Satellite Broadcast

Satellites have been used in broadcast for many years, in particular as a direct-to-home service and for contribution/distribution feeds, but it is only quite recently that the traditional, almost passive, role of satellites has been challenged. Now, attention has turned to the broadband and interactive potential of satellite services, as well as the convergence with other technologies such as mobile communications, global positioning and the Internet.

ETSI technical committee SES (Satellite Earth Stations and Systems) develops standards for a wide range of issues concerning satellite communications: these include satellite communication services and applications (including mobile and broadcasting), earth stations and earth station equipment, especially the radio frequency interfaces and network and/or user interfaces and protocols implemented in earth stations and satellite systems.

Satellite digital radio

In 2006, ETSI produced the first technical specifications to enable the provision of digital radio systems over Europe by satellites, along similar lines to the successful systems operating in the United States. Satellite digital radio will deliver tens of high-quality audio channels with associated services.

News and contribution links

ETSI has standards for Satellite News Gathering (SNG) and for television contribution applications by satellite, consisting of point-to-point or point-to-multipoint transmissions, connecting fixed or transportable uplink and receiving stations. The specification for the second generation Digital Video Broadcasting by Satellite (DVB-S2), European Standard EN 302 307, includes provision for Digital TV Contribution and Satellite News Gathering (DTVC/DSNG).

The following is a list of recently published and frequently downloaded standards. Please use the ETSI Work Programme to find further related standards.