Satellite Service
May 6, 2011 - THAICOM Public Company Limited announced that its subsidiary, IPSTAR Australia Pty Ltd (IPA) has signed a contract with NBN Company Limited (NBN Co) for Australias National Broadband Networks Interim Satellite Service which will commence from July 1st, 2011 onwards. The contract is valued at AUD$100 million over a period of five years with an option to extend. IPA will begin providing the THAICOM-4 (IPSTAR) bandwidth to NBN Co within 2011.
Gilat Satcom Installs iDirect Hub to Expand Broadband Services in Nigeria

May 3, 2011 - Gilat Satcom successfully launched an iDirect Evolution-based service in Nigeria. Through a new local teleport equipped with an iDirect hub, Gilat Satcom will expand its reach throughout the country, delivering high-speed C-band ser-
Satellite Broadcasting AsiaSat Launches New DVB-S2 C-band Distribution Platform

April 4, 2011 - Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) is expanding its broadcasting services to offer
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a new C-band DVB-S2 MCPC (Multiple Channels per Carrier) distribution platform with wide coverage over the Asian and Australasian regions. The new DBV-S2 platform based on a full transponder will be launched on AsiaSat 5 and operated by AsiaSats Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong. It can support a range of broadcast applications, including SD, HD and 3D content contribution and distribution services, in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 standards. In addition to the platform, a comprehensive package of space segment, signal downlink and turnaround, fiber and uplinking services, as well as 24/7 network monitoring services is available.
NHK WORLD HD Launches on Sky with GlobeCast

May 9, 2011 - GlobeCast and Japan International Broadcasting have announced that NHK WORLD HD has launched on the Sky and Freesat platforms in the UK. GlobeCast provides re-encoding, uplink, and capacity on Eutelsats EUROBIRD 1, bringing the channel to a new community of over 10 million Sky subscribers, and over a million Freesat viewers. Available on Sky EPG channel 507, NHK WORLD HD is a 24/7 English language channel produced by JIB and NHK, Japans public broadcaster, fed live from Tokyo.
Digital+ Launches 3D Demo Channel on ASTRA

April 27, 2011 - SES ASTRA announced that the Spanish operator Digital+ has launched a 3D demo channel on ASTRA. The new demo channel called Canal+ 3D Demo is broadcasting via SES ASTRAs orbital position 23.5 degrees East and available free-to-air across Europe. Pioneering 3D broadcasting in Spain, Digital+ has launched the new 3D channel to allow installers and retailers to showcase 3D television at the point of sales. The channel will feature high quality 3D content including features film clips and concert clips during daytime.
Launch / Space
SpaceX Wins NASA Contract to Complete Development of Successor to the Space Shuttle
April 19, 2011 - NASA has awarded Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) US$75 million to develop a revolutionary launch escape system that will enable the companys Dragon spacecraft to carry astronauts. The Congressionally mandated award is part of the agencys Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) initiative that started in 2009 to help private companies mature concepts and technologies for human spaceflight.
Malaysias ONE HD Joins MEASATs HD Neighbourhood

April 27, 2011 - MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (MEASAT) announced that Malaysias HD channel, ONE HD, has joined MEASATs video neighbourhood. ONE HD, owned and operated by Sony Pictures Entertainment Networks Asia, delivers high definition Korean drama, reality programming, and music shows. Initially launched in Malaysia in October 2010, the channel has performed exceptionally well, making it the most popular HD channel in the country. OHE HD is now being made available on MEASAT-3 C-band regional feed across Asia Pacific.
ISRO Places Three Satellites into Orbit with PSLV Launch

April 20, 2011 - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched an indigenously developed rocket, carrying three satellites, including latest remote sensing Resourcesat-2 into space from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota. The rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle was launched by ISRO from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. It carried two nano satellites Youthsat and X-Sat apart from the Resourcesat-2.
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Satellite Industry News

Mitsubishi Electric Develops ST-2 Communications Satellite for SingTel-Chunghwa JV
April 26, 2011 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has completed building the ST-2 communications satellite ordered in December 2008 by a joint venture between Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) and Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Company Limited (Chunghwa Telecom). Having departed Kamakura, Japan at the end of March, the satellite arrived on April 5 in French Guiana. The ST-2 satellite, built at Mitsubishi Electric's Kamakura Works in Kamakura, Japan, will succeed the ST-1 satellite, which is co-owned by SingTel and Chunghwa Telecom and currently supports their various communications businesses.
Arianespace to Launch ABS-2 in 2013

April 28, 2011 - Arianespace has confirmed the launch date for the ABS-2 satellite for Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS). ABS-2 will be launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center, Europes Spaceport in French Guiana, in 2013. The ABS-2 satellite manufactured by Space Systems/Loral using an LS-1300 platform, will weigh more than 6,000 kg at launch. It will be positioned in geostationary orbit at 75 degrees East where ABS-1, ABS-1A and ABS-1B are currently located. Fitted with C, Ku, and Ka-band transponders, it will provide optimized direct TV broadcast, multimedia applications, telecommunications and data transmission services for Asia, Russia/CIS, Africa and the Middle East.
Executive Moves
AsiaSat Appoints Philip Balaam as Vice President, Business Development

