The World Broadcasting Unions International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) has adopted a resolution in favour of requiring all satellite uplinks be clearly identifiable via a newly agreed Carrier ID specification, something that would help to mitigate harmful satellite interference.

Satellites play a vital role in television. Hanging in the sky, they provide broadcast services direct to homes, cable head-ends, or terrestrial transmitters. They also perform a vital role in the programme-making process by bringing back video and sound to a central studio from remote locations (called 'back-haul').

Complex international networks, such as the EBU's Eurovision network, link broadcasters around the world, enabling them to bring news, sport and entertainment to viewers.

All of these satellite services rely on an uplink transmitter to beam the signal up to a satellite, which retransmits it back down to Earth. The system works if the right uplink transmits the right signal on the right frequency at the right time to the satellite.

New specification

A new technical specification, termed Carrier ID, has been agreed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), based on DVB Project work, to which EBU Members contributed extensively. It is a specification for the technical labelling, including details of the sender, that should be available with transmitted uplink signals.

Sometimes incorrect uplink settings are used, accidentally or deliberately, causing interference to satellite services by blocking an uplink. If all uplinks included the Carrier ID in their transmission, fully complete with all information,  the source of the problem could be quickly identified and asked to rectify the problem. Life would be better for broadcasters and viewers alike if all uplinks included the Carrier ID.

The new WBU-ISOG resolution aims to encourage all uplinks to include Carrier ID in the coming years. The EBU is one of the eight broadcasting unions that form the World Broadcasting Unions.