Azercosmos Business Projects Manager Elshad Mammadov took part in the II International Hybrid Exhibition and Conference Broadcasting / Cinema / Pro AV 2023 Azerbaijan with a presentation on the topic “Problems and areas of activity of Azercosmos: telecommunication services in the spotlight”.
The 2nd International Hybrid Exhibition-Conference Broadcasting / Cinema / Pro AV 2023 Azerbaijan took place on November 21-22, 2023, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Organizers: TFT1957 LLC, RAYS, supported by Azercosmos.
Elshad Mammadov: I would like to share some information about our agency, Azercosmos. The company was established by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on May 3, 2010. The agency is responsible for the control and management of its own satellites. For this purpose, a ground station has been built, with the main site located in the Absheron region of Azerbaijan and a backup station in Nakhchivan. These stations have a wide range of functionalities, including antennas that allow us to control our satellites.
Azercosmos Operations
Let’s talk about our work with space satellites. Azercosmos is a space agency established to launch and manage telecommunications and Earth observation satellites. Our work involves providing telecommunication services and customer support, including:
• Telecommunication services and solutions
• Earth observation services and solutions
• Teleport services
• DRS services
• Managed Services
Satellites
We have two satellites. The first satellite, Azerspace-1, was launched in 2013 and is positioned in geostationary orbit at 46 degrees East longitude. This satellite has a hybrid payload that includes both C-band and Ku-band antennas, providing telecommunications services and covering various regions including Europe, Africa, India, and Central Asia.
The second satellite, Azerspace-2, entered orbit in 2018 and also provides telecommunications services, operating in the Ku-band. It covers regions such as Western and Eastern Africa, Europe and Central Asia (with one beam for both regions), as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan (also with one beam).
With Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2, we broadcast over 200 TV and radio channels across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Central Asia. We collaborate with companies worldwide, with 80% of our partners located abroad.
Telecommunication Services
Let’s take a closer look at our telecommunication services and their application in various fields. We provide a wide range of services:
• Video Broadcasting and Content Distribution:
We offer services for broadcasting and distributing video content. Our clients primarily use this service to deliver various types of signal content. This includes contribution and distribution services, where our satellites play a key role in signal transmission to users. We also provide satellite services for temporary events such as sports competitions, events, and more.
• Data Projects:
A few years ago, we developed the Newtec platform, which specializes in data transmission for various clients. This includes maritime clients—particularly for ships and platforms in the Caspian Sea and other regions. This service is provided via Azerspace-1.
• VNO Services:
Clients manage their own network built on our Newtec and IDirect platform to ensure data transmission.
• Mobile Backhaul:
We develop solutions for signal delivery in areas lacking access to fiber-optic networks. Connectivity is ensured through Mobile Backhaul, including the use of partner teleport services and other solutions.
• Hosting Service:
These are hosting services for our clients. They can install their equipment with us and use our facilities as a hosting service for their needs.
It is important to note that we serve clients both locally and globally, providing continuous connectivity and support for a wide range of video and data projects.
Research Findings
In 2021, we conducted a survey among our clients and gathered the following information:
Number of Broadcast Channels:
We provide over 200 TV and radio channels distributed through our two satellites, Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2. This allows us to ensure high-quality broadcasting.
Languages Used:
We serve clients worldwide and offer services in various European languages as well as English and Arabic.
Professional Technical Support:
We have a highly qualified technical team that provides continuous customer support. Our Operations Center is staffed with engineers on shift, ready to respond to customer inquiries and provide necessary assistance.
Rapid Service Activation:
We understand that in some situations, urgent service activation is required. We have ready terminals that can be installed on-site to provide reliable internet access, even in emergency situations.
Network Management:
Our NOC (Network Operations Center) team ensures continuous management and monitoring of our network, guaranteeing high service availability and quality for our clients.
Teleport Service
In addition to broadcasting, Azercosmos also provides partner teleport services. Our station is equipped with a teleport service featuring antennas that offer a wide range of services:
– Hosting and colocation services
– Uplink and downlink services
– Backup facilities
– TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking, and Control) operations
– Shared antenna use
– Consulting on fabrication and installation.
Several antennas on the station belong to third-party companies using Azercosmos infrastructure to transmit their signals. The teleport organizes content delivery and distribution by coordinating signals in both directions between the ground station and satellites.
This Field antenna teleport service was established at the station in the early 2000s, and since then, we have significantly expanded its capabilities.
The station hosts several antennas, including uplink (data transmission to the satellite), downlink (data reception from the satellite), and backup antennas (communication services).
We have also received a certificate from the World Teleport Association for the quality and reliability of our services (Tier 4), and just recently, the certificate was renewed for another 3 years.
Earth Observation Solutions
In addition to telecommunications, we serve clients in the field of Earth observation.
We provide a variety of satellite and imaging services for our clients. One of our satellites captures images, and we deliver these images to clients based on their requests. These images can be used for various purposes, and here are some of the benefits they offer:
• High-resolution images that ensure clear and detailed visuals.
• Fast delivery of images to clients.
• A specialized platform for processing and analyzing received data.
• Training and consultation services for clients who want to learn how to work with images and data.
Additionally, our experts are involved in various projects, including participation in educational programs. We continuously collaborate with different organizations and institutions both nationally and internationally.
We are always ready to support our clients and provide assistance in various projects!
