[SatNews] This pre-event event is aimed at helping to resolve the global problem of satellite signal theft and interference...

Leading satellite industry and broadcasting organizations will host a 2nd Annual Satellite Interference-Mitigation Forum on October 11, the day preceding SATCON 2011 in New York City. The Forum agenda will focus on implementation and expansion of initiatives including carrier ID, training, product quality assurance, and other action plans that are underway. HBO will host the Forum, which is being organized jointly by GVF, the Global VSAT Forum and sIRG, the Satellite Interference Reduction Group, the World Broadcasting Unions - International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) and the Radio Frequency Interference - End User Initiative (RFI-EUI). The complimentary event will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., providing an opportunity to learn about the latest solutions being applied to improve quality of service and reduce operational costs. 

Two days later, SATCON conference attendees will receive an executive briefing on decisions made and discussions held during the Summit. The industry briefing will be held on October 13 from 2-3 p.m. during the SATCON session entitled, “Are We Winning the War Against Interference?” The SATCON session will be moderated by Dick Tauber, VP Transmission Systems & New Technology for the CNN News Group, CNN. Speakers will include: Martin Coleman, Executive Director, Satellite Interference Reduction Group (sIRG); David Hartshorn, Secretary General, Global VSAT Forum; Mark Rawlins, Head of Payload Engineering and Operations, Eutelsat; and Richard Wolf, Vice President, Telecommunications & Affiliate Services, ABC Television Network.

The Forum will feature executives from major satellite operators, broadcasters, MSS and VSAT service providers, equipment manufacturers and other organizations with vested interests in helping combat the growing problem of satellite radio interference.  Participants will contribute toward action plans on such topics as:

• Tracking Remote Interference Sources Using Carrier ID
• Improving Deployments: VSAT and Auto-Deploy Installation & Operations Training
• Enabling Earth Station Product Quality Assurance
• Addressing Terrestrial Wireless Interference

Demonstrating this collaboration of industry and end users, in the past year 22 leading satellite operators have joined an alliance to launch a global initiative to mitigate interference through various means, and the RFI-EUI was launched in order to strengthen the media and broadcasting sector's involvement in initiatives, including:

• Advancement of the sIRG effort to employ Carrier-ID solutions as a means of identifying sources of interference generated by satellite earth stations
• Endorsement for expanded delivery of GVF’s VSAT Installation Certification Program
• Creation of a data-sharing centre, the SDA – Space Data Association, registered on the Isle of Man
• Endorsement of satellite-industry positions on C, Ku and Ka-band spectrum allocations

Attendance at the Forum is free, but registration is required as seating will be limited and security clearances will apply. To reserve a place for your organization pre-register at: www.rfi-eui.org.