WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Association of Broadcasters has filed a letter with the FCC expressing concerns about the impact the proposed merger between SES and Intelsat could have on broadcasters.

In the letter, the NAB said it is not taking an official position on the merger, but stressed that it would produce a new company that “would collectively operate nearly all the C-band satellites providing services domestically within the United States.”

It also expressed worries that such a level of concentration would impact both the cost and quality of the C-band satellite services so important to TV and radio broadcasters.

In an Oct. 15, filing, NAB chief legal officer Rick Kaplan wrote, “NAB joins [NCTA–The Internet & Television Association] in urging the Commission to carefully consider the impact that the proposed transaction would have on the quality and cost of C-band satellite services.”

“The C-band is used to deliver network programming to over 1000 broadcast stations affiliated with national networks, as well as for distribution of sports and syndicated programming to commercial radio stations listened to by tens of millions of Americans,” Kaplan wrote. “National Public Radio also relies on the C-band ‘for reliable distribution of programming to the 475 public-radio earth stations that together broadcast public radio programming to 42 million Americans each week.’ As NCTA noted in its comments in this docket, the C-band remains critical for video distribution today. Terrestrial alternatives, such as fiber and wireless services, are not necessarily available at remote broadcaster facilities and may be cost-prohibitive where they are available. Other satellite bands, such as Ka- and Ku-band, suffer from rain fade and do not deliver the reliable service that broadcasters and their viewers and listeners demand.

“If the proposed transaction were consummated, the combined SES and Intelsat collectively would control over 96 percent of the C-band spectrum in the United States,” Kaplan concluded. “While we have no view on how the parties might behave post-merger, we urge the Commission to consider the implications of one entity controlling virtually all C-band spectrum.”

PARIS—Ateme, a global provider of video compression, delivery, and streaming solutions, says longtime partner SES is integrating its technology to improve and secure SES’s distribution network for broadcasting of sports and events content worldwide.

SES will utilize Ateme’s TITAN encoders, multiplexers, and decoders for distribution of UHD content via its ground and satellite infrastructure. Additionally, Ateme is integrating premium frame rate conversion with full motion compensation and supporting High Dynamic Range (HDR) in UHD for an enriched visual experience.

The combined solutions also utilize the BISS-CA encryption standard and receivers, integrating HDR conversion with HDR LUT (Look-Up-Table) conversion to facilitate the adoption of HDR technology. This will ensure reception of the highest quality video content with optimal picture clarity, smooth motion, and enhanced security measures, Ateme says.

"We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with Ateme to enhance our delivery workflow for major sporting events," said Michele Gosetti, Head of Media Sales France, Spain, Italy and Sports & Events at SES. "This partnership underscores our commitment to providing broadcasters with advanced, secure and reliable content distribution solutions and ensuring that viewers around the globe have access to an unparalleled viewing experience."

"We are excited to strengthen our partnership with SES to deliver premium sports content to audiences worldwide," said Julien Mandel, Sr Solution Marketing Director at Ateme. "Our collaboration reinforces our commitment to innovating with the BISS-CA encryption standard. We are dedicated to proposing evolutions for future sporting events, ensuring enhanced security and performance for content distribution."

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—SES has announced that the ASTRA 1P satellite was successfully launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:35 p.m. local time on June 20. 

The ASTRA IP satellite is the most powerful satellite to operate at 19.2 degrees East. It seamlessly replaces the current four satellites at the orbital location and continues their mission of serving 119 million TV households in Europe, SES reported. 

The Ku-band satellite will augment and strengthen SES's prime TV neighborhood at 19.2 degrees East while delivering content for public and private broadcasters, sports organizations and content owners to audiences across largest European TV markets. ASTRA 1P will also ensure the delivery of premium HD content directly to subscribers of HD+, SES’s high- definition satellite TV platform in Germany.

Built by Thales Alenia Space, ASTRA 1P is based on the 100% electric Spacebus NEO platform and features 80 transponders capable of delivering 500 HD TV channels. 

“We are excited that ASTRA 1P will be joining our fleet of geostationary satellites, marking the next generation of satellites to operate at one of our most important orbital positions responsible for delivering content to hundreds of millions of viewers in Europe,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “Ever since the launch of ASTRA 1A in 1988, our satellites have played a pivotal role in reliably delivering high-quality content to viewers. We are well-positioned to continue supporting our broadcast customers for many years to come with ASTRA 1P.”

European telecom satellite company SES announced today that it is acquiring rival Intelsat for $3.1 billion. The deal, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to be finalized in the second half of 2025, and will be financed by a combination of cash and debt.

The two rivals have been in merger talks in the past—as recently as 2023—but increasing competition from the likes of Elon Musk’s SpaceLink and Amazon’s efforts to launch its own fleet of satellites has upped the ante.  Intelsat’s emergence from bankruptcy in 2022 also improved the chance of a merger this time around, according to David Wajsgras, CEO of Intelsat.

“Over the past two years, the Intelsat team has executed a remarkable strategic reset,” Wajsgras said. “We have reversed a 10-year negative trend to return to growth, established a new and game-changing technology roadmap, and focused on productivity and execution to deliver competitive capabilities. The team today is providing our customers with network performance at five 9s and is more dedicated than ever to customer engagement and delivering on our commitments. 

SES chief executive Adel Al-Saleh also hailed the announcement, adding, "in a fast-moving and competitive satellite communication industry, this transaction expands our multi-orbit space network, spectrum portfolio, ground infrastructure around the world, go-to-market capabilities, managed service solutions, and financial profile,"

Based in Luxembourg, SES’s media reach in the EMEA region is vast, with its current fleet of 70 birds carrying more than 8,000 TV channels to more than 369 million homes globally—more than 3,000 of those in HD or UHD. Intelsat carries about 6,500 TV and radio channels reaching approximately 2 billion worldwide.

The combined company will have a fleet of more than 100 Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 26 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, giving it enhanced coverage, greater network resiliency, complementary spectrum (C-, Ku-, Ka-, Military Ka-, X-band, and Ultra High Frequency) rights, and improved service delivery, SES said. By end-2026, eight new GEO (including 6 software-defined) satellites and 7 new MEO (O3b mPOWER) satellites are expected to be launched adding further redundancy and additional growth capacity. 

For its media customers, SES says the combined company will add more offerings worldwide for  pay-TV operators, free-to-air/free-to-view platforms, public and private broadcasters, and sports & events, with improved redundancy features “via a competitive range of broadcast solutions, plus additional value-added services.”

Based on the 2024 financial outlook, the combined company is expected to generate approximately $4 billion in annual revenue (after adjusting for intercompany eliminations) and is expected to deliver low- to mid-single digit average annual growth over the medium-term the companies said, adding that they expect the two companies to invest combined CapEx of just over $1 billion in 2024.

LUXEMBOURG—SES has announced a renewal of its agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to deliver NFL game content to over 35 broadcast partners across Europe, Asia, North and South America. 

Under the agreement, SES will provide a unique combination of IP-based transport protocol (SRT) and its global satellite fleet to seamlessly deliver all game content. 

This distribution infrastructure includes the addition of the recently launched content orchestration platform, SES SCORE, and SES’s new ASTRA 1 Sports platform in Europe, with renewed prime satellite capacity for Americas (SES-14) and Asia to distribute over 150 upcoming games. The NFL has an option to add more games in the future. 

SES has worked with the NFL since 2005, and currently offers five simultaneous feeds for NFL games across its global content delivery network, with the ability to expand to 14 feeds if needed.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the NFL as they again put trust in our hybrid delivery model, utilizing our satellite network paired with extensive terrestrial infrastructure,” said Michele Gosetti, head of sales, sports and events at SES. “Our track record with the NFL spans nearly 20 years, and as the league expands into more international markets, we have both the infrastructure and innovative video capabilities to meet their needs today and in the future.”

“The NFL is committed to reaching more fans around the world through both live events and expanded broadcast engagements, including the NFL International Series, and making our games and content available in more countries via a growing ecosystem of broadcast technologies,” said Jeffrey Lombardi, senior director, international production operations at the NFL. “Thanks to the strong hybrid delivery model SES offers us, we are able to provide game content to more people and places around the world with the quality and reliability that ensures an enjoyable fan experience.”

SES has a long history of providing satellite-based sports content for the world’s largest and most prestigious single-day and multi-day sporting events, broadcasting more than 700 hours of premium sports and live events each day, the company said. 

LUXEMBOURG—SES has announced that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has validated the completion of SES’s Phase II accelerated C-band clearing and relocation activities ahead of the Dec. 2023 deadline. 

The announcement will speed up the rollout of 5G services by making additional C-band spectrum available and will make SES eligible for a $2.99 billion payment for moving operations out of the spectrum. SES completed Phase 1 of the program in 2021. 

