With the increasing demand for High Definition (HD) programming, more and more service providers and broadcasters are stepping up their infrastructure in order to provide the coveted services. Arqiva is one such company. SatMagazine talked with Arqiva Satellite Media Solutions Senior Vice President Simon Thrush to discuss recent developments on the HD front.

SatMagazine
Simon, let’s start this discussion with the biggest news for Arqiva – at the end of July, the company announced a new HD platform was available from the United States for Occasional Use broadcasters. Would you tell us about this platform and what makes it unique?

Simon Thrush
Our new HD MPEG 2 and 4 Occasional Use platform is fully functional and supports both U.S. and European Broadcasters in distributing their HD content. We’ve invested in new state of the art facilities at Arqiva’s Washington, D.C. location to provide these services for an undeniably expanding market.

SatMagazine
With this infrastructure investment, do you anticipate a significant increase in demand for HD programming?

Simon Thrush
In a word, yes. We have been asked more and more by our clients for this type of service. We felt, given the tremendous appetite for HD in the U.S., and the growing demand for it in Europe, now was the right time to invest in the new platform. The reaction so far has been extremely positive.

SatMagazine
A lot has been said lately regarding the connectivity between satellite and fiber — how do you see the two working together?

Simon Thrush
We see the connectivity technologies as complementary as we use both fiber and satellite in our own network and facilities. This gives customers maximum flexibility regarding what they wish to accomplish. This dual capability allows us to provide a more complete solution and seamless connectivity for our customers. I see no reason why this cannot — and should not — continue.

SatMagazine
The U.S-based Satellite Media Solutions division has hit the market by storm. What do you see as the key differentiators between you and your competitors?

Simon Thrush
Arqiva SMS now operates one of the largest teleport and fiber networks. In my opinion, however, that’s not enough to allow us to provide true end-to-end services for our clients. What Arqiva brings to the table, in addition to the teleport and fiber networks, are the studios, playout and production, satellite newsgathering and Outside Broadcasting services. What makes Arqiva unique is our ability to provide everything a client would want or need. I think it’s important from a customer’s point of view to be able to deal with one company, one contact, and certainly one bill.

SatMagazine
When Arqiva talks about being “global”, how global is the company? And what are some of the main services Arqiva is focusing on?

Simon Thrush
To me, the term global means our company’s ability to provide services to our clients who may be located anywhere in the world. In our experience, customers want a good, high-quality service from a reliable and professional organization at a cost effective price. Having facilities in the U.S., U.K., and other locations throughout Europe, allows us to do this.

SatMagazine
Arqiva has been announcing the The London Switch. Exactly what is this technology and why is it important? Will U.S. switching centers be able to leverage this feature?

Simon Thrush
Arqiva has partnered in the U.K. with The Switch to provide an innovative new service. The London Switch is the U.K.’s most advanced HD and SD switching service using state-of-the-art technology to provide point-to-multipoint switching at up to 3 Gbit/s. One of the unique features is the intuitive software that gives customers full control of their ports from their own broadcast facilities. The service also includes dedicated customer-controlled international connectivity, including U.S. switching centers in Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

SatMagazine
The U.S. presence of Arqiva is the result of the British Telecom acquisition. Do you anticipate any additional acquisitions in the U.S.?

Simon Thrush
We do anticipate additional acquisitions in the U.S. but probably not in the near future. Business is going well and we’re not in a hurry to make changes right now. Any acquisition would have to add value to the business and be complementary to our business model. If the correct opportunity comes along, we’ll certainly look into it and we will, of course, be monitoring the landscape to make sure we stay on top of changes and customer needs. Whatever we do needs to make sense for the company and for our customers.

SatMagazine
There are a number of notable events coming up, not the least of which are the presidential elections in the U.S. What role, if any, will Arqiva be playing in transmitting the elections to interested viewers?

Simon Thrush
This brings me back to discussing our new HD facility in Washington, D.C., which is connected to the rest of the Arqiva facilities in the U.S. and Europe. We have already experienced a great deal of interest in using this new capability and services booked to date are a solid confirmation this is an ideal gateway for our clients. Clearly, the elections are one of the most significant events in the U.S. and, as such, these new HD services will be invaluable to news clients looking to acquire, and send, high quality news feeds around the world.

SatMagazine
Taking the crystal ball in hand, where do you see Arqiva in five years?

Simon Thrush
I would like to see the company double current revenue in the U.S. due to the introduction of new products and services. I think Arqiva has constructed a sound foundation with our state-of-the-art facilities, our unique product portfolio, and tremendous global resources.