As 2009 comes to a close, winding down a year of economic turmoil and recovery, issues of balancing cost and technology tend to surface.

 

And though this year’s marked great strides in all segments of the satellite industry, cost is, unsurprisingly, perhaps the chief concern among operators, integrators and service providers who want to take their technology to the next level.

 

For Newtec (News - Alert), a satellite technology company based in Belgium known for its broadcast modulators, clients’ desire to move into a deeper realm of IP communications has increased. However, those investing in new technology must be sold on its value.

 

“The main concern raised by some customers is the upfront cost associated with the upgrade,” said Bernard Paquet, Newtec’s product marketing director. “Nevertheless, when the return on investment exercise is finalized, broadcasters accelerate their decision process in order to deliver their customers innovative services in line with their growing requirements.”

 

Because Newtec’s broadcast modulator technology is cost-effective -- allowing broadcasters to respond to new market requirements and reduce their operating costs -- it is a logical choice, Paquet recently told TMCnet.

 

“Some years ago, consumers watched TV under broadcaster control,” Paquet told TMCnet. “Today, it is the consumer who chooses when and how he will consume content.”

 

Paquet said that modulators designed for broadcast contribution, DSNG and distribution applications over satellite translates to lower operating costs (thanks to high-bandwidth efficiency). Today’s modulators optimize the use of the available satellite capacity by supporting multistream, VCM, ACM and tools to counter linear and non-linear distortion, according to Newtec. Additionally, they support simultaneously the most common ASI + IP interfaces.

 

With such great returns, investing in the next level of technology seems to be catching on for the company’s customers.

 

Casablanca Online, a Brazilian DSNG operator, recently announced that it will use Newtec’s broadcast modulators to cover the games in South Africa.

 

Under terms of the agreement, Newtec supplied Casablanca Online with DVB-S2 Broadcast modulators with BISS scrambling capabilities. The reliability of Newtec’s equipment for live transmissions from South Africa back to Brazil was the essential requirement for the project’s success, according to Casablanca.