A brief retrospective of the GVF’s calendar for the closing weeks of 2018 together with a summary of a major regional event taking place towards the close of the first quarter of 2019 together provide ample illustration of GVF’s creative innovation in evolving and promoting mission-critical partnerships which facilitate debate on development and growth of the global satellite industry.
Following initial discussions in January 2018 between the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Space Services Department and GVF, and further planning and preparation between the GVF Secretariat, GVF member Mahdi Bagh Computers Private Limited (MBC), and Geneva, GVF partnered with the ITU in delivering a November 2018 symposium focused on capacity building for national regulators.
The Satellite Symposium delivered at ITU’s headquarters was supported by Hughes, SES, Eutelsat and QuadSAT – with content development and extensive training support resources delivery provided by MBC staff – and took place just before the ITU World Radiocommunication Seminar 2018 (WRS2018).
The objective of the Satellite Symposium program was to build capacities with WRS2018 delegates, informing national regulatory authorities about the latest technology innovations in satellite communications, creating a greater level of understanding of the nature of the rapid mobilization of satellite based communication links, and providing an understanding of methodologies and approaches to reducing and mitigating the causes of satellite interference. The symposium was well attended by large numbers in-person and was simultaneously web-cast.
Following opening remarks made by Alexandre Vallet, Chief, Space Services Department, Radiocommunication Bureau, and Jorge Ciccorossi, Senior Engineer, Space Services Department, Radiocommunication Bureau, GVF chaired the Symposium for the sessions of the first two-and-a half-days. (See Figure 1.)
During the Symposium, WRS2018 delegates from all continents had the opportunity to advance their understanding of the latest satellite communications systems and service trends, as well as of regulatory, policy and spectrum coordination issues. The addition of the Symposium to the continuation of the WRS series – previously held in the Americas, European and Asian regions – facilitated the inclusion of a hands-on outdoor workshop where participants had the opportunity to gain experience in the installation and use of satellite terminal equipment and to perform antenna pointing accuracy measurements. Simon Gray of Eutelsat, supported by Riaz & Fehmida Lamak and Shafeeq Hamza, also of MBC, demonstrated the use of an installation application for the Eutelsat Tooway system, and delegates practiced the use of the correct cable-stripping and crimping tools to correctly prepare terminal connections, also accessing the Internet over the established satellite link. (See Figure 2.)
The final sessions of day three addressed the coexistence of small satellite constellations with other systems, related regulatory issues and new solutions on space monitoring.
The presenters/panelists and themes included (* Presentation slides available at www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/space/workshops/2018-SmallSat/Pages/Presentations.aspx):
- Christine Leurquin (VP, Institutional Relations & Communications, EMEA, SES)
- “Emerging Technologies & Innovations” *
- Simon Gray (SVP, Humanitarian Affairs, Eutelsat; member of the GVF Board of Directors)
- “United Nations Crisis Connectivity Charter” *
- The “Eutelsat Quantum” high throughput satellite *
- Brennan Price (Senior Principal Engineer, Regulatory Affairs, Hughes/EchoStar)
- “Evolution & Future of Broadband Satellite Services”
- Joakim Espeland (CEO, QuadSAT)
- Drone technology in satellite terminal testing & installations
- Riaz Lamak (GVF Liaison on International Training, Benchmarking, Validation & Product Quality)
- GVF-MBC classroom-based training *
- Dr. E.P. Balasubramanian (Former Deputy Director Indian Space Research Organization)
- “Introduction to Satellite Communications” *
- “New Systems Technologies” *
- “Launch Vehicle Technology” *
- “Satellite Interference Reduction” *
As well as the link to access speaker/panelists’ presentations (as above), a video summarizing the event, and photographs of the proceedings may be accessed as follows:
• YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI9AX0-nAYQ
• Photographs www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures/albums/72157704046110604
The ITU Satellite Symposium 2018 has been lauded a significant innovation and a great first-time success, thanks to the invaluable material and personnel resources contributed by the members of GVF – Mahdi Bagh Computers Private Limited, Hughes, SES, Eutelsat and QuadSAT – and the collaborative facilitation and leadership of the ITU’s Space Services Department.
In 2019, CABSAT returns to its traditional March calendar slot, and once again the Dubai exhibition will be complemented with an important GVF program of key satellite industry themes which will afford a high-profile to participating speakers and supporting sponsor organizations.
