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Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts

In these post-9/11 days of the Patriot Act, there has come a sharp transformation of America’s collective psyche with regard to the interrelationship between public security and personal liberty. Whereas in times past we had been a people who placed freedom above all else, today we seem more willing to compromise that freedom in the name of national defense. So then it comes as no surprise that Uncle Sam has been keeping a watchful eye on more than just his usual suspects: terrorists, communists, and militant environmentalists. Given the fact that satellites provide a global link between other technologies, their use in intelligence gathering is extensive indeed. Here’s a list of ten ways that satellites have been used to spy on you too:
Intercepting E-mails – According to this report in the New York Times, the National Security Agency has used spy satellites for the interception of private emails. In an apparent case of “over-collection” of data, American citizens who were not identified as security threats were inadvertently targeted.


Intercepting Phone Calls – The same report indicates that phone calls of private citizens were also monitored via U.S. government-owned spy satellites.
GPS Monitoring – Spying is not just a government pastime either. Employers are increasingly making use of GPS technology to keep tabs on drivers. With it, they can track your movements, driving speeds, and how long you’ve spent parked under that tree on your lunch break.
Google Earth – It may not be real-time tracking per se, but Google’s satellite imagery can get awfully up close and personal. I could see the lawn furniture in my mother’s backyard. Just saying. Let’s hope her neighbors have a building permit for that room addition they’re working on.

Cell Phones – With mobile devices having been equipped with GPS capabilities, your cell phone is now essentially a tracking device attached to your hip. The overt purpose of this is to provide a local response locate for callers in emergency situations, but it still means that Big Brother can find you if he wants to.

Television Programming – We already know that spyware tracks our movements on the world wide web, but it seldom occurs to us that the same thing is being done via that box sitting on top of our entertainment centers. For starters, let’s just say it could at least be a source of embarrassment for some, when their cable TV provider starts offering suggested viewing based on previously viewed programming.

Mobile Web Tracking – For that matter, just as with TV providers and with terrestrial internet connections, satellites make it possible to track internet activity on mobile devices.
Private Purchasers – The Cold War having long since passed into history, satellite surveillance has become accessible to the private sector. Individual and corporate entities can buy satellite access for myriad legitimate uses such as mapping. Privatization of satellite surveillance, however, can lead to some questions about accountability.

Photos For Sale – One such area of concern with regard to accountability is in the sale of satellite imagery. Some privately owned satellites are taking high-resolution photos that are available for purchase for as little as $750. Even with a federally mandated restriction on their resolution, such photos can still identify Mom’s lawn chairs.

OnStar – This satellite-based feature featured in General Motors vehicles has recently been in the news because of a policy change regarding their service. GM apparently has decided that it would be in your(?) best interest to continue tracking your movements even after you’ve unsubscribed from the service. Additionally, they have made provision for the sale of customers’ private information.

source: internetproviders.net

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Over the last 30 years there have been several satellite companies that have had their share of struggles as they tried to be the first to master this technology and monetize it by bringing key home services to market (satellite TV, radio, and Internet specifically). Some companies made it through their turbulent times like Sirius XM and others just died a silent death like Primestar (absorbed into an industry giant). We thought it would be interesting to take a look at 10 satellite companies that failed miserably. If you think we need to add more to the list, place a comment and let us read your arguments.

1. Sirius XM – Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio merged in 2007 to become Sirius XM. When they combined they had over 18.5 million subscribers and growing. They seemed to be the invincible king of satellite radio until they issued a warning for the company to prepare for Bankruptcy in February of 2009. Eventually this led to them being owned by Liberty Media (which owns 49% of DIRECTV). All of the Sirius XM broadcasting was cancelled and replaced with offering from SonicTap.


2. Iridium, LLC – This is a satellite phone company that was originally founded in November of 1998 and the first Iridium call made was by then-Vice President of the U.S., Al Gore. They launched their satellite (and some spares) and it was a rocky start by 1999 they were in chapter 11 bankruptcy. Today they are doing better with quite a few subscribers (over 320,000) and are bouncing back. So this one is definitely not a complete failure, it just failed at least once out of the gate.

3. Primestar – This was a really good satellite TV service that failed and eventually sold its assets in 1999 to Hughes Network Systems which later evolved into DIRECTV. They originally broadcasted in analog but converted over to digital technology before eventually losing the battle for subscribers to DIRECTV and Dish Network. I actually was a Primestar customer and really resented being forced to move to DIRECTV.

4. ASkyB – American Sky Broadcasting was a joint venture of NewsCorp and MCI Worldcom. They were at one point being courted by Primestar and would have possibly kept Primestar alive. There is nothing specific about ASkyB that makes it a failure aside from the opportunity to keep a third viable satellite television provider alive. The assets were purchased late in 1998 by Echostar (Dish Network).

5. AlphaStar – This was a direct-to-home satellite TV service for the U.S. developed by a Canadian company called Tee-Comm Electronics. It started in July 1996 and got up to about 40,000 subscribers before finally succumbing to bankruptcy in September 1997. It had a short life and you can read more about it here.
6. St.GIGA – in 1990 they became the first satellite radio company in the World and regular broadcasting really commenced in 1991. This was partially supported by Nintendo and they broadcast only in Japan. Unfortunately despite even venturing into gaming, they just couldn’t make a go of it and eventually its satellite broadcast certificate was revoked.

7. Globalstar went through a chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2003 but was originally launched in 1997 as a joint venture between Loral Corporation and Qualcomm. After the restructuring and emergence of a new primary owner in Thermo Capital Partners, LLC though Globalstar, Inc. was born and remains a fully functional organization with over 300,000 subscribers. It mainly focuses on satellite phone and some data usages.

8. VOOM – What is really interesting about VOOM is the fact that it was actually launched by Cablevision (yes the cable TV giant). There was apparently a big dispute in 2005 between Charles Dolan (the founder of Cablevision) and a few board members who wanted to shutdown VOOM. It resulted in the servicing being shutdown later that year and the assets being sold to EchoStar (Dish Network).

9. United States Satellite Broadcasting (USSB) – This was founded by Hubbard Broadcasting in 1981 (specifically by Stanley S. Hubbard). This was one of the first satellite television companies and considered by most to be the pioneer in the industry. They broadcast most of the major American premium channels and really made a name for themselves. It never really failed but eventually was absorbed into DIRECTV. So the only real failure is not getting credit for what they accomplished and then later being dissolved into another system.

10. Protostar went bankrupt in June of 2009 (filed for chapter 11 protection). The largest customer of this satellite company is Dish TV India Limited, the largest television operator in India. Eventually it went up on the auction block later in the year (October 2009) and was purchased by Intelsat Corp. for $210 million. It obviously had valuable assets but couldn’t capitalize on those assets.

