Star Choice could get more channels if government allows DTH in extended Ku-band

Star Choice Communications could see a major boost in its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV services, including high-definition, if Industry Canada authorizes the use of additional satellite frequencies. The department launched a consultation in December on the possible use of extended Ku-band frequencies for DTH services. Formal comments are due next month. The bandwidth is currently used to provide backhaul for wireless service providers. The call notes that under current spectrum usage rules, DTH is not allowed in this band and therefore would have to alter its policy to allow it. Industry Canada has also imposed a moratorium on licensing this band while it conducts the consultation. According to Paul Bush, VP of North American sales at Telesat Canada, it wouldn't be difficult to make current small dishes capable of receiving signals from the new band. He characterizes the technical adjustments as minor, but first the department would have come up with a plan to allow for both the terrestrial and satellite services to co-exist. Telesat, which is Star Choice's satellite provider, plans to file a detailed assessment of how the department can segment the band so as to make it useable by both fixed providers and satellite services. "We're going to take a very pragmatic look at it in terms of how we share within the terrestrial system that's there today," he adds, noting that there are more than 900,000 satellite receive sites to which Star Choice provides service compared to the hundreds of terrestrial transmitter sites. Telesat already provides telecommunications services in extended Ku-band at the 107.3 degrees west orbital slot and recently received approval for the 111.1 position. If granted, Telesat would move quickly to get a bird in the sky to support additional capacity requirements for the Star Choice satellite TV system. "Through the expansion of DTH in Canada for Star Choice as well as the expansion for distribution to cable, extended Ku-band is here and now, and we're prepared to move forward with the build of a satellite that would augment the Star Choice system today," says Bush. Shaw Communications, Star Choice's parent, called for the use of the extended Ku-band for DTH purposes in 2006. At the time, the company told the department that expanding into the adjacent band is the most technical feasible option with its current system. The expanded DTH frequencies would not only give Star Choice the added capacity to support more high definition channels on its satellite system. It would also enable small cablecos, which receive wholesale signals from Star Choice's satellite relay distribution undertaking (SRDU), to make the jump to digital in the future. The CRTC has set a deadline of August 31, 2011 for the analog shutoff - the United States has since delayed its transition deadline of February 12, 2009 by four months. "As you look at going to high definition, as you look at going into digital switching, it needs more bandwidth," Bush says. "There really aren't too many options in terms of expansion, but the extended Ku-band is very much a logical option." Ciel Satellite Group also plans to throw its support behind allowing the extended Ku-band for DTH. "It's certainly we think a more efficient use of the spectrum rather than the very minor terrestrial uses that it's being put to at the moment," says Scott Gibson, VP and general counsel at Ciel. Star Choice currently leases its DTH capacity from Telesat on satellites operating from the 107.3° W and 111.1° W orbital positions utilizing the conventional Ku fixed-satellite spectrum (11.7-12.2 GHz). Bell TV, Canada's other DTH provider, uses the broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) allocation in the 12 GHz range (12.2-12.7 GHz).

Star Choice could get more channels if government allows DTH in extended Ku-band

News | 02/06/2009 8:08 pm EST

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