“We are incredibly proud to meet the FCC’s ambitious Phase II deadline ahead of schedule, and it speaks to the remarkable work and caliber of the SES team, our trusted partners, and our network of vendors over the last five years.” said Ruy Pinto, CEO at SES. “Beyond executing a major strategic project that enables the FCC to usher in the next generation of 5G connectivity and innovation in the United States, I am pleased to say we have placed our customers’ interests first and carefully transitioned our customers to ensure they will be able to continue delivering uninterrupted C-band broadcast and radio services to millions of American homes.”

To move out of the C-band spectrum, SES said that it had completed these Phase II efforts: 

• Launching five new satellites to continue enabling the broadcast delivery of digital television to nearly 120 million TV homes, as well as providing critical data services, in the upper 200 MHz of the C-band (4000-4200 MHz).
• Repacking all of its C-band downlink services in the continental United States (CONUS) into the upper 200 MHz of the C-band and relocating all associated Incumbent Earth Stations throughout CONUS into the upper 200 MHz of the C-band.
• Making all necessary equipment changes to associated Incumbent Earth Stations in CONUS to allow the operators of such Incumbent Earth Stations to receive substantially the same service during and after the transition as they were able to receive before the transition, including providing passband filters to block signals from the 3700-4000 MHz band to all associated Incumbent Earth Stations in CONUS.
• Modifying telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) operations to receive telemetry above the 4000 MHz band and completing gateway consolidation to its Brewster and Hawley facilities.

The announcement means that in accordance with the FCC Report and Order issued on 3 March 2020, SES has satisfied the Phase II relocation requirements in advance of the 5 December 2023 deadline and is now eligible to receive the accelerated relocation payment of $2.99 billion (before tax of 18-19%). 

SES said it expects this payment to be made in Q4 2023. 

SES received the FCC validation of its Phase I accelerated C-band-clearing activities in 2021 and secured the first accelerated relocation payment of $1 billion in the subsequent year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—SES has successfully launched the SES-20 and SES-21 satellites using a United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Both C-band satellites will enable SES to continue delivering TV and radio to millions of American homes and provide other critical network communications services. 

SES-20 and SES-21 will operate in the 103 degrees West and 131 degrees West orbital slots, respectively, and are expected to begin operations in November 2022.

These launches are part of a broader Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to clear a portion of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS). As part of this effort, satellite operators such as SES are required to transition their existing services from the lower 300 MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum to make room for 5G.

SES-20 and SES-21 are the second and third C-band satellites that SES has launched as part of its effort to free up the lower 300 MHz of C-band spectrum across the U.S. by December 2023 while maintaining uninterrupted services. SES-22 was the first C-band satellite to be launched on June 29, 2022.

“The successful launch of SES-20 and SES-21 will allow us to support our customers in delivering high-quality sports and entertainment to tens of millions of US households while delivering on our promise to repurpose spectrum to enable U.S. leadership in 5G,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “The second phase of our U.S. C-band clearing activities is fully on track and we are grateful for the hard work of our partners at Boeing and ULA.”

LUXEMBOURG & HACKENSACK, N.J.—SES and LiveU have announced a partnership to offer an end-to-end solution for live video contribution and distribution combined with premium content aggregation. 

The solution is targeted to broadcast live sports, news and other events from stadiums, sports facilities and remote sites by users who are looking for reliable and cost-effective creation and delivery of live video to the widest audience. 

Key features of the fully integrated and turnkey solution include: 

• Contribution: LiveU's cost-efficient mobile field units for live video transmission from outdoor locations and venues connected to SES teleports via 4G/5G. This direct connection offers an alternative to an on-site SNG truck or can be used as a redundant back-up feed.
• Aggregation: Customers now have the ability to instantly aggregate their content in the LiveU Matrix IP cloud live video service, including from LiveU's mobile field units and through SES's satellite and IP connections.
• Distribution: Customers can now reach widest possible audiences with simultaneous access to live video distribution over SES's global satellite and IP network and LiveU Matrix's global customers' endpoints.
• Customers will also have access to leading sports brands using their preferred technology (IP or satellite) while benefiting from SES's dedicated project management team and LiveU's 24/7 support and service.

"LiveU is a leader in mobile and cloud-based broadcast video technologies, and they perfectly complement our vision of enabling our customers to broadcast live sports and events from nearly anywhere to the widest global audience possible,” said Michele Gosetti, head of sales, sports & events at SES. "Combining our expertise in sports and events and our global reach with LiveU's mobile units and cellular technologies gives our customers the ability to deliver high-quality, professional broadcasts whether athletes are climbing up a remote mountain or competing in an urban professional sports stadium."

"The synergy of our joint offering is clear,” added Ronen Artman, vice president of marketing at LiveU said, “We are delighted to work with the SES team and already see the benefits, delivering connectivity for our global customers using optimized IP, cellular, satellite, and fiber. As well as delivering a highly cost-effective solution for all sports tiers for greater fan engagement, our solution provides robust broadcast-quality live coverage and back-up. There are also last mile benefits – customers can deliver the aggregated feeds easily in a direct seamless delivery to their Matrix account and receiver. Combining mobile and cloud, with satellite, fibre and IP offers the widest choice of technologies and remote production workflows to customers on a global scale."

An enabler of content and connectivity, SES reaches more than 366 million TV households and a billion people worldwide while broadcasting more than 700 hours of premium sports and live events every day. LiveU is recognised as the brand name in portable live video solutions, used by the world's top news broadcasters and sports organizations.

The joint offering will be presented at IBC2022 in Amsterdam (LiveU stand 7.C30 / SES Meeting Rooms at Hall 1, Balcony suites BS10-BS11).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—SES announced the successful launch of its SES-22 satellite onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX’s Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States on Wednesday.

This is the first of SES’s C-band satellites designed to free up the lower 300 MHz of C-band spectrum. Built by Thales Alenia Space, it will operate in the 135 degrees West orbital slot and will deliver TV and radio to millions of American homes and provide other critical data transmission services. SES-22 is expected to start operations by early August 2022.

The launch of SES-22 is part of the FCC’s years-long campaign to clear a portion of C-band spectrum to enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous US (CONUS). In response commission mandates, satellite operators such as SES are required to transition their existing services from the lower 300 MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum to make room for 5G.

To meet the FCC’s accelerated deadline of clearing C-band spectrum across the US by December 2023 while maintaining uninterrupted services, SES says it will launch five satellites—SES-18, SES-19, SES-20, SES-21 and SES-22 in 2022.

“We are thrilled with the successful launch of SES-22, thanks to our partners at Thales Alenia Space and SpaceX,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “The launch of SES-22, together with other upcoming C-band satellite launches scheduled this year, will enable us to continue providing the high-quality services that our customers have been accustomed to over the last several decades, while freeing up spectrum that will enable the US to rapidly unlock the promise of 5G.”

“The successful launch of SES 22 is the result of our long-standing and fruitful collaboration with SES,” said Hervé Derrey, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “This achievement reflects the robustness and flight-proven heritage of our Spacebus 4000 B2 platform combined with our ability to timely and quickly deliver SES-22, two key elements leading to the decision of SES working with us to replace its existing C-Band fleet.”

The SES-22 spacecraft had a fast on-ground delivery time as satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space shipped it only 22 months after it was ordered. SES-22 is the seventh SES satellite launched by SpaceX over the last 10 years.

LUXEMBOURG—Despite a decline of 6 million households in North America, satellite operator SES worldwide saw an increase to 336 million homes around the globe receiving TV satellite channels it delivers, which leads the industry when measured by number of homes reached, according to new market research from the company. 

SES now delivers 8,400 TV channels, of which more than 3,100 are HD or UHD, another “record-breaking number,” the company said.

The research, SES’s annual Satellite Monitor accounting of the reach of satellite TV, shows growth in Africa, APAC and Latin America, up 9.1 million, 1 million and 1.7 million, respectively, largely responsible for driving the overall increase. The regions have seen growth in direct-to-home satellite platforms, and. IPTV also has continued to gain traction, it said.

In Europe, via its 19.2 degrees East satellite, SES is reaching 117 million homes, delivering content to half of all TV homes in the market with satellite, cable or IPTV. However, the company saw a decline of 6 million in North America as audiences have adopted streaming alternatives, the research revealed.

In Africa, SES has continued to expand its satellite reach due to the growth of Ethiopia’s free-to-air offering, which includes Ethiosat, the country’s first dedicated TV platform. SES also has led an intensive program to get TV viewers in Ethiopia to repoint their dishes at the satellite positioned at 57 degrees East for the past two years, advancing the company to a position of prominence among satellite TV homes in Ethiopia, it said.

The new research offers a breakdown of TV households SES serves by market. It revealed:

Market              TV Homes
Europe               170 million

North America    59 million

Africa                    46 million

Latin America     44 million

Asia Pacific          34 million

Middle East         13 million

 The research also found surging uptake of television about multiple African markets with TV penetration growing 27% since 2017. The company attributes the growth to increasing popularity of satellite service for TV reception. 

In Europe, the research noted, free-to-air satellite TV has remained strong over the past five years, illustrating the value proposition of satellite TV and its status as a natural complement to OTT service. IPTV uptake also continues to grow around Europe while terrestrial TV has declined.

