LTN Monitoring & Control AUPC and switching

Summary

Satellite uplink facilities must deliver reliable, uninterrupted service continuity. Broadcasters derive revenue from advertisers that is dependent upon reliable distribution of content. Any interruption in the distribution process results in loss of revenue and market share. Therefore, facility designs include several layers of redundancy; including redundant satellites, backup sites, and backup hardware at each site. An important requirement in design and operation of redundant facilities is an intelligent control and network management system for each facility’s equipment. In addition to monitoring the equipment at the multiple sites, another important role for the intelligent control system is to monitor uplink conditions, make adjustments to the uplinks, and automate switching of uplinks from the primary to a backup site. Some applications, such as direct-to-home (DTH) stretch or exceed the capability of hardware solutions, but can still be satisfied with a less expensive and higher-performing intelligent control solution.

This paper describes the measurement techniques, the challenges, and the M&C solution that was designed to provide a reliable solution for a DTH provider with facilities in tropical and subtropical locations, where weather disturbance was considerable and frequent power changes and distribution switching to a backup site were required. The lessons learned and performance achieved can significantly positively impact system costs if considered during the system design.