19 June 2006
Rear Admiral Rees Ward, Chief Executive of the Defence Communication Services Agency (DCSA), has opened the hub of a rationalised and enhanced High Frequency (HF) communications service for the UKs Armed Forces at Forest Moor in North Yorkshire. The refurbished Defence High Frequency Communications Service (DHFCS) Network Control Station (NCS) is at the centre of a multi-million pound investment by VT Communications as part of a 15-year PPP (Public Private Partnership) contract valued at £220 million.
The DHFCS contract was awarded in 2003 to modernise the HF beyond line of sight communications capability for UK armed forces and other authorised users. The contract has enhanced the quality, availability and reliability of the worldwide network of HF communications assets used by all three UK armed forces, with a programme of improved operational arrangements and new technology introduced by VT. This includes new transmitters, receivers, antennas, and an integrated control system to provide new data services offering Automatic Link Establishment (ALE), Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) and Automatic Link Management (ALM).
Admiral Rees Ward commented: The opening of the Network Control Station marks another major step towards the delivery of the new DHFCS but more importantly demonstrates the strong partnership between the MoD and VT Communications. This successful relationship helps to promote the DCSA’s Vision of Industry/MoD partnering to deliver assured, integrated information services to the UK’s Armed Forces.”
VT Communications Managing Director Doug Umbers added: DHFCS has produced considerable benefits for the users by streamlining and modernising the use of HF communications for ships and aircraft and other users.
The programme is a great example of industry and Government working together. Our partnership with the Defence Communications Services Agency (DCSA) and, in particular, the Strategic Terrestrial Radio Systems (STRS) Integrated Project Team has delivered one of the most advanced HF communications systems used by any military in the world.
VT has achieved significant cost savings by utilising modern technology. This has led to the rationalisation of the number of UK sites delivering the service from 14 to six, allowing the return of surplus land. Overseas, four sites provide services to both air and surface platforms. In addition, the global rationalisation programme has led to the release of approximately 200 military personnel to other higher priority duties
Under DHFCS, Terrestrial Air Sea Communications (TASCOMM) is available for use by RN, RAF and the Army. TASCOMM is a ground-air-ground, ship-shore and ground-to-ground HF radio communications service designed for NATO and National use. Previously known as STCICS, TASCOMM has its control centre at the NCS at Forest Moor with an alternative network control centre (ANCS) located at RAF Kinloss. Both the NCS and ANCS will control, transmit and receive assets around the world to provide an efficient and responsive service to the users.
Combined with the introduction of new RAF and RN platform HF communications equipment supplied under separate contracts, DHFCS will take full advantage of the modern high-speed waveforms to provide rapid data throughput, eventually including HF email. ALE, ARQ and ALM techniques both simplify and speed up the process of establishing HF communication channels.
19 June 2006
Audiences in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East can now enjoy a range of BBC radio programmes in two streams – Arabic and English. Both languages are available in digital quality sound, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to a renewed partnership between the international radio and online broadcaster BBC World Service and the satellite operator Arabsat.
Simon Kendall, Business Development Manager, BBC World Service, said: We are delighted to be renewing our already long standing relationship with Arabsat. This agreement will ensure that substantial audiences across the Arab world will have easy access to both our English and Arabic radio services.
Khalid Balkhyour, Arabsat President & CEO, welcomed the expansion of BBC Arabic and English broadcasts on Arabsat, wishing them every success: BBC World Service radio enjoys a well established reputation throughout the Middle East for high quality news coverage, and we are proud to be their partner in delivering their services to our audience of 130 million listeners. We are honored by their trust in our system and their confidence in the extensive penetration of Arabsat’s constellation of BADR satellites at our 26° East primary fast growing DTH neighborhood.
Khalid Balkhyour also confirmed Arabsats strong commitment to contribute to its customers’ success by supporting their growth throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Recent reconfiguration of the Arabsat bouquet means that established BBC listeners via Arabsat will need to retune their receivers. The BBC services are available on the multiplex operating frequency 11.861 MHz, FEC 3/4 Symbol rate 27 500. The channel IDs are 20 for BBC Arabic and 21 for BBC English.
19 June 2006
Reporters Without Borders yesterday reiterated its condemnation of the arbitrary detention of Sudanese assistant cameraman Sami Al-Haj of the pan-Arab TV station Al-Jazeera, who on Monday completed his fourth year in the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Arrested by the Pakistani army on the Afghan border in December 2001, Al-Haj was handed over on 7 January 2002 to the US military, who initially held him in Afghanistan. The fourth anniversary of his transfer to Guantanamo on 13 June 2002 comes as the controversy about the detention centre has been revived by the suicides of three prisoners on 10 June.
According to his British lawyer, Clive A. Stafford-Smith, he has been questioned more than 130 times during the past four years in Guantanamo, in the course of which his interrogators have voiced threats against his family, especially his daughter. The interrogations have for the most part aimed at getting him to say there is link between Al-Jazeera and Al-Qaeda. His detention is targeted at Al-Jazeera and is an expression of the US governments open hostility towards the Qatar-based satellite news station.
19 June 2006
Germany’s broadcaster Deutsche Welle is offering a special Internet service for the duration of the Football World Cup.
The service covers all matches from the opening match to the final.
Relevant links are:
http://www.dw-world.de/wm2006 (German)
http://www.dw-world.de/worldcup (English)
http://www.dw-world.de/mundial2006 (Spanish)
http://www.dw-world.de/copa2006 (Portuguese for Brazil)
http://www.dw-world.de/championship2006 (Arabic)
http://www.dw-world.de/cup (Russian)
http://www.tor.cn (Chinese)
19 June 2006
SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company, announces today that its new satellite ASTRA 1KR has been deployed at the companys prime orbital 19.2° East and is now operational. The satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral on 20 April onboard an Atlas V rocket and has now completed extensive testings of its hardware and broadcasting functionalities.
ASTRA 1KR has 32 active transponders and provides distribution of Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcast services for SES ASTRA customers across Europe, with an extended reach into Eastern Europe. The new satellite allows SES ASTRA to replace its satellites ASTRA 1B and ASTRA 1C at the same orbital position. ASTRA 1B has reached the end of its life after 15 years of service and will be deorbited within the coming weeks.
We are very pleased that our ASTRA 1KR mission has been completed and that we can welcome a new member in the ASTRA satellite fleet, says Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA. ASTRA 1KR will further strengthen the ASTRA fleet at our prime orbital position 19.2° East and will allow us to maintain the best possible service and quality for our customers across Europe.
