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SBS FAQs

Q1. What products and services are offered by AT&T Satellite Broadcast Services?

A1. The AT&T Satellite Broadcast Services current offer provides our clients the ability to perform Interactive Distance Learning via satellite (IDL). AT&T is able to provide end-to-end solutions that, at a minimum, include Earth Stations (Uplinks and Downlinks), and satellite time (also called "Space Segment") for ad hoc and dedicated broadcasting. At a maximum, AT&T can provide everything required to deliver the benefits of satellite-based IDL. Whether an agency needs curriculum development, studio/classroom construction and operations, or delivering training directly to a student's desktop (via IP Streaming), AT&T can provide it all. Two new services we offer are Special Event Support and Content Development. Special Event Support allows agencies to procure everything from mobile Earth Stations to on-air talent for special, occasional events. Content Development allows agencies to procure AT&T assistance (including AT&T Government Solutions Inc. (formerly GRCI) services) in developing training content and delivery. This can be as little as "train-the-trainer", where AT&T will assist an agency in teaching how to convert traditional classroom training to be delivered via satellite, intra/internet, CD-ROM/DVD, or video tape. We can also offer a soup-to-nuts, content development service (including SCORM capabilities).

Q2. What is Distance Learning (DL)?

A2.Any coursework taught/learned where the instructor and the students are in one or more separate physical locations (e.g., the instructor is in Iowa and the students are in Nebraska, South Carolina, and Alaska), thus requiring the use of a transmission mechanism of some sort to enable communication between the instructor and the student

Q3. What is Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) via satellite?

A3. Interactive Distance Learning is Distance Learning using a satellite network as the specific transport mechanism, versus cable television (which is not usually capable of interactivity between student and teacher), the Internet, computer based training (CBT), or any other means of transporting the course content. AT&T’s Satellite Distance Learning offer provides agencies the ability to broadcast to multiple or single agencies. Broadcast access is limited to locations specified by the Uplink that is producing and administering the broadcast.

Q4. What is an Uplink?

A4. An Uplink is a facility with a satellite dish designed to transmit a signal up to an orbiting satellite for the purpose of dissemination to one or multiple downlink facilities. Uplinks provided by AT&T for IDL are locked in place to maintain high quality broadcast transmission, reduce downtime and lower maintenance costs.

Q5. What is a Downlink?

A5. A Downlink (also known as a Receive-only Earth Station/Antenna or VSAT) is a satellite dish designed to receive the signals transmitted from the Uplink via the orbiting Satellite. That signal is then sent from the downlink to an Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD) or other appropriate receiving device. Downlinks provided by AT&T for IDL are locked in place to maintain high quality reception, reduce downtime and lower maintenance costs.

Q6. What is an IRD?

A6. An IRD is an Integrated Receiver Decoder (also known as a set-top box). The IRD takes the digitally encoded (either securely or non-securely) content that has been received by the Downlink facility and converts it to a signal format that the TV is capable of displaying. AT&T employs IRDs that utilize the Digital Encryption Standard (DES) for secure transmissions. AT&T can design solutions with additional security if requested.

Q7. Why do I need an IRD?

A7. If there is no IRD, then there is no way for the television to receive the signals and convert them into a displayable format. Also, if the program content is encrypted, the IRD is required for decrypting the content before it can be viewed.

Q8. How many IRDs will I need for my facility?

A8. Since the IRD has a one-to-one ratio to the broadcasts being received, each IRD installed will allow the facility to receive one independent, simultaneous broadcast. A facility may be equipped with up to 6 IRDs, given certain distance requirements from the receive antenna.

Q9. What is a Home Channel?

A9. AT&T broadcasts a Home Channel (CNN), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to every downlink not receiving a previously scheduled program. By offering this HC, the downlink facility knows that the connection between their facility and the Network Operations Center is active. Additional bandwidth within the HC is used to force tune and send instructions to the IRDs. Finally, providing CNN allows locations to view fast-breaking current events that may have an impact on the operation of their agency

Q10. What is Force Tuning?

A10. AT&T offers a unique security feature to the customers participating in the network. Each IRD is Force-Tuned at the beginning of each program, then tuned back to the Home Channel. This ensures that only locations in which the Uplink has named as a participant will receive the broadcast.