From : satellitedish.org

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Keh-Ming Lu
Director of Asia Pacific Programs, Enterprise Division, Hughes Network Systems, Germantown, Maryland 20876, U.S.A.,
http://www.hns.com, Tel: 301-428-5771, Fax: 301-428-5511, klu@hns.com

Abstract: Three technologies are applied to interactive distance learning: infrastructure, applications, and content. Satellite technology plays an important role in the data communication field. By using very small aperture terminals, interactive distance learning is a cost-effective method to keep up with the information world. The content of continuing education programs has further proven the value of distance learning. The detailed system block diagrams of typical interactive distance learning systems will be discussed.

Keywords: very small aperture terminal (VSAT), satellite, data communication, interactive distance learning (IDL)

1. Introduction
As technology moves forward and the explosion of the Internet continues, the world has indeed become a much smaller place. While new technology provides the convenience of accessing an increasing amount of information, the need for and value of education have never been more important. The consumers of IDL can be divided into corporate customers and general consumers. In general, all corporate training is focused on industry-related information, regulatory matters, continuing education, and sometimes academic degree programs. For individuals, there are continuing education, general subject matter training, and product training.


2. Technologies
Technologies today are focusing on providing tools to meet business and consumer needs. And through a combination of powerful existing and emerging technologies, solutions are just a click away. Three technologies are key in the area of IDL. Infrastructure, applications, and content all play equally important roles in successfully deploying a robust environment for extending the reach of the instructor to the student and the student to other students, whether they are just across the campus or halfway around the world. The network represents the infrastructure, while IDL equipment shows various applications standards. Hughes Network Systems (HNS) provides network infrastructure solutions, ONE TOUCH System™ (OTS) provides IDL equipment, and Apollo Group, Inc. provides content. The combination of these three industry leaders provides a turnkey solution. The details are listed as follows.

3. Infrastructure
Introduced in the early 1970s, VSATs have become one of the most important communication tools used today. VSATs represent a technological innovation in the field of satellite communications that allows for reliable transmission of data via satellite using comparatively small antennas. The technology has been used worldwide on both broadcast and asymmetric data transmission applications through star and/or mesh architecture networks. HNS has been a top provider of low-cost, easily installed, reliable satellite products and broadcast services for more than 25 years. HNS shipped more than 200,000 of these small, affordable dishes and currently controls almost 65% of the worldwide VSAT satellite network market. The Integrated Satellite Business Network™ (ISBN™) and Personal Earth Station™ (PES™) systems based on
TDM/TDMA scheme and star topology provide satellite data communication. The ISBN/PES supports a wide variety of interactive data traffic types between remote user equipment and host facilities, or between any two remotes. Supported interfaces are Ethernet, RS-232, RS-449, V.35, etc. The communication protocols are TCP/IP, X.25, etc. Support is also provided for the low-rate digital voice communications and videoconferencing ability.

HNS has three models of indoor units for use in remote sites: PES 5000™, PES 6000™, and PES 8000™. PES 5000 is a low-cost VSAT providing a LAN as well as up to four serial interfaces and an external voice option. PES 6000 is a one-slot PES chassis, which is capable of supporting any one of these port cards: MPC, TP C, CPC, and VDPC. PES 8000 is a four-slot PES chassis that can support up to four port cards in any combination.

Very often the PES 5000 is proposed as the remote station. DirecPC® Enterprise Edition (EE) (a.k.a. IP-Advantage ™) is designed to work with a new or existing HNS VSAT network that has remotes equipped with an Ethernet interface. All PES remotes are compatible with an
IP-Advantage outroute because the data is carried on the L-band signal.

The primary purpose of the PES remote is to provide access to a PES inroute as the return channel for IP-Advantage traffic. The PES remote will also forward any IP-Advantage traffic it receives from the PES outroute to the IP-Advantage relay and/or remote host(s), as appropriate. The PES remote can be conf igured to operate as either a bridge or router. The PES remote can be a bridge because, while the IP-Advantage relay requires a router between it and the IP gateway, the PES router can be this router.

IP-Advantage data is transmitted from the PES terminal to an IP-Advantage relay via L-band output on the PES. There are two different kinds of IP -Advantage relays: a PCI adapter installed inside a PC, and a low-cost standalone relay. Often the standalone IP-Advantage relays will be employed, as well as appropriate IP packets received from the IP-Advantage outroute onto the remote site Ethernet LAN, providing support for the same Ethernet interfaces to the hosts on the remote LAN as the Windows NT IP-Advantage relay. IP-Advantage main features are an outroute rate from 2.21 Mbps to 23.5 Mbps, traffic dynamically split between the two outroutes by software, TCP spoofing, support for multicast, multilogical audio-video channels carried in one DPC EE outroute simultaneously, and support SNMP.

4. Applications
In this information era, distance learning has become one of the most cost-effective methods of keeping up with the complex, constantly changing information-based world. While sharing information is key, real-time interactivity through voice, video, and data not only extends the classroom’s reach, but also provides an excellent diagnostic tool in improving retention of the information received. This level of interactivity among all members of the classroom (instructor to students, or student to student) takes on a greater level of importance with the powerful technology from OTS, Inc., which even exceeds that found in conventional face-to-face learning. OTS makes interactive keypads and Front Row™ devices (PC-Internet access) used in two distance learning environments: the classroom and the desktop. The OTS remote classroom expands the reach of live, collaborative training from single classrooms to a network of dispersed sites, making it possible to distribute enterprise knowledge.

OTS Front Row speeds and simplifies corporate learning, delivering live, interactive content online, directly to employees at their PCs. A fully integrated IP multicast application, OTS Front Row combines broadcast video, two-way voice, and data exchange to create a robust desktop solution for corporate intranet-based training.

Hosting each OTS class session, the Presentation Server collects responses from all participants – online and classroom – compiling test results and generating class performance reports. Student results are tabulated and immediately available for the instructor to display to all participants. Post-class result analysis allows the presenter to gauge the efficacy of his or her instruction and evaluate each student’s participation and learning.

The results are measurable and certifiable, and class records can be logged into the enterprise’s database. By fostering a high level of live student-instructor interaction, collaboration, and accountability, OTS IDL rivals the effectiveness of conventional clas sroom learning.

5. Content
While content abounds throughout the world, a growing need for additional business and science content will propel the value of distance learning even further. Apollo Group, Inc. was founded in 1973 in response to a gradual shift in higher education demographics from a student population dominated by youth to one in which approximately half the students are adults, over 80 percent of whom work full-time. Apollo Group Inc., has capitalized on that need by providing continuing education programs for adults. Their international organization serves educational programs at 122 campuses and learning centers in 32 states in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Europe.

