WTA published its “Delays in Occasional-Use Satellite Access” report Oct. 16 to investigate problems reported by its members in gaining timely access to OU satellite capacity. The report cited the two biggest causes of delays in cross-pol isolation and testing signal power procedures as interference on the transponder caused by a third party and an attempt by the end-user to use capacity that had been scheduled, typically for full-time use, by a third party.

WTA Executive Director and report author Robert Bell said that WTA-member teleport operators began reporting issues with gaining timely occasional-use access to satellite capacity at the end of 2011. 

“There are clearly issues, and for a minority of teleport operators, they are serious,” said Bell. “But respondents believe that only a relatively small percentage of such issues relate directly to the performance of satellite operator staff or systems … In the television business in particular, OU access is time-critical. WTA set out to learn how frequent and serious the issue was for teleport operators providing OU services, and what the root causes might be.”

Bell added that member teleport executives reported increasing delays in completing access procedures, which they felt were putting at risk their ability to meet the needs of their customers.

The WTA study suggests three specific areas that could be addressed between teleport operators and satellite operators: better expectation-setting for OU end-users; examining procedures for providing access to capacity leased through third parties; and addressing satellite interference.

“All the satellite operators contacted for this report appear eager to better understand OU-related concerns and to work collaboratively on improvements,” said Bell.