October 2014Connecting communities through resilient wireless communications infrastructure

The BAI Group showcases its Australian and international capabilities

2Hostworks delivers global supergroup Coldplay to worldwide digital audience

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BAI trials solar powered telecom tower in Muswellbrook, NSW5P25 Solution Centre comes to Comms Connect7

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Coldplay connects to 60,000 worldwide digital listeners using Hostworks’ Media Foundry product

Benoit Daoust/Shutterstock.com

THE BAI GROUP CAPABILITIES SHOWCASE

AUSTRALIATo celebrate the 8th annual Comms Connect Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne, the BAI Group takes a look at its capabilities and projects in Australian public and critical communications.

Broadcast Australia (BA), owner of more than 600 transmission sites, is relied upon to ensure broadcasting remains on air, especially in times of emergency.

Airwave has a proven track record of delivering mission-critical communications services for public safety, as well as private network solutions.

Hostworks provides digital solutions that give clients the capabilities to rigorously monitor and understand their social media, to digitally broadcast live events and manage digital campaigns.

DIGITAL RESTACKFrom 2012 BA successfully managed the national spectrum clearance of the 700MHz band for all Australian national television services. By the end of 2013, all Australian analogue television services were switched off, enabling new digital services to be rolled out across the country.

MANAGING SHARED INFRASTRUCTUREBA provides engineering capability and equipment to facilitate broadcasts and transmissions, including ABC and SBS television programming, telecommunications and police, fire and rescue services.

NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTRE (NOC) BA’s sophisticated multi-million dollar facility in Sydney is the power behind its ability to manage transmissions in digital and analogue modes using MW, SW, VHF and UHF spectrums.

NSW GOVERNMENT RADIO NETWORK (NSW GRN)Airwave operates and maintains the NSW GRN, one of the largest trunked radio networks in the world. The NSW GRN covers approx. 266,000 km2 and services more than 28,000 users.

ERGON ENERGYServicing more than 177,000km of Southern Queensland, Airwave has created an international standard communications network that Ergon emergency response field crews can rely on.

NSW BUSHFIRESThroughout the catastrophic 2013 NSW bushfires, Airwave worked closely with the NSW Telco Authority and the NSW Rural Fire Service to add much-needed capacity to the radio communications network facilitating the emergency services’ minute-to-minute critical communications.

VICTORIAN SPECIAL EMERGENCY SERVICES (VICSES)Since 2011 Hostworks has acted as the external host of the VICSES website and content management system (CMS). The website and CMS features the best security record of any open-source CMS, protecting the emergency service provider from external threats.

2014 LITTLE ATHLETICS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (ALAC)ALAC teamed up with Hostworks to provide high-definition, livestreaming capabilities for the national championships. The online broadcast brought hundreds of young competitors into the homes of family and friends around the country, generating more than 4,500 views on the ALAC website - an increase of 450 percent on 2013 attendance.

imamember /iStock

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THE BAI GROUP CAPABILITIES SHOWCASE

INTERNATIONAL

Transit Wireless is managing the delivery of wireless voice, data and emergency services to the New York City subway system’s estimated 34 million weekly commuters, at each of its 278 underground stations.

First launching wireless services to six New York City subway stations in 2011, the project currently delivers wireless access to more than 100 subway stations, offering commuters Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE wireless services.

Made possible by an innovative financing arrangement with the New York City Transit Authority, the project’s capital costs, some $200 million, will be funded by Transit Wireless, with the operational network’s revenue to be shared between Transit Wireless and the authority.

When the project is complete, it is estimated that 7,000 multi-frequency distributed antennas will be deployed and 5,000 access points will be connected to the outside world by 350 radio nodes and over 200km of fibre optic cable.

RFE has built, designed, installed and maintained communications systems for more than 15 years for the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR), one of the world’s busiest and most profitable rapid transit railway systems.

RFE has kept the Hong Kong MTR at the cutting edge of confined space communications by performing continuous radio systems upgrades, mobile phone system installations, and critical sub-system updates to the network.

RFE has employed the expertise it has gained from working extensively on the Hong Kong MTR within the Asia-Pacific, on high-profile rapid transit projects in Singapore, Thailand and the People’s Republic of China.

RFE works closely with the government in Hong Kong on diverse communications projects including replacing police radio systems, installing communications equipment in critical tunnels and designing and building radio systems for Hong Kong’s central government complex.

BAI Canada is building a comprehensive wireless communications system to extend Wi-Fi and wireless network coverage to all Toronto subway and rail commuters.