6. Examples
OTS, maker of the interactive keypads and Front Row system that are used in distance learning, has proven its success with a number of large clients including Ford Motor Company, Hewlett Packard, J.C. Penney, Oracle, the U.S. Social Security Administration, Prudential Insurance, and 3M. Three example cases will be discussed here. Case I and Case II are keypad/classroom environments with different return paths: Case I is the return voice/data path via LAN-WAN, and Case II is via public telephone. Case III is the Front Row desktop with Internet solution. Please refer to Table 1 for details.

Table 1: Comparison table of three example cases

Case

Environment

Studio

Classroom

I

Keypad/classroom return voice and data via LAN-WAN (Figure 1)

OTS host, TV production, and terrestrial transmission to satellite uplink, as well as the WAN connectivity

HNS VSAT antenna, outdoor unit, PES 5000, standalone relay, etc., indoor units. OTS site controller, keypad, TV, VCR (option), and WAN connection

Keypad/Classroom return voice and

OTS host, OTS phone controller, three 1-800 numbers, TV

HNS VSAT antenna, outdoor unit, PES 5000, and standalone relay, etc.,

II

data via telephone (Figure 2)

production and terrestrial transmission to satellite uplink, Internet PPP router (Cisco 4000).

indoor units. OTS site controller, ke ypad, TV, VCR (option), and two analog telephone lines.

III

Front Row desktop with eLearning resolution (Figure 3)

Front Row host, Front Row encoder, Front Row shared application server, TV production, and multicast-enabled T1

HNS VSAT antenna, outdoor unit, PES 5000, standalone relay, etc., indoor units. OTS site controller, keypad, TV, VCR

connection to the uplink

(option), and two analog telephone lines.



7. Conclusion
The combination of VSAT technology, powerful IDL applications, and enriched content has proven to be an invaluable and cost-effective approach to meet the needs of the 21st century. Recognizing that need and value, in 1998, OTS was acquired by HNS and Apollo, becoming a one-stop-shop providing educational material produced by Apollo and broadcast over Hughes’ communication satellite network. Satellite technology is clearly the winner for IDL applications.

Source :http://www.ineer.org/Events/ICEE2000/Proceedings/papers/MD2-5.pdf

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Satellite Success - Is IDL Right for You? Interactive distance learning-satellite can be cost-effective and interactive, too. So, should you transmit training via satellite?

By Margery Weinstein
When you think distance learning, you probably think e-learning, as it's the most popular way of transmitting instruction to remote learners. But, what you may have forgotten is e-learning is not the only way.

Available for more than two decades, satellite technology also can be a viable option, especially when the employees you need to educate lack computer, online access, or both. If your company happens to already have a satellite network in place, it can be even more economical, and thanks to the latest accompanying response technology, interactive too. Known today as interactive distance learning (IDL)-satellite, some of the country's most well-known companies are still putting satellite to good use.


In-Store Plano, Texas-based retailer JCPenney Co. has been using IDL since 1996, first with an interactive keypad from San Jose, Calif.-based OneTouch Systems, and, beginning in 2006, with support from Lindon, Utah-based IP broadcast solutions provider Helius, says vice president and director of associate development Deborah Masten.

The company, she explains, is able to use Helius' technology as a medium for both synchronous and asynchronous classes. "Helius is kind of a digital recording device for us," says Masten. "It allows us to [record] a series of training classes and make them available to associates who may not be able to participate in the live, synchronous class." A key advantage of the technology is its video-based format. The company uses e-learning, too, but it's primarily text-based, and limited in its capacity.

"Although we can run short video files, our IT department won’t let us transfer big files through our pipeline," she says of the IT transmission space that e-learning shares with JCPenney's sales and credit transactions.

"Our video files have to be less than 15K, so you're talking about a 30-second video that's compressed and digitized." Instead of using one technology over the other, the two are used in concert. IDL is used to deliver the initial training of new concepts, with on-demand e-learning then—for those with computer access—offered as a follow-up. "They go online using the collaborative software to practice, to do research, or to look up something," Masten notes. "But the formal training is done through IDL."

Among other programs, the company uses satellite to broadcast its bi-weekly store manager "News You Can Use" training sessions highlighting upcoming marketing initiatives, retail operations, new system rollouts, and any other changes that may affect managers. "If there's a video to support whatever it is we're talking about, we can roll-in a video," says Masten of an advantage of using IDL. Along with video, shows include questions for learners to respond to using keypads. Each store has a training room where as many as 12 employees sign on to the satellite program via a keypad, watching the "news" on an approximately 32-inch TV screen.

There's just one screen in the room, but participants each have their own keypad in order to interact. Managers are able to watch the broadcast live with other employees, or later, via a tape of the show. Even though it's not live, they're still able to respond to the questions that were included in the broadcast.

"They can answer the very same questions through the keypad and we capture their information back," says Masten of the system's ability to record the answers of both those who watch it live and those who opt for the taped show. "We may ask them a critical business question, 'How much square footage does your store have for lingerie?' " she explains, "and at the end of the program, we can pull a report on how every store answered." The ability to reach every worker in the company, whether or not they have a computer, makes IDL a valuable tool. "The very fact we can reach every associate in the Penney company with training speaks for itself as being a great result," she says of IDL-satellite. "No matter what your position is in a Penney store, you get training."

In 2006, when the retailer, which produces more than 200 unique IDL programs a year, surveyed every worker in the company, one of the statements they were asked to respond to was: "I have the training I need to do my job effectively." Eighty-eight percent of store associates, says Masten, agreed they do. Since Penney's already had a satellite network in place, IDL also has proven cost-effective.

"For us, it's much cheaper than any other solution because we already have a satellite system for communication," she says. With non-stop access to the satellite, it's easy for Masten to "piggy-back" her training onto the technology. "I don’t have to pay for it," she says. Without satellite, many of its store employees would not have the opportunity for visually rich training, notes Masten. "You can’t just send people a newsletter and get across the behaviors and words you want them to say," she points out. "Training for a retail company, because it is so behavioral, you really want to show them how things are done." IDL For New Hires Atlanta-based exterminator services provider Orkin started exploring satellite technology in 1997, launching its network in January 2006, says director of training Craig Goodwin.

Its eight-year exploration included a needs assessment to determine which distance learning technologies—including, but not limited to IDL—would best serve its employees. "We were at the point where the demand for our learning services exceeded our budget and capacity to satisfy it. We recognized we needed to leverage some learning technologies in order to be able to expand our capacity within the budget we had," says Goodwin. "Our delivery model prior to the launch of our satellite network was primarily the traditional, instructor-led training, which is very effective, but also very expensive.

