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New
Satellite Phones on the Horizon
Cell phone
technology has provided broadcasters with a ubiquitous news gathering
tool as cellular networks now offer nearly seamless coverage across
the U.S. News stories sometimes break in remote locations lacking
cellular service, however, and in those situations broadcasters
can turn to satellite-based solutions for relaying critical and
timely news information to the studio (see, for example, the April
30, 2007 issue of Radio TechCheck discussing broadcaster
use of remote satellite terminals).
Two Internet
Protocol (IP)-based satellite phone systems will soon be available
to broadcasters offering new options for satellite-based remotes.
TerreStar Networks (Reston, Va., www.terrestar.com)
launched its first satellite, the geostationary TerreStar-1, earlier
this month, and last week announced the successful completion
of an end-to-end phone call over that satellite which they claim
is "the world's largest, most advanced commercial communications
satellite."
 TerreStar-1
will provide coverage to the continental U.S., Canada, Puerto
Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii and Alaska. The TerreStar network
will operate in two 10 MHz blocks of contiguous Mobile Satellite
Service (MSS) spectrum in the S-band and will accommodate voice,
data and content delivery. TerreStar-1 will offer approximately
500 dynamically configurable spot beams allowing for spectrum
allocation using ground-based beam forming (GBBF). This allows
for great efficiency during day-to-day operations and capacity
as needed in a situational crisis. A second satellite, TerreStar-2,
is currently under construction.
TerreStar's
network will be IP-based and as such will support converged voice
and multimedia communication (mobile and fixed) with flexible,
packet-based technologies. This network also makes use of an ancillary
terrestrial component (ATC) which utilizes high capacity land-based
mobile cellular coverage in areas of dense population, in and
around urban centers.
One of the
first devices to be offered for use with the TerreStar system
is shown in the photo and according to TerreStar is "the
world's first quad-band global system for mobile communications
(GSM) and tri-band wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA)/high-speed
packet access (HSPA) smartphone with integrated all-IP satellite-terrestrial
voice and data capabilities." This phone will support connectivity
to TerreStar's satellite and terrestrial network components and
will offer:
High-speed
packet data
Touch screen
and full QWERTY keyboard
Windows
Mobile OS
Service offerings
that include short message service (SMS), multimedia message service
(MMS), instant messaging (IM), email, push-to-talk (PTT) and location-based
services (LBS).
The first-ever call mentioned above was completed between two
of these smartphones. TerreStar anticipates commercial service
of its satellite system by the end of 2009.
As reported in TV
TechCheck
of June 22, 2009, the 2 GHz spectrum for TerreStar's MSS service
is currently allocated to the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS),
which is being relocated to a new part of the band. During the
period up to the BAS transition deadline of February 2010, in
which both MSS and BAS may operate in the same part of the 2 GHz
band, MSS entrants may conduct operations where the BAS incumbents
have not been relocated only if they successfully coordinate with
the BAS incumbents.
Mobile satellite
communications service provider SkyTerra Communications (Reston,
Va., www.skyterra.com)
currently operates an L-band satellite network but is planning
to transition to a next-generation system (also L-band) which
will utilize "conventional handsets" and, like the
TerreStar system, will be IP-based. SkyTerra's current network
is comprised of two geostationary satellites, MSAT-1 and MSAT-2,
which utilize spot beams to cover all of North America, Central
America, northern South America, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and
up to 250 miles offshore.
SkyTerra's
next-generation system will be a hybrid communications network
integrating mobile satellite service with an ATC (as with TerreStar).
Covering the landmasses of North and South America with hundreds
of spot beams, the satellites will use SkyTerra's patented ATC
technology, which will be made up of an ensemble of land-based
cell sites, to deliver service to wireless devices that are
virtually identical to cell phone handsets in terms of aesthetics,
cost and functionality.
 The
launch window for the first of SkyTerra's two satellites, SkyTerra
1, is scheduled for the spring 2010, and for the second, SkyTerra
2, in late 2010/early 2011. According to information on the
SkyTerra Web site, SkyTerra has developed technology to allow
current subscribers to continue to operate their existing devices
on the SkyTerra next-generation satellites during an "Emulation
Period" which is expected to run through 2012. A "Customer
Transition Incentive Program" was announce in June - SkyTerra
customers who own an active MSAT-G2 radio (shown in photo),
or customers who purchase MSAT-G2 radios and are active SkyTerra
customers prior to the company's transition to its next-generation
network, will be eligible to receive a new next-generation device
for each active radio at the time when SkyTerra formally announces
the transition (at the conclusion of the emulation period).
Additional information about the customer transition incentive
program is available on the SkyTerra Web site at www.skyterra.com/about/transition-incentive-plan.cfm.
2009
NAB Radio Show Engineering Program
 This
year's three-day Radio
Show Engineering Program focuses on planning, building and
maintaining an IP-based radio facility, operating under emergency
conditions, computerized antenna modeling, preventing tower
failures, datacasting opportunities and much more. Our engineering
sessions are presented in a workshop-type environment where
you have ample time to ask questions and interact with experts
and your industry peers.
The relaxed
atmosphere of the Radio Show means you always have plenty of
time to network with exhibitors. You'll learn about their latest
products while enjoying lunch and snacks on the show floor.
For busy radio engineers, the NAB Radio Show is an excellent
way to advance your technical education and maintain your edge
in an increasingly competitive business.
What's
Working for You?
It's time for broadcasters to accentuate the positive, eliminate
the negative and latch on to the affirmative. Progress is made
every day and good deeds should not go unnoticed. Have you come
up with innovative ways of bringing in new revenue? Found a
way to prevent layoffs? Are you finding new opportunities using
the power of technology? We would like to highlight your station
or company's great work in our newsletters, conferences and
programs. Tell us "What's Working for You?" and be
entered into a drawing for two registrations to the NAB Show,
April 10-15, 2010, along with a hotel room for two nights at
a sanctioned NAB Show hotel. Click
here to tell us "What's Working for You?"
The July 27, 2009 Radio TechCheck is also available
in an Adobe Acrobat file.
Please
click
here to read the Adobe Acrobat version of Radio TechCheck
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