A recent survey conducted by the SatLabs Group revealed that by mid 2009 more than 270 DVB-RCS systems were deployed worldwide, serving more than 125,000 terminals at C-band, X-band, Ku-band and Ka-band.
The SatLabs Group is an international, not-for-profit association, supported by ESA through the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) 1 programme element. SatLabs consists of key DVB-RCS stakeholders including: service providers, satellite operators, system integrators, terminal manufacturers and technology providers. Its mission is to bring the deployment of the DVB-RCS standard to large-scale adoption, by means of the implementation of interoperability and the availability of low-cost products.
DVB-RCS is currently the only multi-vendor Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) standard. For this reason it is often mandated in systems procurements by customers who wish to ensure that their choice of terminal vendor remains open after the initial procurement, explains Stephane Combes, DVB-RCS liaison for ESA. “The maturity and capability of DVB-RCS systems is also well recognised. DVB-RCS is clearly growing in many markets, with a greater variety of applications worldwide,” he says.
The recent DVB-RCS numbers were revealed at a workshop regarding the development of the SatLabs Qualification Program (SQP) for the DVB-RCS Standard. Final presentations of projects that were funded through ARTES 1 were given at this workshop and are available for download. These projects support the development of equipment, system qualification and verification programs for DVB-RCS. They include:
• Common Test Bed for DVB-RCS Terminals - (VeriSat)
• Hub Verification Test Bed - (VeriSat)
The SatLabs Qualification Program (SQP) was created to provide an independent certification process to verify terminal interoperability. The SQP is based on a published test plan, the availability of independent testing services offered by an appointed Qualification Laboratory, and the availability of test equipment independent from any system implementation.
The ARTES 1 programme element focuses on: defining market opportunities; regulatory barriers; standards; future frequency spectrum needs; as well as economic and business issues relating to the development of future satellite telecommunications concepts and technologies to assist European and Canadian industry in the development of innovative telecommunication services.
To learn more about ARTES 1, click on the links located in the navigation bar to the left. To download the presentations, click on the agenda link located in column to the right.
