Digital Television increases demand for transporter capacity
by Jim Vautrot, President & CEO of Satellite & Technology Corporation

The impact of digital television and the growing need for broadband multimedia capacity is being felt throughout the satellite business. Demand for transponder capacity is certain to increase, and Satellite & Technology Corporation is increasing staff and capacity to keep up with the trends.

In the broadcast sector, digital television is still in a transitional stage, and its ultimate impact will be considerable. HDTV is a bandwidth hog, and is sure to require more space segment as the amount of HDTV programming increases.

DTV in its many forms offers opportunities for better utilization of transponder capacity, but it seems a sure bet that there will be a big increase in programming as we move to the 500-channel future. Cable and DBS are increasing their infrastructure to carry more of those channels, and satellites are an indispensable part of the equation.

Transponder demand is also going to increase as more news, sports and entertainment events are relayed by satellite. Digital transmission seems sure to become the standard for mobile satellite uplinks, and systems from General Instrument, Scientific Atlanta, Tiernan, Wegener and others will be more widely used to allow multiple signals to be fed on the same transponder. Many broadcasters will install receivers from several manufacturers in their rack rooms to allow down-linking of signals using different encoding systems.

Broadcasters can meet their increased transmission needs by purchasing a digital Aslice,@ providing 24/7 space segment access. While demand for occasional digital transponder time is increasing, owning your own slice is an increasingly affordable option. Satellite & Technology is meeting that need for a growing number of clients.

Of course, analog transmission is still the foundation of the broadcast television industry, and demand for analog space segment will continue to be strong for the foreseeable future. Marianne Woody, Satellite & Technology's Manager of Broadcast Services, is drawing on her many years of satellite experience to make sure our 24-hour booking service is meeting the digital and analog transponder needs of our clients. 

Corporate, educational and governmental satellite users are also converting to digital.  Satellite & Technology has helped a number of clients make this transition. We've continued our tradition of superior service by guiding clients through the minefield of technical considerations that must be resolved. Our consulting engineers are able to provide the answers in system upgrades that minimize the risk of choosing between expensive hardware and software options. Often it's not just finding the lowest initial cost C it's finding the equipment that will deliver the reliability and durability needed to maximize return on investment.

Growth areas are everywhere you look in the satellite business, and distance learning is no exception. It's estimated that 90% of all larger colleges and universities are offering distance learning courses. And the number and types of courses offered is growing rapidly.

The growth of the Internet and the rapid increase of multimedia capability in computer hardware and software is also having an impact on satellite demand, but Internet use may actually increase, rather than decrease, the use of satellite transmission for distance learning. Internet by satellite can offer much greater bandwidth, and the demand by students for more highly-produced, interactive learning experiences will lead to more combined satellite video/audio and Internet applications.

Then there are GPS, mobile satellite telephones, remote monitoring systems, ATM's, telephony, digital radio and many other new satellite applications all increasing the demand for transponder capacity. But the growing demand for ever-more bandwidth and space segment is being offset by more efficient use of existing transponder capacity and by new satellites coming on line and moving into the launch pipeline. The bottom line should be an adequate supply for current and future needs, with no dramatic change in pricing for the foreseeable future. Satellite & Technology is looking forward to providing the same high level of service to our clients for many years to come.