SES has conducted its Satellite Monitor market research for the past 28 years.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LUXEMBOURG—Satellite communications provider SES has announced a deal with Verizon Communications that could speed up deployments of 5G services in the U.S. 

The deal will expand Verizon’s access to a portion of the C-band (3700-3800 MHz) used by SES in important regions across the U.S. earlier than the relocation deadlines set out in the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) C-Band Report and Order.

SES said it has already completed its Phase I accelerated C-band clearing ahead the first FCC deadline of December 5, 2021, a critical step in meeting the Commission’s objectives to rapidly roll out 5G services across the U.S. SES earned almost $1 billion in accelerated relocation payments as a result of that effort. 

To meet the Phase II deadline of December 5, 2023, SES is working to relocate its existing services from the 3700-4000 MHz band and complete equipment changes for Incumbent Earth Stations across the entire contiguous United States, earning an additional $3 billion in accelerated relocation payments in the process.

This new agreement will see SES expand Verizon’s access to the 3700-3800 MHz block in certain markets beyond the 46 Partial Economic Areas cleared in Phase I and earlier than the Phase II accelerated relocation deadline. SES will install filters and other ancillary equipment at about 500 sites in 2022, comparable to the activities executed during Phase I, and will earn up to an additional $170 million from Verizon, subject to delivering the clearing on a timeline agreed to by the parties, SES reported.

“Providing 5G services to as many Americans as soon as possible supports the U.S. economy and enables the delivery of valuable services to the population. We will leverage the experience we have gained over the past year and shorten the clearing timeline for Verizon’s spectrum,” said Steve Collar, CEO at SES.

SES said it will incur additional costs to perform this clearing. It has boosted its previous estimate of $80 million of non-reimbursable costs across the entire C-band clearing project to $100 million to reflect the magnitude of the agreement with Verizon.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Harmonic has announced that it has successfully completed technology upgrades associated with SES's Phase 1 transition plan for C-band spectrum in just nine months. This was accomplished utilizing Harmonic's XOS Edge software-based solution for satellite media processing and edge delivery.

"Tight-knit collaboration between partnering companies led to a successful world-first deployment of software solutions for the transformation of C-band spectrum, and we are proud of this momentous achievement," said Jeremy Rosenberg, senior vice president, business development, at Harmonic. "Deploying software on off-the-shelf appliances for both the uplink and at hundreds of affiliate locations enabled rapid completion of this project, exceeding the FCC's stringent deadline. This project is a testament to the flexibility that Harmonic's edge media processing provides and has opened the door to additional and ongoing opportunities with video programmers for new edge distribution strategies."

Harmonic's XOS Edge media processing solution, integrated with encryption from NAGRA, enables satellite delivery networks to seamlessly distribute video services with optimized bandwidth and improved quality utilizing the inherent flexibility of software, Harmonic explained. 

"We are excited to lead this transformation for the communications industry and accelerate the path to 5G," said Steve Corda, vice president of technology at SES. "Freeing up 5G spectrum while maintaining the quality and resilience of critical video services was a significant challenge. By adopting state-of-the-art edge technology, we can ensure that millions of people across the United States will continue to receive high-quality programming."

The project ensured a seamless transition for Comcast Technology Services (CTS) and its Managed Satellite Distribution affiliates, the companies added. 

"The task of freeing up C-band spectrum was massive and complex," said Allison Olien, vice president and general manager of the Communications and Technology Provider Suite at Comcast Technology Solutions. "We are in the midst of a significant technology change, and SES and Harmonic provided a clear and streamlined transition path that assures service continuity for our partners and customers."

Further information about Harmonic is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

LONDON—SES has implemented a new resource management platform using Xytech solutions, Xytech said today.

The platform consolidates two systems SES previously used into a single, comprehensive solution to maximize efficiency and simplify the booking process for SES sports and event customers, it said.

The new solution offers workflow control, schedule-once efficiency, intelligent conflict management, support for long-term and recurring bookings and fast, effective resource management, it said.

“Thanks to the support we received from Xytech’s team, the transition of merging both platforms was smooth with no impact to our operations,” said Ed Cox, vice president of sales for North America and Sports & Events at SES. “Through a great deal of dialogue, complete definition of our requirements and out-of-the-box thinking from both sides, we achieved a unified platform that ultimately simplifies capacity booking process for our customers.”

More information is available on the company’s website. 

NEVADA CITY, Calif.—SES has gone with Telestream to provide a number of new technologies to its new London-based remote broadcast center that will provide system timing, waveform monitoring and quality control.

The SES broadcast center provides playout infrastructure for linear TV channels and can support HD formats and HDR services. While based in London, the network management is operated in Munich.

Telestream’s SPG800A sync generators for system timing applications and its PRISM SDI/IP waveform monitor for all video monitoring and QC applications have been installed at the broadcast center.

SPG800A comes with an ECO8000 change-over unit with newly released firmware that enables full remote operation through a web user interface. This enables the SES teams in Munich to switch network timing sources or GPS receivers remotely without being on-site in London.

The PRISM monitors, meanwhile, serve as the main tool for monitoring SDI signal quality and deep video analysis. Telestream’s “NoVNC Access” allows engineers in Munich to remotely operate and view all PRISM functions through a browser connection.

For more information, visit www.telestream.net.  

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Harmonic and SES have announced a new partnership that will have the two sides work together on the SES plan filed with the FCC for the C-band transition.

The C-band transition will see current C-band spectrum operators move to the upper portion of the band, opening up 280 MHz for 5G development. Harmonic and SES will collaborate on supporting the required network transformations using Harmonic’s software solutions for satellite video delivery.

This includes deploying Harmonic’s XOS advanced media processing in the headend and XOC Edge transcoding solutions in remote sites for primary distribution of video feeds.

“We are proud to support SES, its customers and the communications industry in enabling the transformation of C-band spectrum for 5G,” said Jeremy Rosenberg, senior vice president, business development, at Harmonic. “Our software-based solutions set the standard for flexibility by enabling these traditional satellite delivery networks to deliver solutions with industry-leading bandwidth efficiency.”

For more information, visit www.harmonicinc.com.  

LUXEMBOURG—SES has been selected by BBC Studios (BBCS) and its subsidiary UKTV to manage the playout and distribution of more than 50 linear channels, as well as their associated video on demand services via a new multi-year agreement.

SES will now provide playout, content processing, distribution and VOD services for the delivery of BBCS and UKTV content to affiliates across the globe and in the U.K. The services will be based on SES’s European global delivery services—technical playout infrastructure will be provided from SES’s new London facility; the company’s Munich playout facility will oversee operational management.

“Our London and Munich service delivery approach is specially crafted so that broadcasters and production houses like BBCS and UKTV can focus on producing great content while we take care of the content preparation, playout and delivery,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “This dual facility approach is fundamental to our success in ensuring that we have always-on, fully backed-up content delivery services and will enable us to provide the highest quality of service for BBCS.”

“By selecting SES, we believe we have found a partner that is committed to delivering innovation and can meet our business needs going into the future,” added Marcus Arthur, president, U.K., Ireland BBC Studios & CEO UKTV.

The deal is said to also build on BBCS and UKTV’s desire for cloud innovation in the media industry, per SES’s announcement.

For more information, visit www.ses.com. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our world, dramatically changing people’s daily lives across the globe. We have gone from collaborating with business colleagues in an open office space, hanging out with friends and family and enjoying entertainment in public venues to first being isolated at home and then adhering to social distancing rules in an incredibly short span of time.

A few months down the road, many industries, including the broadcasting sector, have felt the effects of lockdown and social distancing measures. While live sports and events have been put on hold, video consumption of news and entertainment skyrocketed. More people are spending time at home watching TV; either to listen to the latest news and updates on COVID-19 or being entertained. This has created a challenge for broadcasters, pay-TV operators and content owners to deliver content in the most reliable and cost-effective way possible, while coping with the sudden surge in demand for content. 

Thanks to satellite and IP distribution technologies, broadcasters have been able to provide timely information to the population during the COVID-19 crisis. Several key trends have emerged within the media market during this time, as well as real-world examples of broadcasters leveraging IP and satellite to communicate critical live news and entertainment to the world.

PAY-TV TRENDS DURING COVID-19

During the pandemic, we’ve seen that content and connectivity continue to be essential, maybe even more so. Perhaps one of the first and most evident positive impacts we have witnessed was the sharp increase in viewership of TV news as a reliable source for up-to-date national and regional insights. 

Omdia research found that the U.K.’s BBC One ”Six O’Clock News” bulletin averaged 6.43 million viewers across April 2020, up more than 54% on the 4.17 million average for April 2019. Viewing uptake included young audiences, which is particularly relevant. 

Similarly, Comcast data shows that there has been a 64% increase in consumption of news programming since the start of COVID-19. Comcast also reported that linear TV consumption has increased by four hours to 64 hours per week, video-on-demand usage has hit record highs, video game downloads are up 50% overall and streaming and web video consumption has increased 38%.

