In parallel, DVB-RCS is evolving to satellite on-board processing systems. OBP systems will allow terminals to be used in both mesh and hub modes. Advantech Satellite Networks is again at the forefront of this evolution.

Internet usage usage and bandwidth needs continue to grow everyday Broadband access plays an integral role in serving this demand. Digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem technologies are currently dominating the market for broadband access, with emerging competition from satellite wireless technologies.

The significant capital cost of DSL and cable modem infrastructure rollouts has constrained broadband service availability. Given rapid growth in market demand and the limitations of existing technologies, satellite broadband access has emerged as another technology with particular advantages.

Satellite Broadband Access and DVB-RCS

Prior to DVB-RCS, satellite broadband access has been available for a number of years, but has addressed only a very limited market because of the cost of terminal equipment.

For the last fifteen years, the legacy very small aperture terminal (VSAT) industry has provided thin-route services based on the limited data rate capabilities of the prevailing platforms. The industry has experienced considerable consolidation, and is today dominated by two players: Hughes Network Systems (HNS) and Gilat Satellite Networks. Each uses its own proprietary equipment, and each company is increasingly focused on services instead of equipment sales. As the installed base of VSAT subscribers (in the hundreds of thousands) strains the limits of existing systems, both HNS and Gilat are actively researching ways to cost-effectively extend the platform capabilities to address the consumer access market. Their implementations are limited to lower data rates than what Advantech Satellite Networks is offering (namely, up to 4Mbps on the return).

With the primary VSAT market providing services at low data rates (256 kb/s or less) to each subscriber, a number of niche players have attempted to offer higher speed TDMA solutions for more bandwidth-intensive applications, including mixtures of high-speed internet access, voice/fax, videoconferencing, and trunking. Companies addressing this market include iDirect, Viasat, NSI and ND SatCom. HNS and Gilat are now also attempting to address this market.

The emerging satellite broadband access market was driven in the late 1990's by the vision of infrastructure architects such as Astrolink, Teledesic, SkyBridge, SES/Astra, HNS SpaceWay, Wild Blue and a short list of others with access to considerable technical and capital resources. These new infrastructures were intended to drop service cost per user by an order of magnitude compared to legacy VSAT products, while providing an order of magnitude greater bandwidth. Of the several new technologies and architectures proposed, only the Digital Video Broadcast - Return Channel System (DVB-RCS) has established itself as a multi-vendor supported open standard. Dozens of companies have embraced the open standard's promise of accelerating economies of scale, thereby generating high speed, lower-cost solutions and opening the market in a shorter timeframe than could be possible with competing proprietary solutions. Further, by supporting the open standard, each of these smaller, independent equipment manufacturers are more likely to survive in competition with HNS' and Gilat's proprietary systems.

The DVB-RCS open standard continues to enjoy growing momentum. Many satellite operators are in various stages of either considering or operating a DVB-RCS satellite network. Similarly, several satellite prime contractors, including Astrium and Alcatel are actively embracing DVB-RCS as well. This attention, the resulting sales achieved so far throughout the world (more than 100 DVB-RCS systems have been deployed to date), combined with strong interest from the European Space Agency and its member governments, as well as the standard body SatLabs bodes well for the DVB-RCS open standard and its supporters.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has established the SatLabs Group (http://satlabs.org), an international, independent, not-for-profit association whose main goal is to ensure the interoperability between DVB-RCS terminals and systems, and to help overcome technical barriers inhibiting low-cost service provision. SatLabs membership is formed by service providers, system integrators, terminal manufacturers and technology providers with an interest in DVB-RCS. SatLabs has formally launched an independent verification facility for interoperability testing, and this facility has certified Advantech Satellite Networks terminals to be DVB-RCS compliant and interoperable in October 2005. As a pioneer and world leader of DVB-RCS equipment, Advantech Satellite Networks continues to participate in on-going Satlabs activities.

Advantech Satellite Networks Role in DVB-RCS

Advantech Satellite Networks has been studying the implementation of multimedia satellite systems since 1993. Advantech Satellite Networks has also had an active study and development program for multimedia data transmission over Ka Band satellite since 1989. Over this time, Advantech Satellite Networks has developed a firm conviction supporting the evolution of high speed internet and the convergence of services utilizing broadband satellite delivery.