" The answer the company arrived at is a blended solution that makes use of instructor-led training in the classroom along with e-learning and IDL broadcasts. Its pest control technicians receive instruction delivered via satellite as part of their new employee training, says vice president of learning and media services David Lamb.

Divided into two programs—one for residential homes, the other for commercial facilities—each class lasts two weeks with roughly 50 employees at any given time watching the broadcast from nearly any one of its 350 branch offices. About 99 percent of Orkin locations have the equipment necessary to view the IDL broadcasts, says director of media services Ramiro Banderas. These offices each have a 27-inch TV screen to view the "shows," a technical box containing the satellite receiver, and an interactive system that comes with keypads, which Banderas says look like calculators.

The company has decided to provide just three keypads at each location because, on average, an office can expect at least one new pest control hire at any given time. Learners use the keypads to answer questions asked by the instructor, or pose their own, by pressing a call button. Orkin implemented an IDL pilot program in February 2004 before making a full-scale investment in the technology.

When Orkin compared training via satellite with those taught in a live classroom, it found the two mediums equally effective at delivering training, says Goodwin. "We actually feel that as we get experience with satellite technology, and the satellite delivery of training, that the evaluation results will be superior for satellite delivery.

We can now touch employees almost on their first day of employment, and we can integrate the satellite delivery of training with their self-directed and on-the-job training, and it really gives us a chance to have some visibility into the progress they’re making," he explains. "If we find that somebody isn't making the progress we expect, we can take corrective action much earlier than we could with our old model."

Is IDL-satellite For You? The higher quality video you can transmit via satellite compared to the Internet, with learners absorbing training through a medium they're already familiar with—a TV screen—may make IDL-satellite seem like just what you need. If it sounds too easy, it's not your imagination. Despite the advantages of this technology, it's not for all companies.

San Francisco-based learning consultant Lance Dublin notes a few points to consider before taking the plunge. You need to train workers who lack computer and/or Internet connection. Dublin says in the 1980s, before the World Wide Web, satellite was a good alternative for companies seeking to transmit video to workers at other offices, but when the Internet became available, it displaced satellite.

It became more economical and efficient to get the learning to employees via the Web. "I think you're seeing a much more selective use," he says of IDL as it is implemented today. Your learning doesn?t require a high level of interaction. Response technology in the form of keypads has improved since satellite was first used to broadcast training decades ago, but it's still highly limited. "It's interactive using the low 'I' for interactive. Asking people to select from a test—a, b, or c—to me is low-level interactivity," he says of the typical IDL-response technology, which allows for nothing more than the selection of multiple choice answers. "If you have that video image coming to a PC, you can embed it in a much more advanced e-learning course because you can do branching, you can do testing.

You have the whole power of the PC sitting there." You're looking for yet another way to reach distance learners. "It's one more arrow in somebody's quiver. It's one more choice," says Dublin. "Companies realize learning is valuable, and they have to find ways of getting learning to the work site. The Internet is one way to do it, and satellite is another." IDL-satellite "Dos and Don'ts" JCPenney Co. is happy with its IDL-satellite-transmitted training.

The Plano, Texas-based retailer had a satellite network in place already, so it didn't affect the bottom line, and just as important, it works. Learners don't need a computer to partake, and it delivers video-rich content that can be followed-up with online e-learning whenever possible. But there are some "dos and don'ts" to remember when designing IDL-based instruction. Make it modular. Think of your IDL-delivered classes as modules or chapters, so each comes across as a different lesson or organized set of instruction, says Deborah Masten, vice president and director of associate development, JCPenney. Stay topic-specific.

Be sure each module has focus, or is created around a central, coherent theme, Masten points out. Make sure an administrator is there. Unlike e-learning via the Web, satellite requires learners gathered in a physical space. Besides the most important function of alerting course organizers to any technical glitches that occur during the delivery of the training, an on-site administrator can set up the classroom to suit the learners' comfort, says Saul Carliner, an assistant professor in the graduate program in technical education at Montreal-based Concordia University.

Even though the employees aren't live, you're still responsible for creating the kind of training environment they're used to. "The hospitality program you might have with a classroom course, you should have with IDL," he says. "You take a course at your own desk, you're responsible for your own coffee; as soon as you come to my classroom, I've got to be nice to you."
Keep it interesting. "It's not just a talking-head," says Masten of IDL done right. "We've always had a standard of at least two people on air." The company also finds ways to liven things up, including visits to stores with a hidden camera to capture the work of model employees in action.

Those employees are then taken aside, told they have been videotaped by the company, commended for their work style, and asked questions so others can learn from them by watching the footage and interviews on video, courtesy of IDL. Training Magazine, ©2007 VNU Business Media.

Source : http://www.cedma-europe.org/newsletter%20articles/Training%20Magazine/Satellite%20Success%20-%20Is%20IDL%20Right%20for%20You%20%28Jan%2007%29.pdf

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Michael E. Jackson1*, Chuck Meertens1, Oivind Ruud1,
Spencer Reeder1, Warren Gallaher1, and Chris Rocken2
1University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO), University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Office of Programs
2GPS Science & Technology (GST) Program, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Office of Programs
* Corresponding author address: Submitted to: GPS Solutions
Michael E. Jackson, UNAVCO Boulder CO Date: May 8, 2001
e-mail: mikej@unavco.ucar.edu

Abstract

The University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO) Boulder Facility is assessing Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology for near real-time transmission of GPS data from a remote receiver to a central processing facility.

The study is motivated by the need for a robust, cost effective data communications solution to transfer GPS data from remote sites where no other communication alternatives exist. Future large-scale plate boundary deformation initiatives using spatially dense networks of GPS will require receivers to be located where the science dictates and not the power or communications infrastructure.

For other applications, such as determining rapid GPS orbits and time transfer, there is a push towards reducing the latency in GPS data used to produce GPS data products and differential corrections (Talaya & Bosch, 1999; Jackson, Meertens & Rocken, 2000, Muellerschoen, Bar-Sever, Bertiger & Stowers, 2001), and to support upcoming Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) missions requiring low latency, 1 s GPS data.

In this paper we evaluate two Ku-band systems, the Nanometrics Libra VSAT and the StarBand 2-way satellite Internet VSAT.

The Nanometrics system test results show that continuous, 1 s GPS data can be streamed from multiple remote stations within the VSAT footprint, quality checked, and delivered for processing with a <2.5>

[See attached .pdf file for more.]

source: http://facility.unavco.org/kb/

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In Indonesia Jardiknas is a massive infrastructure specially built as an intranet connection.
The development of this infrastructure started in early 2007 and estimated to finish in 2009.