Q11 What does VSAT stand for?

A11. VSAT stands for Very Small Aperture Terminal. It is a small satellite dish (approximately 1.2 - 3.4 meters in diameter) used to receive signals beamed down from an orbiting satellite, which are then taken from the dish and carried via cabling to the video and audio distribution system.

Q12 What is 2-Way VSAT?

A12. 2-Way VSAT is generally a data-only application that utilizes the VSAT dish satellite network structure to transmit and receive data.

Q13 Can I use my existing antenna?

A13. Perhaps. The AT&T service requires locked-down receive antennas (no mesh dishes) ranging in size from 1.2 M to 4.6 M. A site survey is required to examine the condition of your existing antenna, and what modifications, if any, will need to be made for the existing antenna to be used in the network.

Q14 Can I use my own broadcast studio?

A14. Absolutely. A site survey is required to examine your existing studio; AT&T will make a complete assessment of the work required, if any, to ensure your studio will be fully compatible with the AT&T Satellite Distance Learning network.

Q15 What is a Site Survey?

A15. Generally the first step in creating your network design, a Site Survey is a process by which installation technicians survey the proposed uplink and/or downlink location for any given facility. In addition to providing a specific cost to install an Earth Station (uplink or downlink), Site Surveys allow AT&T and our client to determine the optimal location for each of the components required at the site.

Q16 What Satellite supports the AT&T Service?

A16. Telstar 402 supports the IDL service offering. The coverage area for T402 is the CONUS (Continental United States), Alaska, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. T402 supports two methods of transmission, SCPC and MCPC, both of which are offered as transmission options by AT&T for its customers. Additionally, ad-hoc service for transmission of programming to other coverage areas using other satellites can be arranged on an as-needed basis.

Q17 What is SCPC?

A17. Single Channel Per Carrier. This applies to how the uplink sends the broadcast to the satellite.

Q18 What is MCPC?

A18. Multiple Channel Per Carrier. This allows an uplink facility to compress simultaneous broadcasts into one carrier hitting the satellite. AT&T offers each uplink channel to send a maximum of two broadcasts per carrier. MCPC broadcasting is a more economical method of utilizing the satellite transponder and results in lower transmission costs per channel.

Q19 What is MPEG?

A19. MPEG stands for Motion Picture Experts Group. MPEG is a widely used menu of standards for compressing video. MPEG-1 is a bit-stream standard for compressed video and audio optimized to fit into a maximum bandwidth of 1.5 Mbps and with less resolution, while MPEG-2 is intended for higher-quality video-on-demand applications and runs at higher data rates. MPEG-4 is a low bit-rate compression algorithm intended for 64-Kbps (and under) connections.

Q20 Why does AT&T use the MPEG-2 Compression Algorithm?

A20. AT&T utilizes the MPEG-2 compression algorithm because of the superior picture quality it affords our customers, due to the ability to run the video signals at higher data rates, as well as the greater resolution levels allowed by the compression algorithm. This ensures that our customer’s course content is viewed at its optimum viewing levels, providing the students with the best learning experience possible.

Q21 What is Course Content?

A21. Course Content is the material to be learned by students in a remote facility. It is a broad term used in reference to broadcasts over AT&T’s IDL system with the intent of educating an audience in some way.

Q22 What is SCORM?

A22. SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a product of the U.S. Government's initiative in Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL). In November of 1997, the Department of Defense and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy launched the ADL initiative with the goal of providing access to high-quality education and training materials that are easily tailored to individual learner needs and made available whenever and wherever they are needed. SCORM-compliant courses leverage course development investments by ensuring that compliant courses are "RAID:" ? Reusable: easily modified and used by different development tools, ? Accessible: can be searched and made available as needed by both learners and content developers, ? inter-operable: operates across a wide variety of hardware, operating systems and web browsers, and ? Durable: does not require significant modifications with new versions of system software.

Q23 We need to have infrequent broadcasts that reach all of our employees - how can AT&T help?

A23. Whether you need cameras, lighting, studio personnel, or on-air camera talent, AT&T can assist you. Similarly, if you need a temporary mobile Uplink/Downlink on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, AT&T can provide those services for your organization, too