April 7, 2011 - AsiaSat has announced
NewSat with more than 25 years of global satellite experience in leading sales, marketing and engineering teams. Most recently, he was the Managing Director of Intelsat Broadband Pty Ltd., a subsidiary of Intelsat Corporation.
the appointment of Philip Balaam as its Vice President, Business Development. Balaam will be responsible for identifying and driving new business development and accelerating the strategic planning for the companys growth in businesses and services. Balaam possesses over 20 years of experience in the satellite industry and has held various management positions in sales, marketing and business development. Balaam joins AsiaSat from Arianespace where he served more than 12 years, most recently as the Sales and Marketing Director Asia Pacific of Arianespace ASEAN Office in Singapore.
Comtech EF DATA Appoints John Baddick as Vice President

April 19, 2011 - Comtech EF Data Corporation announced that it enhanced its engineering management team with the appointment of John Baddick to Vice President, VSAT System Engineering. This newly created position will address a strategic area of the company. Baddick will direct the technical efforts, including hardware design, software development and product engineering for the Advanced VSAT Solutions. Prior to joining Comtech EF Data, Baddick was with Intelsat for seven years in senior program management roles leading many of the companys largest management service developments and introductions to various market segments.
NewSat Names David Ball as Chief Technology Officer

April 13, 2011 - NewSat Limited announces the appointment of David Ball as Chief Technology Officer. Ball comes to
2 0 1 1 01 APSCC Officers
President Yutaka Nagai, SKY Perfect JSAT Advisory Board Nongluck Phinainitisart, Ph.D. THAICOM Eui K. Koh, Ph.D. JB Technologies Yasuo Otaki David W. Thompson Orbital Sciences Corporation G. Madhavan Nair, Ph. D. Indian Space Research Organisation John Celli Space Systems/Loral Richard E. Butler Asia Space Board of Directors Richard Bowles Arianespace William Wade AsiaSat Zhiheng Fu China Great Wall Industry Corporation Thomas Carroll International Launch Services Terry Bleakley Intelsat Yeong-mo Kwon KT Corporation Paul Brown-Kenyon MEASAT Satellite Systems Hiroyuki Inahata Mitsubishi Electric Corporation R. Kularajah Orbital Sciences Corporation Tonda Priyanto TELKOM Elias Zaccak SES WORLD SKIES Titus Yong SingTel Dawn Harms Space Systems/Loral Eddie Kato Thales Alenia Space, North America Mike Kreller ViaSat Inc.
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03 07 11
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June
15 20 21
Milsatcoms: The IET Seminar on Military Satellite Communications _ London, UK http://conferences.theiet.org/milsatcoms/ CASBAA Singapore Satellite Industry Forum _ Singapore www.casbaa.com CommunicAsia2011 Satellite Communications Summit _ Singapore www.communicasia.com/satellite-communication-broadband-driven-trends
21-23 49th International Paris Air Show _ Paris, France www.paris-air-show.com/en/ 21-24 CommunicAsia2011 _ Singapore www.communicasia.com
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July
5-6
VAS Africa _ Johannesburg, South Africa www.comworldseries.com/vasafrica
13-14 9th Annual Military Satellites _ London, UK www.milsatellites.com/Event.aspx?id=489704
08
August
8-11 22 23-25
25th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites _ Logan, Utah, USA www.smallsat.org/conference Army Commercial SATCOM Users' Workshop _ Tampa, FL, USA www.armysatcomworkshop.org/indexarmy.htm LandWarNet Conference 2011 _ Tampa, FL, USA www.afcea.org/events/landwarnet/
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September
5-9 8-13
2011 EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference _ Oslo, Norway www.conferences.eumetsat.int IBC 2011 _ Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.ibc.org
12-16 World Satellite Business Week _ Paris, France www.satellite-business.com/ 14-16 COMSYS VSAT 2011 Conference _ London, UK www.comsys.co.uk/wvc_main.htm 27-29 APSCC 2011 Satellite Conference & Exhibition _ Bali, Indonesia www.apscc.or.kr/apscc2011.html
APSCC Newsletter - A Great Way to Advertise

With a vast international circulation that includes the most prominent members of the satellite, space and communications communities, APSCC Newsletter is seen by an elite readership of industry professionals around the Asia-Pacific and globally. Your message will reach the right people. Advertising in APSCC Newsletter is a cost-effective way to reach your potential clients and business partners. APSCC Newsletter can bring your company to the attention of key personnel in the satellite and space technologies, telecommunications and broadcasting industries. We offer you exclusive contact with people in the government, academic and industry sectors.
2ND Quarter 2011