A VAB report found that television viewing during the pandemic increased substantially for younger audiences, with teenagers having the biggest increase in viewing. Teens ages 12-17 spent 175% more time watching TV from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in March 2020 than they did during the prior month, while adults ages 35-49 increased their habits by 42% during the same time period. Live local news, in particular, has been a huge draw for younger viewers during the pandemic. Nielsen found that in the U.S., local news experienced a 20% viewership increase of persons aged 2-17 and a spike of more than 10% for viewers aged 25-54.

Global research firm Analysys Mason anticipates that consumers will generally retain traditional pay-TV services throughout the pandemic due to the growing importance of in-home entertainment.  

While there has been concern that the loss of live sports content may contribute to an increase in churn, so far this does not seem to be the case. Perhaps that’s in part because pay-TV providers have been filling their channels with key matches and “best of” sports shows in place of live sports content. As we start to return to live sports around the world, fan interest is at a peak. 

We’ve also witnessed the continued growth of online video platforms that have a global reach. For example, Telefónica reported an 8% increase in the number of accesses to its OTT service and a 14% increase in viewing time in early March 2020. 

SATELLITE AND IP BECOME EVEN MORE CRITICAL

During the pandemic there has also been a surge in video streaming from pure OTT players such as Netflix and YouTube. This, combined with people working from home, has placed a significant strain on network infrastructure across the world. OTT providers have had to stream in SD instead of HD during certain times of the day (i.e., peak viewing) and in certain regions to reduce network congestion. For instance, Netflix reduced the bitrates across all streams for 30 days in Europe in order to lessen the impact of Netflix traffic on European networks. 

Throughout the pandemic, broadcasters have understood that there are multiple audiences in each home and have been very effective in using a combination of satellite and IP to deliver critical information and content to the masses in real-time with high quality and reliability, regardless of spikes in viewership. Leveraging the wide technical reach of satellites and IP connectivity solutions like SES’s OU Flex, pay-TV operators and broadcasters can produce and deliver TV offerings in areas of the world where broadband infrastructure is limited. These technologies have proven to be imperative in helping media organizations relay important news information during the COVID-19 outbreak, ensuring that the news flow goes on uninterrupted.

TECHNOLOGY PERSEVERES DURING THE LOCKDOWN

During this unprecedented time, satellite has been a rock of stability, ensuring business continuity for broadcasters, pay-TV operators and content owners so that they can remain a reliable source of news and entertainment for audiences worldwide.

A great example is seen with BBC World News’ use of the SES Astra satellite at 19.2 degrees East for broadcasting news across Europe. Since the beginning of the year, the footprint of BBC World News has grown steadily from being available in 465 million homes worldwide to over half a billion homes. The demand for linear TV, especially news programs, is on the rise, and relying on satellite, BBC was able to efficiently and cost-effectively respond to the demand for accurate news and information.

IP connectivity also helped facilitate the delivery of news and TV. German public broadcaster SWR was able to deliver a two-hour live broadcast from the Bavarian mountains, amid the COVID-19 global health crisis. SWR used SES’ OU Flex solution to ensure IP connectivity for Skype and VoIP calls made during the live broadcast, which was produced by Steiwer TV. 

These next-generation distribution technologies are helping to deliver more than just news and entertainment, they have also helped to bring people across the world together. For example, March 26 was officially marked “Asteroid Day,” the United Nations’ day of global awareness and education about asteroids. This year, major players in the space, communications and broadcasting industry held a virtual town hall meeting with astronauts, scientists and celebrities to discuss ways of coping with living in self-isolation and quarantine. The intent was to send a message of hope, trust in science and mutual encouragement for everyone currently faced with the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis. Broadcasters and direct-to-home satellite users were able to pick up the live broadcast from SES’s Astra 1M satellite to share this important message worldwide. 

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 has had a considerable impact on society and markets across the globe. As we optimistically look to the future and anticipate the new normal, one constant in our industry has been how broadcasters, pay-TV operators and content owners continue to deliver TV leveraging satellite and IP. In our unique position at SES as the leading content connectivity provider, we are humbled to be able to support the uninterrupted broadcasting of news, bring entertainment programming to the masses, and be part of initiatives that connect people during this extraordinary time. 

Deepak Mathur is executive vice president, Global Sales at SES Video.  

EASTLEIGH, U.K., AMSTERDAM, PARIS, DENVER, SINGAPORE, SAO PAULO & SYDNEY—Ateme is partnering with SES, Videolabs and IERT for the first end-to-end UHD satellite broadcast transmission using the Versatile Video Coding (VVC) standard, the company announced.

The test transmission is using an SES satellite positioned at the 28.2-degree East orbital position and is relaying a 4K UHD  video stream using VVC.

Source UHD video is being encoded with VVC and encapsulated in MPEG-TS using Ateme’s Titan Live video processing platform. The streams are modulated using DVB-T2 and broadcast via an Astra 2E transponder that covers all of Europe, the company said. 

On the receive side, the signal is being demodulated by a DVB-to-IP gateway. It is then forwarded to the VLC player that displays the video in real-time using the OpenVVC decoder from IETR.

The test demonstrates key benefits of VVC, including optimized bandwidth efficiency, increased audience reach and improved QoE (quality of experience). VVC, a versatile new standard that covers a variety of applications—from broadcast to OTT delivery, improves on High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) compression efficiency by 50%, said Ateme.

The Joint Video Experts Team developed VVC. The team consists of experts from ISO/IEC MPEG and ITU-T VCEG.

More information is available on the Ateme website.

The broadcast and media industries are undergoing significant change. By 2023, 31% of all TV sets will be connected and 23% will be UHD, according to Dataxis. Furthermore, an additional 2.6 billion devices will be connected by 2023. Meanwhile, live streaming is expected to grow by 73% CAGR between 2017 and 2022, according to Cisco.

As the business environment becomes more complex and challenging, broadcasters have a greater need to adapt and be flexible. Cloud-based video solutions for services like playout are seen as a promising way to achieve this flexibility and easy scalability—the idea being that using cloud playout will allow media companies to launch “pop-up channels” faster, deliver traditional and OTT content more efficiently, and ensure they have a low-cost, reliable disaster recovery strategy in place.

KEY ADVANTAGES

There are several major benefits that cloud-based playout provide to broadcasters and media companies. The first advantage is flexibility—cloud playout allows broadcasters to introduce a new channel or adapt an existing one with a minimized lead time, making it easier to implement changes and react to market conditions.

With more flexibility also comes the ability to easily scale services according to market needs and changing business plans. For example, the cloud enables broadcasters to easily set up a new channel and test its viability before contracting on-premises services. Once the business model is proven, the broadcaster can then commit to on-premises services—or due to the added flexibility offered by a cloud solution—retain their content and workflows in the cloud.

Cloud workflows are also a cost-effective approach for short-term plans. The flexibility and scalability offered by cloud-enabled media services means broadcasters do not have to plan far ahead and make major infrastructure upgrades. Media companies can launch new services quickly and pay based on a flexible opex business model vs. making significant upfront investments in infrastructure.

Moreover, using a fully managed cloud-based playout service, broadcasters can be assured that their channels will run 24/7. The cloud playout service operator secures maintenance, monitoring and engineering support to ensure reliability.

In addition, the cloud makes it possible for the customer to have increased transparency and involvement in their operational workflow. Broadcasters can access playout workflows via web browsers from anywhere in the world. The cloud also gives operators the power to manage every aspect of the playout process from a single screen. For a broadcaster that truly wants to have a global reach, the cloud is the best way to achieve this.

IDEAL USE CASES

Cloud playout offers distinct advantages compared with traditional hardware and software approaches. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the broadcast industry is moving everything to the cloud. For channels that are key assets in content packages it still makes more sense to invest in on-premises services as that results in greater cost-efficiencies in the long-term. Broadcasters need to decide on the most appropriate solution for each use case.

One instance where cloud playout is interesting is for pop-up channels. If there is a major sports tournament or live event that a broadcaster wants to cover for a short amount of time, it can quickly and cost-effectively launch a new channel. Once the event is over, the channel can instantly be taken off the service lineup.

Another use case that is perfect for cloud playout is localizing content and implementing ad replacement. Today’s television viewers like personalized content—with cloud playout, broadcasters can address the growing demand for tailored content, by delivering personalized programming and advertising that appeals to the viewers’ interests and geographical location.

In addition, cloud playout simplifies disaster recovery, as a broadcaster can contract a cloud backup more cost-efficiently than a on-premises playout. This is because a cloud backup has the option to start up and create the operational cost only in the event of a disaster, whereas an on-premises backup needs a dedicated pre-investment, independent from a disaster event.

