U.S. military and Department of Defense personnel stationed in Japan and Korea can feel more at home and better informed with PowerVu satellite receiver/decoders from Scientific-Atlanta that allow troops to enjoy U.S. programming in their homes, even if they live off-base.
American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is one of the world's largest television networks, with PowerVu digital receivers in 177 countries and U.S. territories and on board U.S. Navy ships. The service is designed to bring a touch of home to the thousands of military personnel, Department of Defense civilians and their families stationed overseas. AFRTS is using a special version of the PowerVu Business Satellite Receiver in Japan and Korea, where troops can lease them at low cost from their local base exchange store.
"Scientific-Atlanta has been a reliable partner since the early 1980s in helping us keep the troops informed and entertained in many areas throughout the world, and we're confident that our personnel in Japan and Korea will feel more at home because of this technology," said Mel Russell, director of AFRTS. "This service is vital to the morale and situational awareness of our personnel."
To facilitate the rapid deployment and authorization of AFRTS receivers, Scientific-Atlanta's SciCare Broadband Services is providing a suite of PowerVu receiver deployment and database management solutions including PowerVu Connect, an integrated Web-based system that automates the process of authorizing the receiver to receive the AFRTS signal and provides on-line status for each unit. This system is designed to automate the receivers' implementation process, allowing a user to quickly authorize a receiver for reception of AFRTS-provided programming anywhere in the world.
The PowerVu Connect system will enable the deployment of a large volume of receivers rapidly by AFRTS with minimum impact on their current operations. PowerVu Connect will also provide AFRTS the ability to synchronize its receiver databases around the world and simplify the day-to-day management and tracking of their receivers.
"We have already made it possible for thousands of our troops stationed in Europe to receive AFRTS services in their homes via satellite receivers, so this is the next step in offering this service to military personnel in Japan and Korea," said Dean Rockwell, vice president and general manager of Media Networks at Scientific-Atlanta. "Combining the performance of the PowerVu receivers with the convenience and control provided by the PowerVu Connect system gives AFRTS an effective solution for rapid, secure authorization of the equipment needed to provide valuable entertainment and information to U.S. troops and Department of Defense employees around the world."
Scientific-Atlanta has supplied satellite broadcast systems to AFRTS since the early 1980s, first through the company's analog B-MAC products and since 1996-97, with the broadcaster's shift to digital transmissions, with PowerVu products.