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KT ILS AAE Systems HUGHES THAICOM Space Systems/Loral talk Satellite Access Intelligence Content Asia
Satellite Industry The Ground Segment Interview with William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat Focus Asia Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region
Page
Inside front cover 02 05 09 17 21 23 27 35 45 47 Inside back cover
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2011
www.apscc.or.kr
APSCC 2011 CommunicAsia2011 Arianespace
APSCC is a non-profit, international organization representing all sectors of satellite and space related industries. APSCC membership is open to any government body, public and private organization, association, or corporation that is involved in satellite services, broadcasting, manufacturing, launch services, risk management or associate fields such as datacasting, informatics, multi-media, telecommunications, and other outer space-related activities with interests in the Asia-Pacific region. APSCC aims to exchange views and ideas on technologies, systems, policies and outer space activities in general along with satellite communications including broadcasting for the betterment of the Asia-Pacific region. Conferences, forums, workshops, summits, symposiums, and exhibitions are organized through regional coordination in order to discuss issues that affect the industries and to promote and accelerate the efficient introduction of outer space activities, new services and businesses via satellites. In order to disseminate industry related information, APSCC publishes a quarterly satellite magazine as well as a monthly e-newsletter, which are distributed worldwide to members and others. The quarterly magazine and other publications are available on the Web at www.apscc.or.kr.
Editorials and Inquiries

Inho Seo, Editor Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council Suite T-1602, Poonglim Iwantplus 255-1 Seohyun-dong, Bundang-gu Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, 463-862 Korea Tel: +82-31-783-6247 / Fax: +82-31-783-6249 E-mail: info@apscc.or.kr / Website: www.apscc.or.kr APSCC Newsletter is a publication of the Asia -Pacific Satellite Communications Council. It is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced, either in whole or in part without, prior written permission from the editor. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily supported by APSCC. Design and Printing by Design CRETA Tel: +82-2-454-2022 / Fax: +82-2-458-1331 / Website: www.designcreta.com
Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council Suite T-1602, Poonglim Iwantplus, 255-1 Seohyun-dong, Bundang-gu Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, 463-862 Korea Tel: +82-31-783-6247 / Fax: +82-31-783-6249 E-mail: info@apscc.or.kr / Website: www.apscc.or.kr

Satellite Industry - The Ground Segment William Wade, President & Ceo, Asiasat Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in The Asia-Pacific Region

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Satellite Industry - The Ground Segment William Wade, President & Ceo, Asiasat Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in The Asia-Pacific Region

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Satellite Industry The Ground Segment Interview with William Wade, President & CEO, AsiaSat Focus Asia

a Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region

40 APSCC MEMBERS 42 NEW MEMBERS

48 SATELLITE INDUSTRY NEWS 51 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 52 ADVERTISERS INDEX

Five Key Developments in the Evolution of VSATs

Guaranteed Voice over IP (G-VoIP)

Automatic Link Adaptivity

Figure 2. Multi-star Topology

256Kbps channels, one 512Kbps channel and one

Methods to Increase Throughput

Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM)

Figure 1. Ku-Band Link Margin (dB)

Figure 2. C-Band Link Margin (dB)

Double Talk Carrier in Carrier

Scenario 1a: Conventional two carrier link: No ACM Value

Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW [7] 14.12MHz

Scenario 1b: Carrier in Carrier link: No ACM Value

Tot Alloc BW 9.52MHz

Tot PEB BW 9.25MHz

Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B QPSK 2/3

ACM Max DR A to B 10.0Mbps

Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A QPSK 2/3

ACM Max DR B to A 10.0Mbps

Total ACM DR Increase % 0.0%

Summary (% Improvement vs. Conventional Link)

Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW 10.40MHz

Scenario 2b: Carrier in Carrier link: Without and with ACM

Tot Alloc BW 7.05MHz

Tot PEB BW 6.62MHz

Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 8-PSK 2/3

ACM Max DR A to B 11.1Mbps

Clear Sky Mod / Cod B to A 8-PSK 2/3

ACM Max DR B to A 11.1Mbps

Total ACM DR increase % 11.0%

Summary (% Improvement vs. Conventional Link)

BW / PEB Guar. DR Max DR

Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW 10.58MHz

Scenario 3b: Carrier in Carrier link: Without and with ACM

Link A to B Link B to A Tot Alloc BW 7.05MHz

Clear Sky Mod / Cod A to B 32-APSK 3/4

Summary (% Improvement vs. Conventional Link)

Interview with William David Wade President & CEO, AsiaSat

AsiaSat 7, AsiaSats new satellite planned for launch in Q4 2011

AsiaSat Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong

William David Wade

Commercial Satellite Capacity Demand Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region

Widebeam Ka-band and High Throughput Satellite Trends

Pacific Ocean Region

Customer Challenges and Requirements

Existing Technical Implementations

Figure 1. Inclined orbit

Figure 2. Rain Fade

DVB-S2 and ACM in Point-to-Point Links

DVB-S2 and ACM in Point-toMultipoint Links

Figure 8. Cross Layer optimization

The Newtec solution

Nations United in Space

(Photo courtesy by UN)

Promoting Space Resources

(Photo courtesy by UN)

Disaster Management Tools for All

Clients of the Satellite Industry