To our non-USA readers: Broadband/IPTV Questions

Out of town Friends,

As a former Online ShoutCast Radio provider (500,000 unique sessions from 1999 to 2004) I have had my eyes and ears on the development of IPTV. I've watched how the cost of online digital distribution of multimedia content have progressed over the past 4 years. Now that IPTV has started to rear its wonderful head here in the US (see VIPTV, IP-Prime, Sky Angels, P2P, BT and all of the major Cable/Satellite-delivered networks, etc.) PLUS many of us metropolitans are getting pretty fat pipes to the 'net, we're are still literally 2-3 (or more) years behind you all!

How do your communities overcome the bandwidth bottle-necking due to such large bandwidth consumption by us consumers?

I know that if all my neighbors would watch as much streaming online HiDef programming as my family does each day we'd all be completely unsatisfied! We are just now starting to see/hear reports about ISP's, Telco's, WiFi providers and Cable companies here in the U.S. are beginning to throttle (i.e slow down) their subscriber's broadband access due to high individual consumption, rather large consumption I must say. Satellite broadband providers have been doing this for years, from its inception in fact, seeing satellite bandwidth delivered via the Clarke Belt is 10X more expensive than terrestrial bandwidth.

HDTV downloads and especially streams all take a large pipe, a rather large pipe to feed the 100's or even 1,000's of people at any given moment, on demand like they do. The move here in the U.S. is for Telco's to get into the act. There are dozens of them who have already secured OC192 (or higher) connections just to serve their customers. That's a lot of bandwidth by today's standards BUT it's going to keep getting worse for them (and better for us). Are the costs associated with starting up such a venture realistic for your local bandwidth provider? Will this open up opportunities for new companies who don't have the burden of an established infrastructure to maintain/upgrade?

Can you tell us how things are progressing in your neck of the woods, countries, cities and towns so we can prepare here is the U.S.? How are Internet providers coping? How are they handling things? What are the new developments to overcoming bottle-necking? Are you satisfied? Are there any new trends we need to look out for? Are there some producers/web sites that stand out for you?

Please link to stories, reports and message board posts to help us make sense of all of this, OK?

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Thomas William
Vice President of Partner Solutions
Broadband in a Box
1302 Clear Springs Trace
Louisville Kentucky 40223
Direct: (502) 426.2067
Toll Free: (800) 761.9149
Cell: (502) 263.9879
Fax: (502) 515.3710
Email: tomw@bbinabox.com
Download: www.bbinabox.com/docs
Blog: broadbandinabox.blogspot.com
Chat: broadbandinabox@gmail.com
Network: linkedin.com/in/broadbandinabox

Lockheed Martin-Built A2100 Satellite Fleet Achieves 200 Years In Orbit

AMC-15, our permanent new home is the same class of satellite as this LM story. Pretty impressive!

Thomas William

VP Partner Solutions

Broadband in a Box

1302 Clear Springs Trace

Louisville Kentucky 40223

Direct: (502) 426.2067

Toll Free: (800) 761.9149

Fax: (502) 515.3710

Email: tomw@bbinabox.com
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The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads.

by Staff Writers
Newtown PA (SPX) Feb 14, 2008
Lockheed Martin's A2100 communications satellite fleet recently achieved a major milestone by accumulating 200 years of successful in-orbit operations. The A2100 satellite series, designed and manufactured at Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), currently consists of 34 satellites featuring 1254 transponders with an accumulated lifetime of over 7800 years of successful operations in orbit.

The first A2100 satellite, AMC-1, was launched Sept. 8, 1996 for SES AMERICOM. SIRIUS 4, the most recent A2100 spacecraft, was successfully launched on Nov. 18, 2007 for SES SIRIUS.

Upcoming launches include AMC-14 for SES AMERICOM in mid-March and VINASAT-1, built for Vietnamese Posts and Telecommunications Group, in April. AMC-14 will carry a demonstration active phased array (APA) payload consisting of a receive mode APA antenna, allowing customers enhanced flexibility on orbit. VINASAT-1 represents the first ever spacecraft procurement by the nation of Vietnam.

