The DVB Steering Board has approved the new specification for Carrier ID aimed at reducing radio frequency interference (RFI) that occurs from operational errors at a satellite uplink.
The specification was ratified at the 73rd Meeting of the DVB Steering Board and will now be submitted to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for formal standardization. A Carrier ID BlueBook will be published shortly.
Carrier ID will enable operators and users to identify interfering carriers quickly and respond to RFI. As a result, the length of an RFI event can be minimized, the Quality of Service improved and operating costs reduced.
“Carrier ID will be of particular benefit where there are RFI problems related to occasional-use satellite transmissions and temporary feeder links, often caused by failed equipment or by an improperly configured system due to human error,” said Peter Siebert, executive director, DVB.
The new specification is aimed at lowering the number of RFI events and releasing bandwidth to be used to overcome current and ongoing RFI events in the long run, according to a DVB announcement. It also enables vendors to produce interoperable equipment and will ensure an ongoing development and improvement of Carrier ID technology.
The system includes the MAC address of the equipment and the Carrier ID-format version, which will allow for future extensions and improvements. Uplinker name, contact phone number and other information, which is configurable and editable by the user, can be transmitted optionally.
A common database will be created, accessible by all satellite operators and possibly other authorized entities. The database will contain all of the Carrier ID codes and the name and contact details of the respective uplink operator.
