[SatNews] How does a DTH provider's performance increase enough to add two channels on each of its 23 transponders?

Sky Italia, a major DTH provider in Europe, has used Newtec’s Equalink® DVB-S/S2 predistortion solution in connection with its innovative transmission solution, already filed as patent. The installation has resulted in a 10 per cent performance increase, equating to an additional two channels on each of its 23 transponders.
Italian-based Communication Video Engineering supported Sky Italia throughout the implementation of Newtec Modulators and Newtec’s Equalink® DVB-S/S2 predistortion systems.

Equalink provides significant improvements by predistorting the modulated signal to compensate for linear degradations generated by filters and non-linear degradations generated by satellite transponder amplifiers.

Sky Italia Innovation and Engineering Manager Massimo Bertolotti said that having trialled other solutions, Equalink impressed the team by making sizable improvements of 80 Mbit/s in total.

“Using this solution we can transmit the signal closer to the saturation of the transponder and closer to the edge of the transponder frequency range. As a result, more power and more throughput are available, and therefore more channels and services for our customers,” Bertolotti said. SKY Italia (www.sky.it) is the Italian pay-TV owned by News Corporation Limited. Launched in 2003 it has grown so rapidly as to reach 4,970,000 subscribers, as of June, 2011. SKY currently offers more than 190 thematic and pay per view channels, of which 37 are in HD, with a rich offer of cinema, sport, news, entertainment and programs for children.

Serge van Herck, CEO of Newtec, said the solution is designed to help Sky Italia and other DTH providers who are competing against an increasing number of alternative media providers. “Equalink has demonstrated its ability to increase the link efficiency for Sky Italia enabling it to offer even more value to its customers,” Van Herck said.

Van Herck added: “Equalink allows Sky Italia to optimize its satellite transponder usage and increase the transponder value. Also, by using this solution Sky Italia is able to provide maximum performance — even on the edge of its footprint.”

Equalink, as well as Sky Italia's innovative invention, can be used in conjunction with any standard satellite set-top box. Equalink is available as an option on Newtec’s industry leading Azimuth modulators, a professional satellite equipment series used by leading broadcasters, satellite and telecom operators world-wide.

For further information about Equalink go to.