Technology: MPLS, VPN-IP and VSAT-IP
Acess : Teresterial (wireline, wireless) and Satellite

This network will covers:
• Official Zone
• Higher Level Education Zone (INHERENT)
• Lower Level Education Zone
• Personal and Community Zone

In order to carry this mission, the Department of Education Republic of Indonesia will be performing a large scale training for 1.9 million teachers and officers who will be in charge of the network.

- Jardiknas connect all Provincial and Regency/Kabupaten office of Education Administration and Schools and Universities throughout Indonesia

- The aim of Jardiknas is to facilitate and optimize data and information flow and learning resources among education institution.

- Jardiknas also help information and data flow in a transparent, efficient, and effective way.

- Jardiknas also help decision support system for the Ministry of Education and the office at Provincial and Regency/Kabupaten level.

Retreive From:
- Giri S Hadihardjono, The National Council for Information and Communication Technology - Asia Africa Open Source Conference, Jakarta, 18-19 November, 2008
- jardiknas.diknas.go.id

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By: Ron Taylor

The popularity of Satellite TV has now become synonymous with 'non stop Entertainment'. With more and more people switching from Cable TV to Satellite TV, you might be wondering what exactly is Satellite TV.

What is a Satellite TV?

This is a superior television system that functions by catching strong digital signals through a Satellite TV dish. A Satellite TV comes with plenty of viewer friendly features and latest services that add an X” factor to the television viewing experience.

In a digital Satellite TV, one can see technology touching new heights. Here a small dish is used for receiving signals from space to transmit broadcasts. Satellite TV take help of the digital signals the broadcasting companies supply through the satellites at the stations. After the signal is found it is received by the receiver, which is connected to the television by coaxial cable to transmit the digital image on the television screen. This is how cutting edge technology is applied to one of our greatest pastimes.

Satellite TV has revolutionized the entertainment world of television. Here's a list of reasons behind the popularity of digital Satellite TV.

• As compared to Cable TV, a digital Satellite TV offers a more number of channels to watch. From drama to comedy, sports to news, cartoons to music, Satellite TV offers an unbeatable range of high quality local, regional and national channels suitable for all age groups. Users can choose their favorite TV channels from around 300 available channels.

• Satellite TV offers crystal clear digital picture quality. As the signal is received directly from the satellite, users don’t have to stress their eyes with poor quality and weak reception that mostly happens with Cable TV. With Satellite TV, even local network channels come with superior digital quality that makes TV viewing a pleasure. Once the users plug in the satellite, the high picture quality and the surround sound allow them to enjoy the ultimate entertainment experience!

• The best thing about satellite TV is the uninterrupted signal. The signal received from the satellite is rarely affected by bad weather.

• Another main benefit of satellite TV is its range of service. As it is not location oriented, users living in rural area can enjoy this service in order to tune in their favorite television programs.

• Satellite TV providers such as Direct Satellite TV or Dish Network installs the system at your home. The packages offered by these Satellite TV providers come with a satellite dish and up to 4 standard receivers. The users just have to out their order and the professional team of installers would install the satellite television free of cost.

• With digital Satellite TV, the users can customize their television viewing experience. The users can pause, rewind and record any program they like to view it later on as per their convenience. Thus, here the users are benefited with immediate control over live TV.

• Satellite TV comes in a reasonable price. The low costing of Satellite TV has helped in making a huge list of customers within a very short period of time.

Order your own digital Satellite TV to enjoy an outstanding television viewing experience.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Ron Taylor has been associated with leading Satellite TV providers for quite a few years in technical aspects. And as a freelance writer he writes on latest technological developments with main focus on Digital Satellite TV, Satellite radio and other things.

Tags: communications, satellite-tv, satellite tv providers, digital satellite tv

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Erect your tripod and attach the offset adapter. Please see Appendix B, Assembling the Offset Adapter , for more detail. The budget adapter is pictured here.

It is important to correctly orient the tripod legs and offset adapter, to ensure a stable setup. It is recommended that the front leg of the tripod be aligned with the azimuth direction, as shown.

Use your compass to align the front leg with the desired azimuth. The offset adapter will also be aligned with the azimuth, but extending in the opposite direction, midway between the two rear legs. Once aligned, tighten the adapter to the tripod. The figures above show the top and side views of the recommended orientation of the tripod and mounted offset adapter.

Note: As previously noted, the instructions included in this manual are only guidelines, to help you achieve an optimum setup that doesn't interfere with other users on the satellite. There are other approaches besides the one shown here, but they will all stress the importance of a properly pointed antenna. For example, some users prefer to align the rear leg with the azimuth and position the offset adapter directly over it.

From : Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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This section is very important. It presents and describes some things you should understand, in order to become skilled at properly pointing your HughesNet satellite dish. The following are discussed, as well as the methods used for measuring the relevant values, and why this is important:
- Co-pol - The desirable transmitted signal
- Cross-pol - The interfering transmitted signal
- Signal quality - The received signal

Pointing the Antenna Properly
TV satellites transmitting their signal to the earth have a large footprint. As long as you are in that footprint, it is a relatively easy task to aim towards the satellite and acquire the signal. Transmitting a signal back is a much more precise task.

Satellites in geostationary orbit, like the HughesNet satellites, are spaced approximately 45-50 miles apart. If you draw a straight line between your dish and the satellite, it will be about 22,300 miles long. If you move your dish even one degree off peak, the other end of your line will have wandered off target, by approximately 389 miles.

There is also the very real possibility that if your antenna is not pointed or aligned correctly, you could be firing a high frequency transmission to an adjacent satellite and potentially disrupting service to thousands of its users. This is referred to as Adjacent Satellite Interference (ASI).

This is a very serious issue to satellite operators and is why it is so critical that your dish is correctly pointed, locked down tight, and stabilized properly.

A properly pointed antenna has the strongest possible received and transmitted signals (signal quality and co-pol, respectively). And, it creates the least possible interference for other users on the satellite (cross-pol).

Note: The most important thing to remember is that a properly pointed antenna doesn't waste bandwidth or interfere with your own or others' transmissions. This means a better online experience for everyone. And, most important in properly pointing the antenna is minimizing the cross-pol or interfering signal

From: Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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Being a mobileHughesNet user means that you can "take your Internet with you!" Here are the requirements to be a successful mobile HughesNet user:
- Set up your HughesNet account.
- Get your satellite and mobility equipment.
- Receive hands-on training.
- Learn how to use DSSatTool.
Each of these requirements is discussed in more detail later.

Setting Up Your HughesNet Account
Setting up your account involves providing some information to the installer or dealer and selecting the service plan and options. The dealer will get a Site Account Number (SAN) and Personal Identification Number (PIN), which are needed to commission your modem.