"We are enormously proud of the impressive reliability track record of our A2100 satellite," said Vice President and General Manager Marshall Byrd. "This important milestone is the result of our team's focus and determination to successfully execute on each and every individual program for our customers. In addition, by adopting a deliberately evolutionary approach to introducing new technology, we can maintain a very low risk to the overall spacecraft mission."

Throughout its nearly 50-year history, LMCSS has built 94 communications geostationary earth orbit satellites which have achieved a total of 779 in-orbit years. In 2007, LMCSS delivered the 32nd, 33rd and 34th A2100 spacecraft to satellite operators around the world: ASTRA 1L, aboard an Ariane 5 ECA on May 3; BSAT-3a, lifted into orbit Aug. 14 also aboard an Ariane 5 ECA; and SIRIUS 4, launched aboard an International Launch Services Proton launch vehicle.

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads.

The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost.

The A2100 spacecraft design accommodates a large range of payloads. This design modularity enables the A2100 spacecraft to be configured for a wide variety of missions in addition to communication. The A2100 serves as the platform for critical Lockheed Martin government communications programs such as the Advanced Extremely High Frequency program and Mobile User Objective System.

The A2100 platform design has been adapted for geostationary earth orbit (GEO)-based earth observing missions and is currently baselined for Lockheed Martin's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Series-R (GOES-R) proposal. The A2100 platform also is the foundation for Lockheed Martin's Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) offering for the U.S. Government.

[source]

The new finished logos Take #1

What do you all think? I shouted almost at the top of my lungs today when I opened the PDF file and saw our new logo coming to fruition. I'm totally blown away and look forward to your critiques. It can only get better, with your help. Thanks in advance...Thomas

AMC-15 Launches a New Era in Broadband Communications (2004 SpaceFlight Now Report)

While Broadband in a Box's international open standard DVB-S2 (MP4) last mile wholesale broadband solution designed especially for for Telco's, ISP's and WISP's isn't rocket science , it all started with rocket science. Here's a report from our friends at SpaceFlight Now on the launch of our new dedicated home AMC-15 on October 15, 2004.

Thomas William

VP Partner Solutions

Broadband in a Box

1302 Clear Springs Trace

Louisville Kentucky 40223

Direct: (502) 426.2067

Toll Free:    (800) 761.9149

Fax:             (502) 515.3710

Email:           tomw@bbinabox.com
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The AMERICOM 15 communications spacecraft that will broadcast direct-to-home entertainment and broadband services across the U.S. was successfully launched aboard a commercial Russian Proton rocket today.

The Proton rocket lifts off with AMC 15. Photo: ILS

The mission began at 2123 GMT (5:23 p.m. EDT) Thursday from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazahstan. After the Proton's lower three stages completed their firings, the Breeze M upper stage carried out a trio of engine burns during the evening and then deployed the 8,900-pound craft into geosynchronous transfer orbit at 0418 GMT (12:18 a.m. EDT) to conclude the seven-hour ascent.

The AMC 15 satellite will maneuver itself into geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above Earth and undergo a testing period starting October 23 from an orbital spot over the equator at 136 degrees West longitude. The craft will reach its operational destination at 105 degrees West longitude and enter service in eight weeks.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the hybrid Ku/Ka-band satellite will be operated by SES AMERICOM of Princeton, New Jersey, under the AMERICOM2Home system banner. The prime customer of AMC 15 is EchoStar's DISH Network. Millions across America subscribe to DISH for television and music programming received via small satellite dishes.

"The AMC 15 spacecraft has a very important mission as the first satellite we have committed to EchoStar Communications Corp. and its DISH Network satellite TV service ... this really puts our AMERICOM2Home initiative on the map as a robust platform provider for the U.S. direct-to-home industry," said Bryan McGuirk, senior vice president of media services at SES AMERICOM.

SES AMERICOM said it worked closely with EchoStar on the technical design of the spacecraft to ensure complete compatibility with the existing and future services on DISH.