In 1994, Advantech Satellite Networks was commissioned to study the feasibility of developing an evolutionary set of satellite system architectures that built upon the existing DVB broadcast standard. The intent was to introduce a viable two-way satellite internet access through a central satellite ground hub gateway. This set of architectures was also designed to eventually accommodate the introduction of new ATM based applications and point to point mesh services that would not traverse through the gateway. This study led to the development of a satellite return channel concept based on Multi Frequency TDMA (MF - TDMA) and a set of MAC layer scheduling algorithms that were uniquely designed for the wide range of access conditions that are a feature of the emerging multimedia environment. Working with satellite operators such as SES, Intelsat and Telesat, Advantech Satellite Networks was instrumental in creating the DVB Return Channel System (DVB-RCS) air interface standard, which was adopted by ETSI in 2000.

Not only has Advantech Satellite Networks been a driving force in the creation of the DVB RCS standard, but it has become the market leader in DVB-RCS equipment worldwide.

To date, Advantech Satellite Networks has deployed over 50 hubs and 10,000 terminals worldwide. Customers include the world’s leading satellite operators, satellite service providers and satellite systems integrators, as well as a range of organizations operating private networks.

Advantech Satellite Networks has also developed four generations of terminal indoor units and satellite interactive terminals. The first generation was deployed in 2000 against Advantech Satellite Networks' first demonstration hub in Europe. The Series 1000 terminal was manufactured primarily for SES' Ka/Ku market. Today, Advantech Satellite Networks offers an enterprise model (Series 5000) and a professional model (Series 4000). Both offer DVB-S2 capabilities. All terminal models are available in various transmit/receive frequency bands (eg.. Ku/Ku, Ka/Ku, etc.). Perhaps most importantly, Advantech Satellite Networks has been able to drive prices down by over 60% in just a couple of years, and now offers terminals at lower prices than most legacy VSAT offerings.

Advantech Satellite Networks also intends to license its terminal technology to consumer electronics volume manufacturers, while using proceeds from royalties to continuously advance terminal technology and reduce terminal costs.

Advantech Satellite Networks has invested several years and more than $40M to reach the stage of product development it has today. With that has come years of experience and an unsurpassed qualified team of engineers and specialists. Given both our substantial lead in bringing this technology to market and the merits of the open standard approach to commercialization, we firmly believe that Advantech Satellite Networks offers the best systems solution for satellite broadband access systems available today.

SpaceBridge, now part of Advantech Satellite Networks, is a world-leading supplier of DVB-RCS systems and terminals. SpaceBridge products are based on a high degree of integration while offering software configurability to meet diverse system requirements. Products range from complete RCS systems to terminal components suitable for OEM integration.

Founded in 1997, SpaceBridge has developed and delivered a broad range of satellite and wireless technologies. These developments have included analog and digital modems, broadband access terminals and network and application software. SpaceBridge products are enhanced by comprehensive software that includes network management, networking and MAC layer elements. The SpaceBridge products are system offerings capable of integrating with a diverse application set. SpaceBridge, through delivering terminal products into the Aramiska Network, has gained extensive operational experience in rolling out large-scale RCS networks. Through a focus on standards-based networks with application-specific enhancements, SpaceBridge delivers market-leading products capable of meeting diverse service provider requirements. SpaceBridge has extensive system-level experience which is leveraged at all levels of product development - from the components to the full system deliveries.

SpaceBridge’s key differentiator is the custom ICs found at the core of its products. These ICs offer a high level of integration and performance and power the SpaceBridge satellite access products. SpaceBridge has developed both analog and digital ICs using the latest tools and technology. These IC developments have enabled SpaceBridge to provide flexible products that meet diverse system requirements at a low cost. The additional levels of integration also provide for compact products offering a higher reliability. Today, SpaceBridge is focused on delivering systems that enable end-customer applications like VOIP and VPNs on advanced satellite broadband infrastructure.

Beyond the hardware element of SpaceBridge products, a full suite of software has been developed to enable the operation of SpaceBridge products. The SpaceBridge software, trademarked under the name AirOE, includes diverse functions ranging from a set of driver to IP networking functions and management. The core element is the MAC software designed to allow operation in RCS and other networks through interfaces with the network stack and the modem ICs developed by SpaceBridge.

In addition to product development, SpaceBridge is heavily involved in the development of Industry Standards. SpaceBridge has been an active participant in the DVB-RCS and DVB S2 Technical Groups as well as the IEEE 802.16 standardization group. SpaceBridge is also a member of the SatLabs group that is focused on the industrialization of the RCS standard through certification and interoperability.

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