Home, Pro, and ProPlus Service Plans
The most commonly selected service plans use the standard .74 meter dish and a 1-watt transmitter. The lowest cost HughesNet service plan is the Home Service, which provides up to 700 Kbps down and 128 Kbps up for $59.99 per month. Another popular choice is the Pro plan. For $69.99 per month, it provides up to 1 Mbps down and 200 Kbps up. Then there is the ProPlus plan, which provides up to 1.5 Mbps down and 200 Kbps up, for $79.99 per month. You can also get a static IP address with the ProPlus plan, for another $10 per month. With all three plans you receive up to 5 email accounts, a 15-month service contract, and an equipment warranty for the life of the service plan. Extended service warranties, for on-site service, and dial-up access are also available.

Small Office and Business Internet Service Plans
Equipment costs are higher, but you receive the larger .98 meter dish and a 2-watt transmitter. The service plans cost $99.99 and $179.99 per month, for 1.5 Mbps and 2.0 Mbps down, 300 Kbps and 500 Kbps up, respectively. With this equipment you can extend coverage to much or all of Canada and/or Mexico, depending on satellite.

PowerPak
HughesNet now offers the 98 meter dish and a 2-watt transmitter as an add-on option to any service plan.For $299.99, it extends the coverage area and reduces rain fade.

Getting Your Satellite and Mobility Equipment
After you have provided the necessary information to set up your HughesNet account, your equipment will be ordered. You will need the HughesNet satellite equipment and mobility accessories to take your system on the road.

Satellite Equipment
The satellite equipment is provided by Hughes Network Systems. This includes the DW7000 and HN7000S satellite modem, a .74 or .98 meter dish, and the feed arm, which holds the LNB and a 1- or 2-watt transmitter. Shown on the previous page is the latest HughesNet outdoor equipment, the metal Prodelin dish and feed arm.

Mobility Kit
The mobility kit includes all of the accessories you will need to move your satellite system to a new location and get back online. Items include at the least: a tripod and offset adapter, an elevation adjuster, a meter, a compass, a level, a method of attaching ballast, and cables. Some of these things are pictured on the previous page.

Receiving Hands-on Training
The original installation and commissioning is performed by a professional installer. It is also the responsibility of the original installer or dealer, to train the new mobile user in proper alignment and verification procedures, when moving the satellite dish. Receiving hands-on training is very important - it can make the difference between a stressful experience and enjoying your new system immediately.

Using DSSatTool, from Don Bradner and DatastormUsers.com
For the commissioning of your modem, the installer/trainer must use the web interface of your modem and the Registration - Installer functions. After commissioning, Don Bradner's DSSatTool provides an easier way to get your modem to communicate with the satellite from a new location. It is also uses fewer network resources. This is discussed in Chapter 2, Every Time You Move - Redeploying Your HughesNet VSAT.

From : Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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This component is what connects the outside components (ODU) to the HughesNet satellite modem (IDU). The cables run from the antenna Rx-Tx feed arm, through the point of entry into the RV, to the modem. The IFL cables connect the LNB and transmitter to the modem.

The IFL cables carry DC power supplied by the satellite modem, for the outdoor electronics. They also carry the L-band signals to/from the outdoor electronics and the modem. HughesNet requires dual RG-6 cable for this purpose.

Source : Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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HughesNet Satellite Modem :

The HughesNet Model DW6000, DW7000, or HN7000S modem supplies DC power to the LNB and the transmitter. It also transmits the inroute signal and receives the outroute signal. Both outroute (received) and inroute (transmitted) signals operate at L-band, between the modem and the outdoor electronics. The numbers in the illustration above indicate the order in which the lights come on, after a normal power reset. The DW6000 can no longer be commissioned.

The HughesNet Satellite Modem Lights
The lights on the HughesNet satellite modems provide you with status information. Which lights are on or off can help you pinpoint a problem, when it occurs.

Following is a description of each light's state (from top to bottom), when the terminal is powered on and transmitting or receiving data:

- The LAN LED is on and blinks intermittently as frames are transmitted or received.
- The Transmit LED is on and blinks intermittently as frames are transmitted.
- The Receive LED is on and blinks intermittently as frames are received.
- The System LED is on.
- The Power LED is on.

Meaning of LEDs on Front of Modem
LAN : Solid blue LAN is connected and usable; Flashing blue There is transmit or receive activity on the LAN.

TRANSMIT : Solid blue= OK ; Flashing blue=Transmitting frames; Off Some condition is preventing transmission.

RECEIVE : Solid blue= OK ; Flashing blue=Receiving frames ; Off= Some condition is preventing acquisition of outroute (preventing receipt).

SYSTEM : Solid blue (DW7000)=System is operating normally ; Flashing blue (DW7700)= System is operating normally with DVA enabled ; Off= Some condition is preventing full operation.

POWER : Solid blue= Power is on and unit is functioning normally ; Blinking blue = Unit is operating with the fallback.bin (backup) version of software ; Off = There is no power ; Off with another LED flashing= This indicates a fatal error ; Off with all other LEDs flashing in unison= This indicates an unrecoverable key error.

Note:
If the power LED blinks, the terminal is operating with a backup version of software referred to as the fallback.bin . This usually happens when the unit is first installed. The unit may operate with the fallback.bin, if the primary version of software, referred to as the main.bin , does not successfully load. If this occurs, power cycle the unit by disconnecting the power cord from the power source, wait 10 seconds, and then reconnect power.

Source : Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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The ODU or antenna includes the dish, or reflector, and the feed arm, which holds the active elements (transmitter and receiver). These are pictured above

The Dish or Reflector
The older dish, shown on the left with the TV attachment, is made of fiberglass, with an embedded wire mesh. It measures 0.74 meter in surface area (39" x 23"). The newer Raven dish is still .74 meter, but is rounder (34 1/4" x 28 1/2") and it is made of a lightweight metal. Often, when only referring to the dish, without the feed arm, the term reflector is used. The latest Prodelin dish was shown earlier.

The Feed Arm
Located on the fully assembled VSAT dish assembly, the Rx-Tx feed arm is normally removed and safely stored, as part of the process for moving to a new location. The feed arm consists of the feed support arm and the outdoor electronics.

All of the active outdoor components connect to the support arm, which also adds strength (and weight) to the completely assembled antenna. The outdoor electronics consist of the LNB, which receives outroute (from the NOC) Ku-band signals from the satellite, and the transmitter, which transmits inbound (to the NOC) Ku-band signals to the satellite. Power is supplied by the HughesNet satellite modem. For those who are interested, this is discussed in more detail, below.