CONCLUSION

Broadcasters are facing immense challenges, including a growing consumer demand for UHD, personalized and OTT content, and to stay competitive they need flexible, scalable playout solutions. The cloud provides long-term scalability, allowing for channels to be tested and new audiences and regions to be explored. Media companies can introduce new channels fast, and take them down just as quickly, if needed

The capacity of cloud technology to control technology costs and enable flexible business models is being recognized in many industries. In the media world, managing content via the cloud is an opportunity to be more agile, expand reach and better monetize video content.

Frank Hoffmann is senior vice president Strategy, Products and Customer Experience, SES Video.

LUXEMBOURG—SES has revealed a new technology that delivers IP signals to OTT platforms that it has dubbed its Satellite and OTT in Sync. This new technology is designed to synchronize OTT and satellite broadcasts to provide a consistent experience for viewers.

Satellite and OTT in Sync takes the source signal on its way to the satellite and distributes it via IP in tandem with satellite. The system applies low-latency encoding and tuning to the IP stream at the source, which enables it to deliver the content to OTT platforms in sync with the satellite signal, erasing seconds of delay between a traditional TV and OTT broadcasts.

“When a fan is watching an important match on an OTT platform and they hear the crowd at the bar down the street cheering before they even see the goal, the disappointment is palpable,” said Ferdinand Kayser, CEO of SES Video. “Being a hybrid video distributor, SES can process video at the source for both satellite and OTT distribution, helping broadcasters deliver a unique, consistent and satisfying end-user experience.”

SES will demonstrate the new technology at its stand, 1.B51, during IBC 2019.

BETZDORF, Luxembourg—Satellite operator SES will be relying on the TAG Video Systems MCM-9000 multiviewer and monitoring platform to keep an eye on the TV, radio and data signals that are transmitted via satellite through its new Service Management Center at its headquarters in Luxembourg.

The MCM-9000 is a software application that can run on commercial off-the-shelf servers or in a virtualized environment. It has IP monitoring technology combined with an IP multiviewer for all broadcast layers. SES says it will use the unit for monitoring MPEG compressed signals, as well as monitoring for uncompressed 2022-6/7 and 2110, JPEG2000 TR-01, MPEG2/4/HEVC transport streams and OTT signals. Multiple UHD or HD video mosaic outputs of the monitored services are presented with data and overlay alerts that can be viewed anywhere.

Working with NICE, TAG created a number of high-quality mosaic “video wall” presentations of the monitored services for SES.

LUXEMBOURG—SES’ Industry Days featured a first for European broadcasters, a demonstration of an 8K signal being directly broadcasted to a flat screen TV via a built-in satellite receiver, a collaboration between SES, Spin Digital and Samsung.

The signal is coming from the ASTRA 28.2-degrees East orbital slot. Spin Digital’s HEVC encoder is encoding the 7680x4320 pixel, 50fps 8K content at a bitrate of 70Mbps. SES handles the transmission on a single 33 MHz transponder using DTH broadcast parameters. The signal is then directly received by the 82-inch Samsung 8K Q950RB QLED production model TV, which is using DVB-S2 transmission parameters for this demonstration.

The demo is designed to showcase how satellite is already capable of reliably providing transmission bitrates necessary to distribute 8K signals across continents.

“The collaboration with SES is helping to define the compression and quality settings for the new 8K format exploiting all the potential of the HEVC coding technology,” said Mauricio Alvarez-Mesa, CEO of Spin Digital. “Our next step is to enable similar quality and compression for live 8K HEVC.”

Insight TV, the world’s leading 4K UHD HDR broadcaster and producer of native UHD content, is further expanding its US reach with the launch of its popular 4K UHD channel 24/7 on RCN Corporation’s digital pay-TV service. The Insight TV launch, which began on January 7th 2019, is part of RCN’s distribution of multiple 4K UHD channels.

RCN began rolling out its 4K-ready set-top boxes to subscribers last year. The device, made by Arris, is powered by TiVo’s software and user interface. Insight TV UHD will launch along with seven 4K channels hosted by the SES Ultra HD Platform, and is available to all subscribers of the digital basic tier package that have the 4K-ready box.

“Insight was one of the first channels to join the SES’s Ultra HD platform in North America, which now hosts the world’s largest source of 4K linear content and live events coverage,” said Steve Corda, Vice President of Media Platforms for SES in North America.  “Insight TV is on the leading edge of Ultra HD programming, with content shot natively in 4K and transmitted in HLG-HDR.  We are pleased to take yet another next step in Ultra HD together, enabling RCN to offer an immersive television viewing experience like no other.”

“We’re partnering with the world’s leading distribution providers to ensure that our 4K UHD content is delivered globally,” adds Angela Borrillo, Vice President Business and Legal Affairs, Insight TV. “We’re delighted to kick off 2019 with this announcement, which further highlights our growing presence in the US. We seek to connect audiences worldwide with exciting stories based on topics that are trending around the world.”

An analysis of C-band spectrum reallocation from Northern Star Research published today finds a limited sale of mid C-band spectrum is the best way for Intelsat and SES to pay down or even eliminate debt and begin investing in video and data distribution based upon hybrid satellite architectures, constellations and consumer broadband.

The analysis, “C-Band Spectrum Reallocation: Too Lucrative To Ignore?” by NSR analyst Gagan Agrawal, examines the economic ramifications of the sale of 500MHz of spectrum between 3.7 and 4.2GHz in the United States to wireless companies for deployment of their 5G network.

[Read: FCC Grants Yet Another C-Band Filing Extension]

According to the author, several factors over the next few years will contribute to a decline in C-band-derived revenues for Intelsat and SES, which together account for about 90 percent of the C-band spectrum in the United States. Declining revenues from this spectrum mean continued use C-band satellite service will not make “economic sense,” writes Agawal, referencing NSR’s “Global Satellite Capacity Supply & Demand, 15th Edition” report.

Based on the anticipated value of the spectrum in an auction to wireless companies, selling the spectrum appears to be the wisest choice. Taking into account a 50 to 100MHz guard band to protect against interference, the value of 400MHz based on a U.S. population of 330 million people theoretically falls between $60 billion and $75 billion, based on a conservative estimate of $0.5 to $0.6 MHz-pop.

“And with Intelsat and SES approximately possessing 45 percent of the spectrum each, both could (again theoretically) net at least $20 - $25 billion in proceeds after tax,” writes Agawal.

The author, however, lists several caveats that impact the true value of the proceeds--for instance, higher costs than reimbursements to broadcasters and cable providers because Intelsat and SES may need to launch a new satellite, costing them around $200 million to keep their customers. However, Agawal points out that new HEVC compression as part of DVB-S2X could make it possible to fit all video distribution channels into less than 30 percent of capacity.

Regardless of economic and regulatory factors, however, both companies “have a great opportunity to offset their complete debts with the spectrum sales,” he writes, adding “Intelsat and SES each may gain between mid to high single-digit billion dollars (considering Intelsat’s >6B tax losses), wiping [sic] of 70-100 percent of their debt.”

To read the full analysis, visit the NSR website.

Broadcasters have until Oct. 17 to register their C-band satellite downlink sites with the FCC in order to prevent future interference and push back against plans that would completely rearrange the way the FCC allows C-band satellite channels to be received.

Satellite operator SES has announced that they may pay for broadcasters’ FCC application fee if C-band antenna owners register their existing C band antennas with the commission prior to the Oct. 17 deadline.

[Read: TV, Radio Broadcasters: Now’s The Time To Register Your C-Band Downlink Sites]

For more information contact SES for details and conditions at fccregistration@ses.com or DAWNco at 248-391-9200. Facebook members can learn more by visiting DAWNco’s Facebook page. 

WASHINGTON—Four major satellite operators today announced the formation of the C-Band Alliance (CBA), a consortium established to facilitate clearing part of the C-band in the United States for 5G wireless service use.

CBA, created by Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat and Telesat, grew out of a market-based proposal submitted to the FCC advocating for a technical and commercial framework to facilitate quick access by wireless companies to a portion of the 3.7GHz to 4.2GHz band.

[Read: FCC Advances Goal Of Opening C-Band]

Bill Tolpegin, current CEO of OTA Broadcasting, will serve as the CEO. Preston Padden will serve as head of advocacy and government relations.

A statement announcing the formation of CBA called its creation a “significant milestone” in the advancement of the market-based proposal. CBA’s creation also signifies the fact that the satellite operators providing the majority of C-band satellite service in the United States have agreed upon the steps that must be taken to clear spectrum for 5G, the statement said.

The new consortium also will work to protect customer services from interference generated by new wireless services using the band.

Part II

In Part I, the author discussed the FCC's recent actions to devalue spectrum allocated for C-band satellite. 

On July 25, 2018, Spain joined the list of countries who have completed auctioning RF spectrum to companies interested in deploying 5G services. And as expected, some of that spectrum was in the C-band satellite frequency range. (Note: international C-band satellite frequencies start lower than those used in the United States; the lower end of the international C-band frequency band is instead allocated to federal use instead of satellite use here in the United States.)