By project completion BAI Canada will have rolled out Wi-Fi and wireless network connectivity within the 61 underground subway stations, all corresponding 65 above-ground platforms, and all mezzanines, walkways, passageways and stairs.

BAI Canada will own and operate the wireless communications network and function as a single point of contact for all Toronto licensed wireless services providers to extend their mobile services to the more than 1.3 million daily subway riders.

BAI Canada has been able to partner with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and provide a complete solution, from the design and build phase, right through to the ongoing operation and maintenance of the new network.

In New York, Hong Kong and Toronto, the BAI Group provides advanced wireless, Wi-Fi and fibre technology solutions to enable high-quality subway, in-building and confined-space communications in some of the world’s busiest transport systems.

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pio3/Shutterstock.com tr3gin/Shutterstock.com xavierarnau/iStock

...the project currently delivers wireless access to more than 100 subway stations.

...the Hong Kong MTR is at the cutting edge of confined space communications.

...mobile services will be extended to the more than 1.3 million daily subway riders.

So what technology did you need to digitally broadcast Coldplay worldwide? Hostworks has developed a product for managing and distributing live and on-demand content called Media Foundry. It’s called that because where a traditional foundry uses a mould for working and shaping and producing various metals, we’ve created a specially designed product that breaks the traditional mould, giving users back the control over their media. Through a bespoke all-in-one media delivery solution, users can manage all their video assets and content on one solution, across dynamic environments and their evolutionary needs.

Media Foundry brings many different digital content services – media encoding, upload and content management, live and on-demand video distribution, analytics, subscriber management and site building – together, in one fast, high-quality, easy-to-use product. We can use it to stream content as simple as a series of files, or deploy it to manage something as complex as a global live-streaming event.

At the Coldplay concert, the Hostworks team used Media Foundry to capture and encode Coldplay’s live content, and distribute it over high-speed broadband, 3G and 4G networks to SCA’s 90 mobile optimised websites, and through 72 different smartphone apps. Due to the scale of the event, and the number of digital channels involved, the team closely monitored bandwidth allocation to ensure that each virtual concert goer received a smooth, rich media experience.

So Media Foundry is great for broadcasting live events – what else can you use it for?We think there’s a huge amount of scope for Media Foundry to be used in the corporate communications space. Any organisation that has multiple offices or branches, and which holds regular meetings, conferences, events and parties, can benefit from easy-to-use, high-quality streamed content.

Where was Coldplay’s concert held, and how many people attended?Coldplay performed a one-off Australian show at The Enmore Theatre, a small, atmospheric venue in Sydney’s inner-west, on Thursday 19 June. The venue holds approximately 1,600 people, however 60,000 additional listeners were able to tune in digitally, more than 35 times the number who attended the show live.

Just over half of the digital audience were Australian listeners, with the remaining listeners drawn from more than 130 other countries. Many overseas listeners tuned in from countries you would expect, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Japan and Germany; however we also had fans from countries like Indonesia, The Philippines and Greece.

What was Hostworks’ role at the Coldplay concert? We feel privileged to have worked with Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and such a talented group of individuals on such an ambitious project. Coldplay delivered on the stage, and SCA expertly recorded Coldplay’s music. We acted like ‘digital roadies’ to Coldplay and SCA, taking the music that had been created and recorded, and encoding and broadcasting it to the eagerly awaiting worldwide digital audience. For us, it was important that the sound quality and audio engagement experience was just as good for the digital listeners as it was for those in the theatre.

Fresh from the success of delivering supergroup Coldplay to a global digital audience, we sat down with Hostworks’ Chief Executive Officer Will Berryman to find out more about the concert, and the technology used on the night.

Hostworks delivers global supergroup Coldplay to worldwide digital audience

Just over half of the digital audience were Australian listeners, with the remaining listeners drawn from more than 130 other countries.

Benoit Daoust/Shutterstock.com

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BAI trialling innovative solutions that assist in lowering energy network operational costs.Hundreds of remote communications infrastructure sites could be transformed to provide more sustainable, cost-effective and reliable services, depending on the results of a pioneering trial underway in regional Australia.

The BAI Group has joined forces with solar power solutions provider Photon Energy to trial a renewable energy based solution to powering one of its television and radio broadcast antennas, located in the small regional town of Muswellbrook, New South Wales.

As part of the trial – funded by the German Energy Agency (dena) – Photon Energy has replaced the former grid-linked power system with a German-made, 215kWh solar PV powered battery system, which features sufficient power generation and storage capabilities to provide the antenna with constant, 24-hour power.

BAI Group Chief Executive Officer Jim Hassell said he was excited about the possibilities that a successful trial could deliver to the BAI Group.