LNB
The Low-Noise Block down-converter (LNB) is used to amplify and frequency convert outroute signals received by the antenna, for input into the modem via the Sat-In cable.

The antenna receives the outbound signal in the Ku-band frequency, for input to the wave guide end of the LNB. The LNB first amplifies the input Ku-band signals. It then uses a local oscillator (LO), to frequency translate input signals to L-band frequencies, which are used on the coaxial cables.

The signal noise value is an electrical specification for the LNB, which is critical to outroute signal (your received signal) quality performance. The lower the noise figure, the better the signal quality performance will be.

The LNB is powered from the modem, via a DC power supply coupled on the coaxial RF input connector, which connects to the receive IFL cable.

Transmitter
The transmitter is used to frequency translate and power amplify inroute signals from the modem and output them to the antenna, for transmission to the satellite.

The modem sends the inroute signal at an L-band frequency to the transmitter, using Sat-Out and the transmit coaxial cable. This signal is input to the transmitter, where it is frequency converted to the transmit Ku-band frequency, using a nominally fixed local oscillator (LO). This Ku-band signal is then power amplified to operate the transmitter at a nominal one-watt output power (at saturation). The fixed output power is input to the antenna, for transmission to the satellite.

The transmitter is powered from the modem, via a DC power supply coupled on the coaxial RF output connector, which connects to the transmit IFL cable

Ku-band
Communications satellites send and receive electromagnetic Ku-band signals, which are in the super high-frequency range. Microwave phone signals, which are relayed between tall towers, are in this same frequency range. However, satellite Ku-band signals are usually not susceptible to interference from these towers.
Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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The graphic shows how the remote terminal or VSAT fits into the HughesNet system architecture. Let's start by clearly defining what is meant by VSAT:

VSAT -- Per Webopedia.com (http://www.webopedia.com/): VSAT is Short for Very Small Aperture Terminal. A VSAT is an earthbound station used in satellite communications for data, voice and video signals, excluding broadcast television. A VSAT consists of two major parts, as follows:

A transceiver - This is placed outdoors in direct line of sight to the satellite. It is part of the Feed Arm attached to the dish.

A device that is placed indoors, to interface the transceiver with the end user's device. This is your HughesNet satellite modem.

The transceiver receives and sends signals, to a satellite transponder in the sky. The satellite transponder receives and sends signals, to a ground station computer located at the HughesNet NOC (Network Operations Center).

Each end user is interconnected with another computer at the NOC, via the satellite, forming a star topology. It is also called the Hub and Spokes topology. The computer at the NOC (the Hub ) controls the entire operation, for its portion of the network. For one end user to communicate with another, the transmission has to first go to the Hub, which then retransmits it (via the satellite) to the other end user's VSAT.

Pointing the Antenna :




The antenna uses a three axis pointing system, which you will adjust, after you move:

Azimuth - This is the magnetic compass direction (angle of sighting) at which you point the dish. It is a side-to-side adjustment.

Elevation. - This is the angle above the horizon, at which you point the dish. This is an up-and-down adjustment.

Polarization - The polarization or skew is set after each move. This is a rotational adjustment


HughesNet System Components


The figure above illustrates the four major components of a HughesNet VSAT system:

The Outdoor Unit (ODU) - This comprises the antenna and the feed arm, which has the receiver and transmitter.

The Indoor Unit (IDU) - This is the HughesNet Model DW6000, DW7000, or HN7000S satellite modem.

The Interfacility Link (IFL) Cables - The cables connect the IDU to the ODU.

The Software - This is contained in the firmware of the satellite modem

Satellite Mobility Support Network (SMSN) HughesNet User Guide

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By Bob Hett

VSAT broadband is similar to cable and DSL services for your computer. It is Internet service through a satellite dish that is placed on your home or business. It is another option for a high-speed Internet connection that is considered to be one of the best technologies available today.

One of the greatest advantages of VSAT broadband is that you do not need any special software, hardware or networks to use it. It works with nearly any email provider and uses a satellite dish that is like the ones used for satellite TV. A person or business can use what they have and not have to digest and learn a lot of new information before being able to use their computer.

Many people are curious about weather issues with a satellite Internet connection. Although the weather can impact your satellite TV use, this does not happen with VSAT technologies. The dish is larger, which makes weather problems almost nonexistent. The only requirement for this dish is being able to place it so that it faces the southern sky to access the satellite. The satellite coverage of the planet is also quite extensive, so that you can have the high-speed access you desire almost everywhere.

There are many other advantages to using this type of Internet connection. It is very easy to use, the connections are extremely fast, and the service is flexible and always reliable. For both companies and individuals, this is very important. You can connect to the Internet anywhere, at any time. This includes customer service, as well. It does not matter what time you have a question, there is someone available to answer it. The possibilities with this technology are endless.

VSAT broadband offers top of the line VPN encryption for the security of your personal information and data. They also offer full services for things like web hosting, net meeting, etc.

This type of Internet connection is also great for areas that are rural or are perhaps underserved by reliable Internet Service Providers. In areas like this, new Internet service capabilities are often not cost-effective. Many of these areas cannot afford to have Internet service that does not have outages. Internet services in these types of areas can also be expensive and the ISPs do not often have the latest technology to offer to their subscribers. Dial-up service is the norm in rural areas or small towns. VSAT broadband is a way to have the latest technology without having to go through a local ISP.

For companies, VSAT broadband offers a single vendor for all of their services. The convenience of this service is a great time saver for both small and large businesses. This makes paying bills easier, sending emails a quicker process, and allows for easy understanding among employees.

The cost of VSAT broadband service is comparable to other types of service. It takes only 14 days to get the service, and the installation of the dish can be done in about 3-6 hours. VSAT broadband is definitely a wave of the future.

Bob Hett offers simple and concise information for the sometimes confusing world of Internet service. Get the answers to all of your questions at http://www.dslinternetcenter.info/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Hett


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By Emily Hayes

You might be purchasing broadband satellite Internet service for simple entertainment or you may be purchasing the service for your business. Either way, you have the right as a customer to feel like your business is valued and that the company from whom you contract the service will be there to help you should things go wrong. Internet service is a responsibility of both the user and the company and, with a good working relationship; the experience can be incredibly gratifying.

Your Internet service provider should have 24 hour tech support available, by phone, to its customers. The Internet is a 24 hour a day affair and the vast majority of surfers don't do the bulk of their browsing during business hours. Find a company with good tech support and that makes an effort to be available when you need them. Some people who make their living online tend to work very odd hours and having a friendly voice that's willing to help when things go wrong at 3am is a great comfort.

Your equipment should come with a guarantee that spans at least 6 months. A 12 month guarantee is excellent and anything beyond that is the mark of a truly committed company. While satellite equipment is very reliable, things do sometimes go wrong and a company that is willing to step in an make the system work for you is well worth the subscription price.

