Advantech Satellite Networks, in collaboration with Telesat Canada and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), has demonstrated the first use of DVB-S2 in a DVB-RCS system with a satellite operating at Ka band.

Montreal, QC, Canada, May 5, 2006 -- Advantech Satellite Networks, in collaboration with Telesat Canada and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), has demonstrated the first use of DVB-S2 in a DVB-RCS system with a satellite operating at Ka band. The demonstration was on Telesat's Anik F2 satellite with spot beams. The demonstration used Advantech Satellite Networks' latest DVB-S2 hub and terminal products, based on the DVB-RCS open standard and Advantech AMT’s DVB-S2 modulator. The demonstration highlighted high speed internet access for Northern communities in Canada.

As compared to the existing DVB-S technology, DVB-S2 allows significantly reduced satellite bandwidth usage for a given data throughput. This translates into reduced operating costs for DVB-RCS customers.

The demonstration took place at Telesat's Vancouver teleport facility and was attended by officials of the Canadian Space Agency and the Communications Research Centre of Canada (CRC). Telesat is currently operating the DVB-RCS hub on behalf of the CSA using the Telesat Vancouver teleport. This hub provides broadband connectivity to northern Canada using three Ka Band spot beams of the Anik F2 Satellite. The areas currently served are northern British Columbia, Yukon, North-West Territories and western Nunavut.

David Gelerman, CEO of Advantech AMT, said: “The Canadian government’s early adoption of DVB-RCS technology using the key Anik F2 Canadian satellite asset is enabling a leadership role in satellite solutions delivery to remote populations of Canada. It is the culmination of many years of work started by the Canadian government in 1990 in partnership with Advantech and Telesat. With Anik F2’s Ka-Band payload, we will be pioneering ACM (Adaptive Coding & Modulation) based solutions.�

“Ka band has played, and will continue to play, an important role in our overall DVB-RCS product strategy,� explained Don Osborne, President of Advantech Satellite Networks. He went on to say: “Our first hub was deployed in Ka band in 2000, and we have delivered over 1,000 terminals to operate in Ka band. The major advantage of Ka band from the stand-point of the end user is lower service pricing. Lower service pricing is possible as a result of spot beams and frequency re-use in Ka band satellite design.�

About Advantech AMT:
Advantech AMT is a leading designer and manufacturer of transmission and network technology for satellite and terrestrial wireless communications. Products include modems, network routers, amplifiers, transceivers, frequency converters, antenna tracking controllers and combination systems. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Advantech AMT has offices across North America and Europe.

About Advantech Satellite Networks:
Advantech Satellite Networks (or SatNet for short), formerly known as EMS Satellite Networks and now a wholly owned subsidiary of Advantech AMT, has played a leading crucial role in the development of the DVB-RCS international open standard for high-speed two-way Internet communications via satellite, and is a leading provider of broadband satellite communications ground terminal and hub solutions. Applications range from Internet access and simple web browsing, ATM machines, GSM backhauling, to more sophisticated virtual private networks, videoconferencing and Voice-over-IP. SatNet's DVB-RCS solutions are the only multiple-access solutions capable of delivering data transfer rates of up to 80Mbps for downloads and up to 4Mbps for uploads at each remote terminal, or enough bandwidth to support anything from a small business to an entire community from a single remote terminal. SatNet also offers SCPC hub and terminal solutions, which are upgradeable to DVB-RCS. The SpaceBridge Semiconductor division is now part of Advantech Satellite Networks.

To find out more about Advantech AMT and Advantech Satellite Networks, please visit our website www.AdvantechAMT.com

Contact:
North America
Martin Cote
Tel. + 1 514 335-3550; +1 514-335-3022

Europe
Mark Lambert
Tel. + 44 870 720 3888; Fax + 44 870 720 3861

Martin Cote
Advantech Satellite Networks
http://www.advantechamt.com/
514-335-3550

News Source: PRWeb