With more countries announcing either completed C-band spectrum auctions or plans to hold an auction in the next couple of years, the U.S. is trying to select and standardize the frequencies that can be used to compete in the worldwide race to deploy 5G. And in case you haven’t heard, the “prime real estate” that is being eyed for 5G deployment is currently allocated to C-band (3700 – 4200 MHz in the U.S.) satellite downlinks.

For broadcasters who have historically used satellite to receive content from syndicated networks and satellite news-gathering (“SNG”) trucks, the world is quickly changing around them. As discussed in a prior article, the United States’ Federal Communications Commission has formally issued an NPRM exploring whether and how to clear radio spectrum that is currently used for C-band downlinks. The NPRM comes in response to Congress’ MOBILE NOW act that directs the FCC to find 500 MHz of spectrum for 5G broadband data use to ensure the U.S.’s continued technical prominence in the world.

INDUSTRY-DEVELOPED PROPOSAL

Thus far, the C-band to 5G reallocation proposal that seems to have the most traction with the FCC is Intelsat’s. To be fair, Intelsat’s proposal to the FCC seems on its face to be counter-productive and harmful to the end users (downlinks) of C-band satellite services. Their proposal—now joined by SES and Eutelsat, but opposed in part by Telesat—offers to voluntarily relinquish some of the C-band spectrum they provide to TV networks, radio networks, private business customers, the military, and others. This idea runs counter to the mentality held by most downlink users: full-arc, full-band coverage is critical due to the flexibility and variety of services that might be needed on short notice.

Intelsat asserts that their business goal, however, is not to cut off any existing customers; indeed, they propose to maintain the same level of throughput and utility in spite of a reduced capacity. Through the possible launch of numerous new smaller satellites, newer compression techniques (migrating customers from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or even HEVC) and/or other means, Intelsat’s aim is to preserve their satellite customers’ ability to deliver all their content without any loss of functionality.

Intelsat’s proposed “Consortium” would negotiate with 5G companies to clear out all satellite transmissions and downlink users from a large portion of the C-band spectrum and dedicate it for 5G use. The Consortium would also be responsible for coordinating with all downlink sites and users, tallying their costs, and reimbursing them for most or all costs that they incur as part of the move to clear some of the C-band spectrum.

In the proposal, the revenue that the U.S. government and the Consortium’s operators would realize by relinquishing (effectively “selling” or “leasing”) their spectrum to the 5G companies would provide the financial wherewithal to mitigate any potential losses by downlink users or other current C-band users. Supposedly, the proceeds of the sale/auction would be adequate to cover both capital costs from the conversion/migration and any higher operational costs such as higher cost for the smaller supply of remaining C-band spectrum.

ALTERNATIVES TO C-BAND SATELLITE

Facing the pressure of trying to keep up with other countries, the FCC’s NPRM, and Intelsat’s proposal, a fair question to ask is “How much would the [partial] loss—or increased cost—of C-band actually affect broadcasters and other users?”

[Read: Broadcasters: Now’s The Time To Register Your C-Band Downlink Sites]

Look at any current trade magazine for radio or television, and it’s inescapable that the majority of ads are from manufacturers of equipment that use IP in tandem with—or even instead of—legacy analog or even digital transmission paths. TV stations everywhere have been enjoying the LiveU bonded cellular modems that attach to news cameras; now it’s possible to go just about anywhere in a city with good cellular coverage and instantly set up a remote live broadcast without having to set up a satellite link or an RF Marti link back to the studio. One broadcaster tells of facing the choice of spending $100,000 to $200,000 to update and refurbish one of their older SNG trucks; they instead used a fraction of that and purchased a number of new field cameras equipped with LiveU backpacks, thereby equipping multiple news crews with better widespread live capabilities than a single SNG truck could ever provide.

Already, at least one of the largest national radio networks is using IP as their primary means of backhauling their signal to their owned-and-operated radio station transmitter sites, with Ku-band satellite as backup to dual Internet-delivered streams.

Another syndicated national radio network uses dual internet-delivered streams as their primary backhaul of their signal to a satellite uplink provider who then puts it up on satellite for C-band delivery to their affiliates (no irony there, right?).

Some of the largest cable television companies leverage their extensive nationwide fiber networks to distribute content (some of which is downlinked from C-band) from a few super-headend locations to many individual headends across the U.S., thus avoiding the headache of maintaining lots of C-band dishes at every head-end.

Microspace, a satellite teleport operator that handles a lot of broadcast content, has for years been building out and expanding their CDN-type services over the internet, aggregating content and distributing it without any of the content ever touching satellite.

And secure or not, more and more radio stations are using Barix point-to-point products to deliver their audio from the studio to the transmitter, and Barix also offers other products for point-to-multipoint distribution.

LIVING IN THE PAST – OR THE FUTURE?

In light of the widespread and rapid advancement of IP-enabled transmission paths and equipment along with the rapid growth of the internet for all sorts of data delivery, is it therefore fair to ask the current satellite users whether they’ll be able—and when they’ll be willing—to move forward into the 21st century and stop relying on a service first authorized in the 1970s? It’s a tough (and perhaps a hot-button) question, because C-band is arguably still the most reliable and cost-effective means of broadcasting content to an unlimited number of downlink locations.

Yet I can’t help but think back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when digital satellite receivers and computer automation were making serious inroads into broadcasting, while some stations still desperately clung onto their endless-loop tape cart machines triggered by not-so-subaudible tones. Could a station stay on the air and maintain the cart machines without upgrading to a computer? Sure, but in retrospect, doesn’t that seem like a pretty short-sighted view?

Are we at the point in IP’s advancement where history will show that relying solely on C-band for distribution to a limited number of sites is akin to hanging onto an old cart machine instead of using an automation system? Isn’t this the same as a newspaper company clinging to a paper-only mentality when its competitors expanded their service to deliver news via websites, social media, smartphone apps, and push notifications?

If so, it’s easy to wonder how we ended up at this crossroads and why the decisions seem so difficult to make. Could it be that some broadcasters are fearful of moving to IP-based technologies out of ignorance of how “I.T.” works, or how to safely and successfully integrate IP into a legacy broadcast plant and path? There certainly is no shortage of network-savvy folks out there looking for work, but it’s still not terribly easy to find fresh young faces of new hires who are savvy both in broadcast engineering and information technology (and interested in working for the paltry salaries sometimes offered to them, but that’s another story that may be changing).

PLANNING FOR A BUSINESS CHANGE

It’s been said many different times in many different ways, and it’s something that some broadcasters and C-band users need to grasp:

If you form a business plan that depends on a specific type of current technology, you’ll eventually go out of business. Technology will change and advance, and if you’re not prepared to adapt to it and adopt it, you’ll get left behind when your competition moves forward and you’re still clinging to obsolete technology.

Instead, you should have a mission statement of what you’re trying to do, and as new technology comes along you should carefully and quickly evaluate it to see if and how you can adopt it to fulfill your mission statement. Use whatever technology exists to reach your customers and fulfill your mission statement, and you’ll succeed in business.

That simple idea is one that applies to just about all areas of business, but especially so in the area of communications. The world is changing around us: Are we prepared to succeed or doomed to obsolescence?

Satellite communications is definitely changing, but it’s not just because the FCC wants to take away some of the spectrum for 5G. It’s changing because technology is advancing and changing the demand for SatCom in light of competitive technology and services. The real question facing us is whether we’ll embrace the changes, or try to resist them. As then-Chairman Tom Wheeler told the Satellite Leadership Dinner in 2016 about the need for 5G-related changes in the satellite industry:

“It is far more practical to get on the train than to be run over by it.”

Because of the FCC’s recent NPRM and Order, 5G’s growth and spectrum demands, and the satellite industry’s home-grown proposal to migrate C-band satellite frequencies to enable the “national priority” of 5G, we satellite downlink users have arrived (like it or not) at a definitive fork in the technical road, and we’re going to have to make a choice.

This (almost-certain) change coming to satellite communications is a perfect case example highlighting the critical need to stay informed and abreast of new technology. Like it or not, technical innovation and (perhaps unfortunately) politics affect your business, and if you want your business to succeed and thrive your company must pay attention, invest in training and innovation, and be aware of and involved with regulations that will affect it.

Years from now, how will you answer this question?

“Did the end of satellite communications as we knew it actually matter?”

Sherrod Munday currently serves as vice president of engineering for Sky Angel, a 2-channel TV network found on Dish Network. His experience includes full-time and consulting engineering in both TV and Radio, delivering live and preproduced content over the air, via satellite syndication, and directly to consumers across the Internet. You may reach him at smunday@ieee.org

Broadcasters must protect their C-band satellite downlink sites from future interference and push back against plans that would completely rearrange the way the FCC allows C-band satellite channels to be received.

The cellular industry wants the FCC to reallocate C-band frequencies, which could take 100 MHz or more away from what is currently available for every C-band dish owner to use. The proposed frequency rearrangement could require every dish owner to replace every single C-band LNB, the amplifiers at the front of every dish. It could also require dish owners to purchase new TI (terrestrial interference) blocking filters to mate with every C-band LNB.