As a user, you also have some responsibility. Good companies will offer various virus filtering services but you shouldn't rely solely on these services to protect your equipment. Think of such services as an enhancement. You'll still need anti-virus software-there are many quality, free suites for home users, do a search-and a good firewall to protect your computer from harm. Remember that you're on your own as far as where you decide to surf. If you practice unsafe surfing habits and start downloading files without regard to your safety, it's hardly the providers fault if your computer gets ruined!

You can also do a lot to make sure everyone else on the Internet has a better experience. Some viruses will turn your computer into a "zombie" which will continually spew the virus to any computer to which it can connect via email or other means. Make sure you scan your computer regularly. The idea that there are some brands of computer that are immune to viral infection is a myth. Every computer user has a responsibility to make sure that their computer isn't causing problems. If your computer is sending viruses out, expect your service to get cut until you remedy the problem.

You can really help out by not forwarding junk emails, as well. Every one of these forwards takes up server resources and bandwidth to send. Use your Internet wisely and, with a good company providing the service, you'll quickly fall in love with satellite broadband as you probably already have with satellite television!
As America's leading satellite internet service provider, Hughes Net delivers broadband speeds up to 50x faster than dial-up. Service is available anywhere in the contiguous U.S., and with lease options and free standard installation, getting started with Hughes Net internet is easy and affordable.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_Hayes

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by Emily Hayes

Broadband Internet is one of the greatest technological breakthroughs since the personal computer. It allows very large transfers of information in a short span of time and, in reality, most of the Internet pages people use today would be essentially unusable on the older, dialup connections. If you want to experience the best of the Internet, you need broadband.

Broadband satellite Internet service allows users anywhere, in the middle of the city or in the middle of nowhere, to receive broadband access. Formerly, broadband was a very limited product. It could only be offered as far as a telephone company's DSL infrastructure allowed or as far as a cable company's grid spanned. The service cannot be offered over a regular phone connection. Satellite Internet, as it has done with subscription television, has made service available to anyone, anywhere.

Satellite broadband is fast enough to load the most complex web pages in seconds. The broadband Internet world, however, is not one where the fast loading of pages is the principal benefit, there are endless sources of streaming media-audio and video-to be found on the Internet.

Video sharing has become one of the most popular ways that people connect online. The services allow almost anyone to upload and share their video recordings with the world, to create their own pages that feature their videos and to network with other users who share common interests. These sites are so enormously popular, principally, because broadband internet allows users to simply click on a video they wish to watch and to view it without buffering or first downloading the file to their own hard drive. Compared to the dial-up access that was the norm less than 10 years ago, broadband is light years beyond.

Satellite broadband is what's termed an "always on" type of Internet connection. This means that there is no dialing to be done, no waiting in queues during busy times and no getting disconnected for inactivity. The fact that the service is always on means that you have access to the Internet whether or not your browser happens to be open. Any sort of Internet dependent program need only be started to access the entirety of its features. For those in rural areas who are essentially living in the past by having dial-up access broadband offers a very fast road to the future.

Getting satellite broadband Internet hooked up is typically very easy. One may contract with a company that only offers satellite Internet or bundle the service with their satellite television company. Additionally, satellite broadband is set apart from its competitors by the fact that, because more satellite television companies offer free hookup, it's one of the very few Internet services that can be installed for free. The needed wiring will be installed by the dish installers and the equipment required is generally included with the subscription. Be sure to ask your company whether the Internet equipment is purchased or rented when you hook up.

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Indosat TV Link is a broadcast quality Audio/Video channel that has both Domestic and International coverage, delivered via Fiber Optics and Satellites (Intelsat, Panamsat, Asiasat, Palapa and others).

Benefits
Booking, up-link and down-link time flexibility.
High-speed transmission.
Robust, high-quality device that has been certified with a number of satellites.
Easy satellite access with a robust, high-quality connection.

Configuration
Principally, INDOSAT TV Link is to transmit television signal from abroad to Indonesia or on the contrary.

In its process, the broadcaster from abroad contract the telecommunication organizer and it will be spread through the geo station in his country where after it will be transmitted via satellite Indosat will receive the signal via geo station, the using FO/M/W at Indosat head quarter, the signal will be transmitted to the TV station where this station will distribute it to all TV set around Indonesia. But the TV program can also accepted in the TV station via TVRO.

Alternatively, INDOSAT TV Link can perform the same function in reverse, taking a signal from a broadcasting facility in Indonesia and transferring it to an equivalent facility abroad.

Satellite
Digital Satellite :
Intelsat:
- IOR - 57
- IOR - 64
- IOR - 66
Panamsat 02 & 08
Asiaset II
Palapa

Analog Satellite :
Intelsat:
- IOR - 60
- POR - 174
- POR - 177


Transmission Services
Fixed Stations : Located in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Denpasar, Medan and others.
Mobile Stations : SNG (Satellite News Gathering) and OB VAN.
Support Systems

Indosat TV Link provides the following support systems :
- Digital Fixed Earth Station.
- Flyway Earth Station (Satellite News Gathering Service).
- OB VAN

source from Indosat Multi Media

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) _ The U.S. government is concerned that a television channel backed by the Hezbollah militant group is using an Indonesian satellite to broadcast to the Asia-Pacific region, an American Embassy spokesman said Thursday.

Al-Manar TV has rented Indonesia's Palapa C2 satellite through operator PT Indosat on a contract due to expire in April 2011, according to Indosat spokeswoman Adita Irawati.

The U.S. government declared Al-Manar a "terrorist entity" in 2006.

"Al-Manar and its partners and affiliates form a recognized arm of Hezbollah," said Tristram Perry, a public diplomacy officer at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta.

Perry said the station incites violence and hatred. The U.S. government has informally "shared concerns" with authorities in Jakarta about Al-Manar broadcasting from Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, he said.

Those concerns were dismissed by Communication and Information Minister Muhammad Nuh, who called the broadcasts "a pure business to business deal." He noted that stations such as the BBC also use the satellite. The government holds about 14 percent of Indosat's shares and has a veto right over strategic decisions.

"The U.S. government has no right to intervene in Indosat's affairs," Nuh said. "It is up to Indosat."

Irawati said the deal would only end if the government ordered its cancellation. "We will follow whatever the regulator decides," she said.

The Indonesian satellite is used to beam Al-Manar's often anti-Israeli and anti-American programs to China, Southeast Asia and Australia.

In January, a Thai satellite company stopped airing broadcasts of the Middle East-based television channel after learning it was tied to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

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Source : http://SatelliteTVforPCelite.org

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