Occasional Use Of North American Transponders For Video Services Jumps

A new study has found that occasional use of North American satellite transponders for video services rose by 51.9 percent during the second quarter of 2004. The Clarksburg, Md.-based Communications Center reported that the actual number of occasional-use transponders in North America rose from 52 to 79. Those transponders primarily are used for satellite newsgathering, teleconferencing, sports and education.

The Communications Center defines occasional video transponders as those that relayed traffic on at least one occasion during the quarter. However, most of the transponders handled occasional use traffic multiple times. Events contributing to the increase include former President Ronald Reagan’s memorial services, presidential campaign activities, basketball playoffs and other sports broadcasts.