AMC 15 is one of America's first operating Ka-band payloads, carrying 12 spot beams that will allow DISH to expand its offerings. The satellite also includes 24 Ku-band transponders.

"AMC 15 is the eleventh A2100 (model satellite) we have successfully delivered for SES AMERICOM; the third of four in 2004," said Ted Gavrilis, president of Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. "We are proud of our relationship with AMERICOM, considered one of the most demanding spacecraft operators in the industry, and especially look forward to the activation of AMC 15's Ka-band payload, the first major commercial Ka-band operation in the United States."

The AMC 15 satellite is hoisted in the cleanroom for mating with the Breeze M upper stage. Photo: ILS

It was the year's fourth commercial Proton rocket mission under the control of International Launch Services. ILS globally markets Proton and American Atlas rockets. The U.S.-based firm has conducted nine missions in 2004 using its two rocket families.

"This Proton/Breeze M launch was picture-perfect in the darkened skies over Kazakhstan, and on spec as we monitored every stage," said Dany Harel, SES AMERICOM vice president for satellite and space systems. "We thank the ILS team for delivering AMC 15 into transfer orbit. Now we and our Lockheed Martin spacecraft partners can get the satellite ready for service to our customer, EchoStar, by December."

"We thank SES AMERICOM for launching again with ILS," Mark Albrecht, the president of ILS, said at the conclusion of today's mission. "I'm proud of our long-standing relationship with AMERICOM and its parent company, SES GLOBAL. And it's good to be involved with EchoStar again as well, which has launched several dedicated satellites with ILS before teaming with SES AMERICOM on AMC 15."

The next ILS Proton flight is scheduled for December 9 when the WORLDSAT 2 communications satellite is deployed over the Atlantic to serve the Americas, Europe and Africa. It will mark the fourth of five launches of SES spacecraft on ILS vehicles this year, following AMC 10 and 11 on Atlas rockets and tonight's AMC 15. The fifth will be AMC 16 aboard an Atlas 5 on December 16 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: October 15, 2004

New Logo #2

Rural Internet Connections In U.S. Falls Short of Other Countries

07/09/2007

In New Brunswick, Canada, 90 percent of the people living in rural communities have high-speed internet connections. In the U.S., only 38 percent of rural residents have broadband available.

Broadband connections have been increasing everywhere, but only a little over 30 percent of rural Americans have fast-speed Internet in their homes, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Rural Americans are less likely to use the Internet than people living in urban or suburban regions — and that is largely because they have less internet connections. Only 60 percent of rural residents use the Internet from any location, compared to the national average of 71 percent.

There is a large gap between rural and urban residents in the speed of their internet connection,according to a survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Living in a rural community is a bigger impediment to broadband connection than either race or income, according to Pew — and although rural Americans are quickly signing up for broadband connections, they are still two years behind the adoption rates in suburbia or the city. Only 38 percent of rural residents have a broadband Internet connection at either home or work, according to Pew. In the cities and suburbs, 55 percent have high-speed connections.

Geography, more than race, determines who has access to broadband Internet connections. According to Pew, African-Americans and whites with similar levels of education and income have similar levels of broadband use. But rural Americans of all races, incomes and education levels are significantly less likely to have speedy Internet connections.

Meanwhile, an attorney specializing in communications policy told the National Rural Assembly that rural residents in other countries had better access to faster broadband service. Mark Lloyd, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said the “great promise (of broadband service) is being realized in New Brunswick, Canada, and Tono, Japan, and in the farm country of south west Ireland. Great strides have been made in these countries since 2000. Great strides have not been made in Mississippi and Utah and Oklahoma and Kansas."

In New Brunswick, Canada, Lloyd said, a combination of government support and private investment had built out broadband connections to 327 small communities. Now over 90 percent of New Brunswickers have broadband access — at speeds that exceed that of cable modems and DSL in the U.S.