If the FCC authorizes cellular companies to take away part of what is now C-band for satellite reception, broadcasters will want to ensure that the cellular companies provide every registered C-band downlink with whatever new equipment is needed. That means paying for all new tapered interference filters and all new tapered C-band LNB amplifiers.

They also will want the FCC to ensure that any future cellular transmission does not interfere with the new tapered C-band satellite channels. This will be especially important when cell towers are located near a C-band satellite downlink site.

[Read: FCC Advances Goal Of Opening C-Band]

Broadcasters that do not register their sites now risk having to bear the full cost of any new equipment needed after any FCC rearrangement of C-band satellite channels. Registering now is the first step to preventing the loss of C-band frequencies.

The agency recently extended its filing deadline for existing earth stations to be registered until Oct. 17, 2018. (That’s an extension from the previous July deadline). Broadcasters that have not already done so must register their C-band downlinks with the FCC now. It is critical that all existing C-band dishes are registered with the FCC.

Satellite operator SES has announced it may pay for the FCC application fee when C-band antenna owners register their existing C-band dishes with the FCC before Oct. 17. This new SES offer could save C-band downlink owners thousands of dollars in FCC filing fees. 

SES has developed an easy-to-follow online method for filing with the FCC. Visit the SES website to start the process now. You can also contact them at a special email address set up for filers at fccregistration@ses.com to inquire about the reimbursement and registration programs or call them at 609-987-4300.

Act now to register and help the broadcast community influence FCC decisionmaking by demonstrating with the deluge of site registrations the widespread use of C-band downlinks.

When the maximum number of C-band antenna sites register with the FCC, the agency may be inclined to halt its reallocation of C-band satellite spectrum for use by wireless companies, or at least minimize it. More registered sites mean more difficulty and cost for the cellular companies wanting to take away part of the current C-band downlink spectrum.

Broadcasters must push back against the cellular companies. Make them consider the high cost of rearranging the C-band by insisting the FCC mandate they offer remedies to current C-band downlink sites.

Don’t wait. Register your C-band satellite downlink sites with the FCC today!

John Joslin is the president of DAWNco. 

Satellite service provider SES says it will reimburse broadcasters for the cost of registering C Band receive antennas with the FCC.

Although the details of how to apply for the SES reimbursement of the registration fee have not yet been formalized, a company spokesman confirmed July 31 that the funds would be made available to both radio and TV broadcasters seeking to register their antennas.

[Read: FCC Advances Goal of Opening C-Band, Enhances EAS Testing]

The FCC is moving to open the 3.7–4.2GHz band for shared use with wireless operators. The agency opened a window for C Band operators with existing fixed satellite service Earth stations to register their antennas to reduce the likelihood of harmful interference being created in the band.

The FCC may choose to take into account only licensed or registered Earth stations for interference protection for the new service in the band, SES said.

The cost of registering an earth station has been reduced from $1,100 to $435. According to the SES spokesman, information about how to apply for reimbursement of the fee will be made available.

In the meantime, the company has made FCC Form 312 Main Form used to register available on its website.

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PARIS—Eutelsat has endorsed a proposal from Intelsat, Intel and SES to protect C-band satellite transmissions while accelerating 5G rollout by mobile operators in the United States using a market-based approach.

“We are pleased to be joining this proposal which aims to create fair conditions for the shared use of C-band with mobile operators in the U.S. while protecting the quality of services provided to our customers over the long term,” said Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat.

[Read: NAB, NTA Object To C Band Wireless Service Use]

The proposal, developed as a response to an FCC initiative to allocate C-band frequency for 5G services, seeks to protect the satellite services in the band, used by broadcasters, media and data companies in the United States.

It establishes a commercial and technical framework to allow terrestrial mobile operators to access spectrum in the 3,700 to 4,200 MHz band as they race to deploy 5G services.

In a joint statement, Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler and SES President/CEO Steve Collar said the proposal is the “only one” that maintains the quality of hundreds of incumbent C-band services. It protects satellite service providers’ investments in space and ground infrastructure while providing for accelerated 5G deployment.

More than 100 million U.S. households watch video and listen to audio distributed to broadcasters via C-band. The band also provides data connectivity for those in rural areas, emergency responders and U.S. governmental agencies.

The proposal calls for forming a consortium open to all satellite operators delivering C-band services in the lower 48 state region of the United States.

According to the Eutelsat, the consortium would oversee governance of the initiative, define and implement the method for clearing spectrum and serve as the sole interface for market-based transactions with those seeking to deploy 5G services in part of the C-band.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Pay TV operators serving the Middle East and Asia-Pacific will soon have a new satellite in place to reach subscribers with Monday’s successful early morning launch of SES’ SES-12 satellite aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket.

“More content. More immersive viewing experience. Blazing internet speeds. Reliable cell coverage. All of these dynamic customer requirements can now be met with the successful launch of SES-12, which will provide incremental high performance capacity and offer greater reliability and flexibility to our customers,” said Martin Halliwell, CTO at SES.

[Read: SES, INDEMAND Partner On Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship In 4K On PPV]

The new satellite, designed with six wide beams and 72 high throughput user spot beams, will join SES-8 at 95 degrees east. It will be used for video, fixed data, mobility and government applications. Equipped with a Digital Transparent Processor to improve payload flexibility, SES-12 is one of the largest geostationary satellites SES has ever launched, the company said.

Built by Airbus Defence and Space, SES-12 will replace the SES NSS-6 satellite, joining SES’ network of seven geostationary satellites and 16 MEO satellites across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Along with SES-8, the new satellite will reach 18 million TV homes once in place and operational.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — SES — a global provider of satellite communications services to broadcasters, cable/PPV, IPTV and other content providers — has partnered with pay-per-view service provider iNDEMAND to deliver the “Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship,” live and in 4K/Ultra High Definition (4K UHD), to cable/pay TV providers nationwide.

This iNDEMAND special event will be carried live, in native 4K/UHD, from the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, in Cheyenne, Wyo., on June 2 at 9 p.m. ET, via the SES Events Channel. Produced by Multivision Media, the 4K fight will be available to Pay TV and IPTV providers that have signed on to carry the SES Events channel.

[Read: SES’ UHD Trials Now at 30 Pay-TV Providers]

With a reach of over 40 million subscribers via close to 40 pay TV systems, the SES platform offers many 4K/UHD channels, including: the SES Event Channel, Fashion One 4K, NASA TV UHD, 4K UNIVERSE, INSIGHT TV, C4K360, Funbox UHD, Travelxp 4K, Nature Relaxation 4K, The Country Network, and UHD1. SES claims that its platform is the largest source of 4K linear content in the world.

“Live sports are accelerating demand for Ultra HD content like never before, as millions of consumers want to see 4K sports action on their new Ultra HD TV screens,” said Steve Corda, vice president of Media Platforms, for the SES Video North America business unit. “Now, together with iNDEMAND, SES is delivering yet another immersive event, in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, which is bound to drive demand for 4K TV and the SES Ultra HD platform.”

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LUXEMBOURG & WASHINGTON—Satellite companies Intelsat and SES said they have agreed to back a proposal submitted to the FCC for approval that aims to protect satellite service in the 3700-4200 MHz C-band downlink spectrum while opening up about 100 MHZ of the band for mobile operators rolling out 5G service.

“Space and ground segment operators have invested billions of dollars in U.S. C-band networks and connectivity and generate important value out of it,” said SES President and CEO Karim Michel Sabbagh in a press release. “It is therefore our duty and mission to protect the C-band in the U.S. from any form of disruption and preserve its use.”

The proposal would protect video and audio program distribution that serves more than 100 million U.S. households, data connectivity in rural areas and for emergency situations and services for the U.S. government, the companies said.

Under the proposal, a consortium open to all satellite operators providing services in the C-band downlink frequencies to any part of the lower 48 United States would oversee the governance of this initiative. It would define and implement the method to be used to clear spectrum and be the only interface for market-based transactions with those interested in deploying terrestrial mobile service in the proposed portion of the C-band, the companies said in the release.

In October 2017, Intelsat and Intel proposed a solution to the FCC. The latest proposal builds on that work, setting a commercial and technical framework that gives mobile operators quick access to about 100MHz of C-band downlink spectrum nationwide, the companies said.

“Our proposed market-based solution provides a speedy resolution to the U.S. objective of accelerating deployment of 5G services. With Intelsat and SES now in agreement on major tenets of the framework and with the support of Intel, we are confident in our ability to implement this proposal quickly and efficiently, ultimately to the benefit of American consumers and the U.S. economy,” said Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler. 

LUXEMBOURG—As interest in UHD continues to grow so does SES’ trial that allows pay-TV providers to test the company’s 4K content delivery platform. Nine additional TV operators have recently joined the UHD trials, bringing the total number of participants to 30 with a reported combined audience of more than 10 million subscribers.