The GVF Satellite Hub Summit @ CABSAT 2019 – the 5th event in the successful series and one of the most important regional platforms delivered by GVF for MENA & South Asia – takes place over 12th to 14th March at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre/Dubai World Trade Centre.
The previous four years of the event have been widely recognized as an essential value-added feature of the exhibition. The 2019 program will comprise two full days (12th & 13th March) of free-to-attend, presentation-based, and panel discussion-focused content, presented within a physical “Hub”, an open-access theatre-style structure situated within the satellite exhibition halls. In 2019, the format will be augmented with an additional half-day paid-for Workshop session on the final day of CABSAT, 14th March.
Key Knowledge Partners for the Satellite Hub Summit include Euroconsult, Northern Sky Research (NSR), and SpaceWatch Global. Stéphane Chenard of Euroconsult, Chris Baugh of NSR, Torsten Kriening of SpaceWatch Global, Riaz Lamak, GVF South Asia Liaison for Training, Benchmarking, Validation & Product Quality, as well as Virgil Labrador, Editor-in-Chief of this publication, will comprise the moderating team. An important Media Partner will obviously be Satellite Markets & Research, and others will include Satellite Evolution EMEA, talk Satellite, and SatellitePro ME.
The GVF Satellite Hub Summit is an established major focus for the discussion of satellite communication industry themes applicable to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions, and serves to create a prominent platform for addressing and analyzing evolutionary and revolutionary transitions in satellite technologies, services, applications, and markets. The program for the Dubai Hub Summit will feature the following themes for discussion:
Hub Summit | Day One – Tuesday 12th March (Full Day)
Morning Session (1030-1330)
Hub Summit | Global Satellite Focus… “Big Ticket” Issues on the Industry Forward Agenda
- Regulation, Spectrum & WRC-19
- The Interference Agenda – A Problem Gone Away?
- Cyber Security Developments & Initiatives
- Disaster Response – Satcoms Innovations & Strategies
- Sustainable Space Initiatives & Best Practices
- Satellites & Space – Expanding Access, Globalising Aspirations
Free-to-Attend Panel Sessions & Interactive Q&A
Afternoon Session (1430-1700)
Hub Summit | Global Satellite Business is Big Business. New Space Making it Bigger
- HTS Evolving: The LEO & MEO Factor
- Smallsat Markets – Applications in Revolution
- Accelerating Ground Segment Dynamics
- Antenna Evolution: Parabolas to FPAs
- Satcoms & Earth Observation – Application & Market Interfaces
- Resources from Orbit – Exploiting ‘Bigger’ Data & Applications Innovation
Free-to-Attend Panel Sessions & Interactive Q&A
Hub Summit | Day Two – Wednesday 13th March (Full Day)
Morning Session (1030-1300)
Hub Summit | Mobility: ‘Maritime Morning’ – “To the Wider Market and Service Horizon”
- Maritime Mobility – Growth Steaming Ahead?
- Maritime Market Plurality– Addressing Segment Differences
- Key Facets of the User Experience
- Bandwidth Inshore & on the High Seas
- Satellite & Vessel Autonomy – Where? How? Why?
- Satellite Cyber Security @ Sea
Free-to-Attend Panel Sessions & Interactive Q&A
Afternoon Session (1400-1700)
Hub Summit | Mobility: ‘Aero Afternoon’ – “It’s Not Just About the IFEC!”
- Understanding New Segment Evolving Demand Dynamics
- Aero – Frequency Dedicated or Frequency Agnostic?
- Never Mind the Orbit – It’s all about the Price!
- Hacking Aircraft Satcoms – Myth or Reality?
- Always Online! Take-Up Rates by Captive Passengers or Demanding Customers?
- How’s the Hardware Doing?
Free-to-Attend Panel Sessions & Interactive Q&A
Hub Workshop | Day Three – Thursday 14th March (Half Day)
Morning Session (1030-1330)
GVF Workshop | GVF Training – Satcoms Insights & Capacity Building: Engineering, Applications & Training
Pay-to-Attend Session
Also, during the CABSAT exhibition GVF’s traditional evening reception will again be generously hosted by the GVF member organization MenaNets, and its CEO, Mazen Nassar, who is one of GVF’s principal trainers in the MENA region. For more information about GVF’s CABSAT high profile speaking and sponsorship opportunities, please contact me at martin.jarrold@gvf.org.
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Martin Jarrold is the Chief of International Program Development of GVF. He can be reached at martin.jarrold@gvf.org.
