3 reasons to explore satellite distribution broadcast alternatives

The first satellite television signal was transmitted across the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to France on July 12, 1962. It included the voice of President John F. Kennedy, video of the American flag waving in the breeze, and — perhaps most relevant to modern live event broadcasters — highlights from a baseball game: the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs.

In 1962, satellite distribution was like magic. It was the fastest, most reliable way to communicate across vast distances. Over the next decades, it took over the broadcasting world. Today, it remains one of the most popular ways to get a signal from Point A to Point B. But it isn’t necessarily the best.

Modern broadcasters looking for even more high-quality, low-latency video transport are starting to search for satellite distribution alternatives — and liking what they find.

What is satellite distribution?

Satellite video distribution refers to the transmission of video content via satellite communication. It involves uplinking video signals from a ground station to a satellite, which then broadcasts the signals to multiple receiving stations.

Satellite distribution is used for traditional TV programming and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite programming, as well as over-the-top (OTT), free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), and other streaming protocols. It’s an established and popular video transport technology that many broadcasters have heavily invested in over the past decades.

For a long time, it was also the best technology. But that’s changing with the rise of satellite distribution alternative services like IP-based transport.

Pros of satellite distribution broadcasting

Satellite distribution revolutionized the broadcasting industry when it first emerged and has become a cornerstone for delivering television, radio, and internet services globally. It allows content to be transmitted even to remote regions where traditional infrastructure is lacking. Here are three advantages of satellite distribution for broadcasting.

Quality

Satellite distribution provides high-quality signal transmission over long distances, minimizing signal degradation and maintaining excellent video and audio quality from the source to the end user. The ability to deliver consistently high-quality content, even for high-definition (HD) and ultra-high-definition (UHD) broadcasts, is important for broadcasters using satellite distribution systems.

Reliability

Satellite distribution is highly reliable for a few reasons. It uses a dedicated infrastructure that isn’t vulnerable to issues like cable damage or power outages. It’s also a time-tested method: Satellite technology is mature and redundant, and has been providing consistent performance for decades. Sticking with the known versus the unknown is a big reason broadcasters are hesitant to explore alternatives.

Reach

Satellite TV distribution can cover vast geographical areas. Satellite signals can reach anywhere within the satellite's footprint, which can cover a continent or multiple countries, and aren't affected by distance, terrain, or other obstacles. Satellite networks are also point-to-multipoint solutions that don't require extensive local infrastructure to operate. A single satellite can broadcast to multiple countries and regions, including those that don’t have local infrastructure for other transport methods.

Cons of satellite distribution systems

While satellite distribution offers some benefits, it also comes with several challenges that impact its efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Here’s what you should consider, as you weigh your options.

Bandwidth

While it can reach a lot of geographic locations, satellite distribution is increasingly limited by bandwidth availability. Each satellite has a finite amount of bandwidth that must be shared among various users and applications. As the demand for HD and UHD content increases, the pressure on available bandwidth grows, potentially leading to congestion and reduced quality of service. In addition, satellite distribution typically uses the C-band spectrum, which the FCC is reallocating to 5G networks. All of this puts pressure on satellite distribution companies.

Complexity

Satellite distribution involves complex technology and infrastructure. Setting up and maintaining ground stations, uplink facilities, and satellite transponders requires a big CapEx investment as well as ongoing spend. This is only increasing as equipment gets older. Troubleshooting issues is also becoming more challenging as broadcasters transport more signals on a shrinking C-band spectrum while using existing multiplexing and encoding workflows.

Inflexibility

Once a satellite is launched and its transponders are allocated, making changes to the distribution network becomes difficult. Unlike terrestrial systems that can be easily reconfigured, satellite distribution systems have fixed parameters and coverage areas. The long-term nature of satellite investments also makes it challenging to pivot quickly. This inflexibility can limit your ability to adapt to changing market conditions, audience demands, and technological advancements — for example, the rise of OTT, FAST, video on demand (VOD), and IP-based transport.

Cost

The cost of satellite distribution can be prohibitively high, especially for smaller broadcasters. Launching and maintaining satellites, operating ground stations, and leasing transponder capacity all involve substantial financial investment. And while many large broadcasters have already made these investments, there are still ongoing operational costs to staff, maintain, manage, and provide technical support for satellite facilities. In a time of increasing pressure to monetize content and maximize ROI, satellite distribution looks more and more like a relic of the past.

3 reasons to consider IP as a satellite distribution alternative

The biggest benefit of satellite distribution may simply be that broadcasters are familiar with it. But IP-based video distribution, which delivers content over terrestrial internet networks, provides many of the same advantages as satellite, along with some additional benefits.

Cost efficiency and scalability

Unlike satellite, which requires significant infrastructure and investment, IP video distribution is more cost-effective and scalable. It eliminates the need for expensive satellite launches, ground stations, and transponder leasing. Instead, it leverages existing internet infrastructure, reducing initial and ongoing operational costs.

It also allows you to easily distribute multiple versions of a channel: With satellite distribution, you’d need 10 uplinks to send out 10 different channel versions, increasing your costs. With IP-based distribution, the cost of sending out 10 channel versions is the same as sending out just one version. Plus, IP transport is getting cheaper and more scalable as the infrastructure develops, while satellite is getting more expensive.

Ability to customize

Sending out 10 channel versions via IP distribution isn’t just a theoretical example. IP lets you easily transmit tailored content to specific audiences, regions, devices, and platforms.

You can leverage dynamic ad insertion, channel management, and content replacement to customize content, then deliver curated live experiences without worrying about extra costs. Satellite distribution simply doesn’t have this flexibility, making IP video distribution a powerful tool for broadcasters looking to meet diverse audience needs and stay ahead in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Visibility

Unmanaged satellite distribution that relies on public networks can’t match the uptime and reliability of managed IP networks. IP networks provide behind-the-scenes visibility so you can monitor performance metrics, identify issues, and implement solutions quickly.

Proactive management reduces downtime, improves quality, and enhances the overall viewer experience, earning audience trust in an era of tough competition. Satellite distribution systems don’t have the backchannel required to provide a unified view and insights into all individual feeds.

Join the wave of the future

Satellite distribution is a tried-and-true method for video broadcasting, but in the new digital media landscape, it no longer cuts it. The old arguments against satellite distribution alternatives like IP-based transport are losing credibility as the infrastructure, efficiency, and flexibility of terrestrial networks improves. Yet the transition requires not only a shift in technology, but a shift in mindset — from looking backwards to moving forward.

The key to satellite distribution replacement is to find the right partner and a state-of-the-art network that reaches everywhere you want to go, and then some. With global coverage, < 200ms latency in North America, and 99.999% reliability, plus a fully managed technical operations center (TOC), LTN has you covered on all fronts. LTN Wave de-risks satellite migration even more, thanks to end-to-end management, hybrid distribution, and interoperability with existing protocols.

Request a demo today to see how LTN makes the transition from legacy satellite distribution workflows to future-ready IP technology seamless.