Only 38 percent of rural Americans have broadband connection either at home or at work. In urban areas, 58 percent of the people have fast-speed connection at some point during the day, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Mark Lloyd, far left, testified to an informal meeting in Congress during the National Rural Assembly.

Photo: M.A. Pember

Dial up is out; broadband is in for most of America, according to Pew.

[source]

FairPoint Goes Wireless To Reach 'Last-Mile' Customers

According to the New York Times, Telcos and wireless providers are losing upwards to 30,000+ subscribers and prospects respectively a month to retail last mile providers. Those numbers are only going to go up. The Broadband in a Box white label wholesale solution can stem that tide, where you can compete and win with a lower latency and cost and higher uptime solution today. You might as well have subscribers left to upgrade to your terrestrial solutions right?

Thomas William

VP Partner Solutions

Broadband in a Box

1302 Clear Springs Trace

Louisville Kentucky 40223

Direct: (502) 426.2067

Toll Free: (800) 761.9149

Fax: (502) 515.3710

Email: tomw@bbinabox.com
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Posted: Jan 22, 2003

CHARLOTTE — Editor's note: Charlotte Beat is a regular feature on Wednesdays.FairPoint Communications is going into the "Wi-Fi" business.

Hoping to capitalize on one of the hottest growth sectors in telecommunications, the Charlotte-based operator of rural local exchange companies said Tuesday that it would install 802.11b Wi-Fi standard wireless equipment for 20 rural communities.

FairPoint, which was founded in 1991, now operates 29 RLECs across 18 states, including Georgia, Florida and Virginia.

"We are continually looking for ways to provide advanced services to our rural customers, services that otherwise are not available from other service providers because of their economic considerations," said Bob Ingram, senior vice president of operations and engineering for FairPoint, in a statement.

Wireless local area network services revenues are expected to total $2.8 billion in 2002, up from $2.1 billion in 2001, according to Dataquest. Some 26.5 million wireless LAN units are expected to be sold this year, up from 15.5 million units in 2002, and growth is projected to be strong through at least 2007, according to Dataquest.

Using the 802.11b wireless service will enable FairPoint to offer high-speed Internet and data services to business users and consumers without having to install fiber or upgrade copper plant for digital subscriber line (DSL) services.

Extending high-speed services the "last mile" has proved to be an expensive challenge, especially for RLECs which service less densely populated areas.

In North Carolina, for example, the Rural Internet Access Authority has used a variety of grants to foster expansion of wireless and other means of high-speed service where telecommunications companies had declined to expand or upgrade.

BellSouth, meanwhile, has launched a high-speed wireless trial in Daytona, FL.

FairPoint chose to license equipment from KeyOn Communications. KeyOn has patent-pending technology for wireless data and operates a citywide network in Las Vegas.

FairPoint did not identify the communities where the service would be offered, nor did it specify costs other than to say the Wi-Fi offering would be a "high quality, cost-effective method to receive broadband."

Jonathan Snyder, chief executive officer of KeyOn, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that FairPoint would offer the service first in central Ohio, upstate New York, Maine and Florida.

Snyder said the licensing deal is the first for KeyOn, which has some 500 customers in Las Vegas. KeyOn has been offering the service for about three months. The service is priced at $24.95 a month plus $50 for installation.

According to its most recent published figures, FairPoint has 245,306 lines, 123 exchanges, and more than 1,100 employees.

The company has not yet released fourth quarter earnings. Through the third quarter 2002, FairPoint reported a 1.7 percent drop in revenues, to $174.3 million, but did improve earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to $33.5 million, up 11.3 percent. For the first nine months of the year, EBITDA hit $100.4 million, up 7.2 percent.

Through Dec. 31, 2001, FairPoint reported revenues of $235 million, EBIDTA of $124 million, and assets of $849 million.

Eugene Johnson, one of the company's co-founders, took over as chief executive officer of FairPoint a year ago and recently was named chairman of the board. He was executive vice president of corporate development before taking over as CEO. Johnson, a graduate of the University of North Carolina Charlotte, is a board member of UNCC's foundation.

[source]