ABU supports moves to reduce satellite interference

The ABU has supported the World Broadcasting Unions’ call for greater standardisation of satellite signals to counteract harmful interference.

In particular, the Union backs the resolution made at the recent WBU-ISOG Forum supporting the Carrier ID standard issued by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

The resolution states that, by no later than 1 January 2015, all new model modulators and codecs with integrated modulators purchased by end-users for video up-linking contain a Carrier ID (CID) that meets the ETSI standard. CID NIT should be phased-out in preference to the ETSI standard by the end of 2017.

The WBU-ISOG also supports the requirement that by 1 January 2015 all satellite operators start the transition to use Carrier ID that meets WBU-ISOG NIT or the ETSI standard for all SNG, DSNG and any other New Uplink transmission services.

They want the new standards to be contained in all requests for proposals or quotes made to equipment manufacturers and they say that by 1 January 2018 all up-linkers should ensure that Carrier ID is included for all their respective SCPC and MCPC Video and Data transmissions.

The WBU resolution currently does not apply to MSS systems that automatically configure frequency, power level, polarization and transmit inhibit according to commands issued by a central control mechanism which is in the control of the satellite operator. Neither does it address systems that use TDMA or other types of burst carriers.