The new participants are Alliance Communications; Cincinnati Bell; Douglas County Community Network; Hotwire; Midco; Midwest Video Solutions; Oneida Telephone Exchange; Skitter TV; and South Dakota Networks. These operators are now testing SES’ delivery platform across their distribution networks.

SES’ UHD platform combines satellite distribution services, reception gear and a 4K UHD channel line-up that includes Travelxp 4K, 4KUniverse, NASA TV UHD, Insight TV, UHD1, C4K360, Funbox UHD, Nature Relaxation 4K and SES’ own UHD demonstration channel.

In addition, SES has announced that three of the 30 operators participating in the trial have initiated commercial linear UHD services in subscriber homes through SES’ end-to-end system. The operators are Marquette-Adams Communication in Wisconsin; Highlands Cable Group in North Carolina; and EPB Fiber Optics in Chattanooga, Tenn.

LUXEMBOURG—SES and LG Electronics are breaking in the new broadcast technology for High Frame Rate, with an eye for using it for sports broadcasts.

HFR is designed to enhance the quality of 4K UHD delivery by increasing frames per second up to 120, the maximum for broadcast content. Most current technology supports 50 FPS content or less. The increase in FPS benefits fast action like what is seen in sports broadcasts while eliminating motion-related picture degradation such as motion blur or judder.

4K HFR will also be part of the second phase of UHD using DVB UHD-1 Phase 2 specification, which is expected to launch soon.

SES and LG recently demonstrated the 4K HFR technology on and LG OLED TV during the SES Industry Days conference in Luxembourg.

LUXEMBOURG—Verizon is tipping its toe into the Ultra HD waters, announcing that it has partnered with SES S.A. for a trial of its UHD delivery solution. The trial will be available for Verizon Fios TV subscribers in the U.S. and look at how SES’s satellite-based platform handles UHD home delivery.

To facilitate the trial, Verizon will receive and test content from SES’s pre-packaged UHD platform, which currently features nine linear UHD channels and is delivered over dedicated satellite bandwidth.

SES introduced its UHD platform for cable systems in April 2015; its first trial began in June 2016. Other SES UHD trial participants include Frontier Communications, Marquette-Adams, Buckeye Broadband, Service Electric Cable TV, enTouch Systems, Cable America, Golden West Telecommunications, MTC Cable, Aueron, GVTC Communications, Highlands Cable Group, KPU Telecommunications, Service Electric, Shrewsbury Community Cable and Sjoberg’s Cable TV.

“With more than 4.5 million video subscribers, Verizon Fios represents an exciting addition to our overall effort aimed at making Ultra HD more affordable and faster to market for TV services providers across the region,” said Steve Corda, vice president of business development for SES in North America.

LUXEMBOURG—In preparation for UHD subscriber trials that SES plans to launch later this year, four U.S. cable operators have signed up to test 4K content delivery across SES’ UHD platform. That brings the total to eight operators after four stations in Missouri, South Dakota, New York and Minnesota began trials over the summer.

The four new cable operators running UHD trials are Marquette-Adams in Wisconsin, Buckeye Broadband in Ohio and Southeast Michigan, Service Electric Cable TV in Pennsylvania, and enTouch Systems in Texas. These operators will use the SES UHD system to leverage the scalability of satellite and delivery options, using either managed IP multicast DOCSIS 3.0 streams or traditional digital QAM transport streams.

The pre-packaged UHD platform combines UHD channel, 4K set top boxes and reception gear in a single service for small and medium tier cable operators. The system is delivered over dedicated bandwidth, compared to internet-delivered 4K offerings. SES offers 30 UHD channels worldwide, including seven channels hosted on two SES satellites.

“SES’ innovative and simplified platform solution has really allowed us to leap ahead to reliable and scalable technologies that have made the transition to Ultra HD much faster and more efficient,” said Shane McCann, network engineer for Marquette-Adams.

AMSTERDAM—Berlin-based telecommunications research institute Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI and satellite services provider SES used the IBC show to debut the transmission of virtual reality content over satellite to multiple devices.

The 10K by 2K panoramic video signal is showing up at SES’ booth at the conference where it’s being relayed directly to an Ultra High Def (UHD) TV and VR head-sets for attendees. Viewers can choose to watch the content in multiple viewing angles, zoom in and out, and change the picture via remote.

The VR images were filmed using Fraunhofer HHI's OmniCam-360 camera and are being transmitted via SES’ ASTRA 19.2 degrees east orbital position satellite.

“We use a combination of technologies here exactly to showcase what is possible when using hybrid approaches," said Dr. Ralf Schäfer, Fraunhofer HHI's head of division video, in a statement. "There is no stadium in the world providing enough seats for all enthusiastic fans. So imagine a live event somewhere in the world — filmed with professional cameras like our OmniCam-360 and then delivered to a huge global audience via satellite. And every single viewer at home has the best seat in the middle of the show.”

Thomas Wrede, VP of reception systems for SES, added: "Satellites are the perfect distribution path for these new kinds of video experiences, as they can manage huge volumes of data being offloaded from terrestrial networks. Furthermore, technology standards like SAT>IP not only allow the viewers at home to pick and choose a device - the TV screen, tablet or virtual reality equipment."

This story originally appeared on TVT's sister publication, B&C. 

LUXEMBOURG—The demand of 4K/UHD content is reaching a fever pitch, as consumers continue to buy UHDTVs despite minimal content being readily available. However, SES is working with a number of U.S. cable operators to address that in the coming months. The Luxembourg-based company has announced that multiple cable operators are testing UHD content across its UHD platform and will receive HEVC 4K IP set top boxes to prepare for UHD subscriber trials in U.S. households expected to take place later this year.

SES has signed UHD trial agreements with Cable America in Missouri, Golden West Telecommunications in South Dakota, MTC Cable in New York, Sjoberg’s Cable TV in Minnesota, and ATMC in North Carolina. All will receive the 4K/HEVC set top boxes from SES to give to their subscribers.

Using the DOCSIS 3.0 transmission standard and traditional digital TV, SES will be able to deliver its stock of four UHD channels to subscribers. The channels include Fashion One 4K, NASA TV UHD, High 4K TV, and SES’s own UHD1 channel. SES’ will deliver its 4K offerings over dedicated bandwidth, as opposed to internet-delivered 4K, which Comcast began doing in 2014.

LUXEMBOURG—A different kind of test will be held on the campus of Rutgers University in New Jersey as SES, in association with Rutgers University’s School of Engineering, is measuring the capability of its content delivery network (CDN) overlay for streaming OTT video.

The initial tests, which were conducted at Rutgers’ Wireless Information Network Lab (WINLAB), will involve satellite for linear and on-demand OTT content delivery to multiple devices and platforms within the Open-Access Research Testbed for Next-Generation Wireless Networks (ORBIT) and Global Environment for Network Innovations (GENI).

“The demonstrations at Rutgers University’s WINLAB are designed to compare the scalability and reliability of a satellite-based CDN with terrestrial networks,” explained Steve Corda, vice president of business development North America for SES. “The activity with WINLAB will explore intelligent content caching and routing to determine when it makes sense to deliver over-the-top video via satellite or terrestrially, and when to cache that content at the network edge.”

Rutgers researches will also be looking at applying satellite’s strengths into support for future networks, including the development of 5G.

The second phase of the testing will reportedly cover a national demonstration of the satellite-based CDN that will involve additional universities and their network test beds.

MUNICH & CANNES, FRANCE—Television Entertainment Reality Network’s new Ultra HD channel, Insight, launches today, Oct. 5, in Asia and Europe. With it, SES Platform Services GmbH has announced a long-term agreement to provide a range of services to the channel from content management to linear and non-linear distribution.

All of Insight,’s content is stored on Fluid MAM, a secure, managed cloud environment for video content and metadata management and distribution to any platform. Based on this, SES will supply a flexible playout technology, including multi-level quality checks and content segmentation. SES is also encoding the signals—H.264 for HD, HEVC for UHD—and the uplink to the Astra satellites. For the non-linear distribution, SES will prepare and deliver livestreams and VOD-content to Insight’s OTT platforms.

With the launch of Insight Europe now has three Ultra HD channels available. 

PRINCETON, N.J. & LUXEMBOURG – Satellite operator SES S.A. and cable MSO company Armstrong have teamed up to initiate a live and linear Ultra HD trial. Armstrong is testing SES’s camera-to-screen UHD ecosystem at its Butler, Pa. cable lab.

SES’s UHD offering combines broadcast and IP technologies in a fully-manageable, scalable service. The system uses satellite’s broadcast advantages and multicasting capabilities of DOCSIS 3.0, which is used as the advanced transmission standard by cable systems.

“We are very excited to have Armstrong as the first to test our linear Ultra HD solution in a real-world environment,” said Steve Corda, VP of business development for SES in North America. “The learnings from these tests will allow us to continue toward our objective aimed at accelerating the roll-out of linear-live Ultra HD into cable TV into households across North America with a very cost efficient, scalable and high performance delivery system.”