Appear selected by Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales for Pay TV DTH distribution; provides reliable modulators, transponders; cuts CO2 footprint
Overview
Telefónica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA) is a Telefónica Group company which has been creating broadcasting audiovisual solutions since 1993. With its headquarters in Spain and presence in Latin America, and serving customers in more than 30 countries, it provides technical resources and broadcasting services to a wide range of audiovisual-centric organisations, including radio and TV production centres, video networks, satellite distribution, OTT platforms, content management systems, and IP audiovisual systems all over the world.
Challenge
Among many other services, TSA provides DTH distribution to pay-tv subscribers and satellite contribution services.
To increase the number of transponders in their modulation platform and support new modulation schemes (for example, DVB-S2X) for all its operations in Spain, TSA needed to upgrade its existing satellite modulation platform with future-proof solutions. Any solution would need to be reliable and flexible to deliver best-of-breed high-quality content from regional broadcasters to their subscribers, whilst also offering future upgrade paths. But this wasn’t a simple technology swap: TSA was also conscious of the need to deliver exceptional uptime for its operator customers to reduce their maintenance costs, as well as its social responsibility to reduce its CO2 footprint.
Solution
After careful evaluation, TSA deployed Appear satellite modulators in Appear’s modular platform, consisting of a chassis and building blocks that allow an entire broadcast system to be designed to meet operator’s specific needs. As part of this modular solution, TSA selected Appear’s high bandwidth and high-capacity DVB-S/S2X modulator to address its immediate upgrade requirements, which, depending on which chassis option module is used, can have a density of up to 12 carrier per rack unit.
Appear’s DVB-S2/S2X module solution for TSA features 17 carriers of DTH delivery, as well as eight carriers for contribution. This higher service density equates to higher rack density and lower power consumption, compared to alternative solutions, and therefore lower cooling requirements. These features all combine to provide an environmentally sensitive solution that allows operators to reduce their CO2 footprints.
Why Appear
Throughput, density and resilience are all key features of Appear’s solutions, without compromising on quality and while maintaining flexibility for future upgrades.
Appear’s modular system design ensures an easy upgrade path by simply and quickly adding new modules that meet new industry specifications. Service density in its DVB-S modules increases rack density and reduces power and cooling requirements, equating to a reduced CO2 footprint, while built-in intelligent, automatic redundancy delivers exceptional uptime and resilience.
“Our customers expect us to deliver the highest level of uptime. In addition, we want to reduce our CO2 footprint by reducing requirements for rack space, cooling and power consumption. The XC Platform enabled an environmental-friendly high-density deployment with no down-time, without compromising quality.” Mr. José Luis García Cabrera, Director of Audiovisual Services and Platforms at Telefonica Servicios Audiovisuales.
Results
Since it was deployed in May 2018, TSA has reported its highest levels of uptime from its Appear Platform, saving the significant costs normally associated with maintenance and fault-finding.
Next steps
TSA expects that the success of this initial engagement with Appear will spur an expansion of its relationship to cover other technology requirements, as business needs arise. Appear is committed to nurturing this relationship through continually delivering best-in-class technology and solutions to TSA and its customers.