“As a service provider that relies heavily on external market forces, it’s exciting to think that soon we’ll be able to generate much of our own power,” Mr Hassell said.

“The longer-term outcome of this project will prove beneficial for our customers in many ways, as we’ll be able to provide them with a lower carbon footprint, more cost certainty and improved reliability against the grid in remote locations.”

The trial of design and equipment in Muswellbrook will be operational by the end of 2014. It has the potential to deliver proof that renewable energy can significantly enhance the delivery of vital communications in regional Australia by cutting power costs and increasing the reliability of power, while at the same time reducing the BAI Group’s carbon footprint.

Photon Energy Australia Managing Director Michael Gartner said the company was proud to be involved in the trial and thrilled to demonstrate how solar power could benefit regional telecommunications.

“The potential for solar PV in the replacement of conventional energy sources is substantial and will bring cost benefits and emissions savings for Australia in the coming years and decades,” Mr Gartner said.

“We are thrilled that we can show how to incorporate solar PV into any given energy system and prove that using abundant sunlight for your own power consumption is the way forward.”

According to Mr Hassell, a successful trial could see hundreds of telecom towers throughout regional Australia transformed to produce sufficient clean, renewable energy to power their operations.

“We’re looking forward to assessing the outcomes of this project for a potential future network-wide implementation,” Mr Hassell said.

“The BAI Group currently operates 346 sites with a low annual consumption of electricity, and similar characteristics to the trial site.

“Each site experiences higher costs than our high consumption sites, is usually located in remote areas, and has a poorer quality of power supply, with outages caused by the loss of mains power.”

“The installation of solar at these sites would further BAI’s strong commitment to CSR and reducing carbon emissions, while potentially providing increased certainty of cost, and better reliability of supply.”

The solar PV system being used in the trial is a German engineered and designed 96 panel, 39kWp solar PV power installation, linked to 24 BAE batteries with 215 kWh of storage, 3 inverters, a monitoring system and an 8 kVA diesel back-up system for emergencies.

The potential for solar PV in the replacement of conventional energy sources is substantial and will bring cost benefits and emissions savings

for Australia in the coming years and decades.

BAI and Photon Energy switch to green energy with solar power storage technology

Gyuszko-Photo/Shutterstock.com

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BAI Group is proud to announce Mr. Brad Freeman in the newly created role of Director, Account Management and Business Development.

Mr Freeman brings a wealth of experience to BAI through his previous roles as Vice President, Global Business Solutions, Asia-Pacific at the Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and Vice

President, Consulting & Systems Integration for Hewlett-Packard, Asia-Pacific.

BAI Group CEO Jim Hassell said Mr Freeman’s strong account and business leadership skills, supported by thorough commercial and industry perspectives, will be critical in BAI’s future endeavours.

Brad Freeman joins BAI as new Director of Account Management and Business Development

“Mr Freeman takes responsibility for a number of our external facing business groups, strengthening these key divisions to meet the new opportunities in the industry,” Mr Hassell said.

“We’re thrilled to have Mr Freeman join us in this new role.

“Over the past few years, BAI has been responsible for some very successful nationwide projects such as the analogue TV switch-off and the Federal Government’s restack program.

“Mr Freeman has been brought on board to consolidate and build on our new growth initiatives once these programs are fully completed.”

Within the newly created role, Mr Freeman’s responsibilities include account management, business development, site sharing, government relations, product development, sales operations and brand communications.

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BAI Group CEO Jim Hassell and SBS CEO Michael Ebeid will band together for the 5th year in a row to lead a combined SBS-Broadcast Australia team cycling to support those affected by Multiple Sclerosis in this year’s Sydney to the Gong Bike Ride on Sunday 2 November.

Having fielded the largest team in each of the last two Sydney to the Gong events, Broadcast Australia and SBS

Broadcast Australia wishes former SBS journalist cadet and Living Black video journalist Larteasha Griffen all the best with her career, following the conclusion of more than three successful years of production,

have set their sights on breaking their 2013 record of 215 participating riders and more than $144,000 raised.

BAI Group CEO Jim Hassell said he was proud to be maintaining Broadcast Australia’s long-running support for the event.

“The Sydney to the Gong Ride is a fantastic event which delivers support, raises awareness, and gives a real

recording, learning and adventure with the broadcaster.

Larteasha began her tenure at SBS in 2011 with a year-long Indigenous journalist cadetship, sponsored by Broadcast Australia.

SBS Indigenous Internship Program

sense of community and achievement to everybody involved,” Mr Hassell said.

“Each year, the event generates a real buzz at Broadcast Australia and inspires some healthy competition for both the ride itself and individual fundraising efforts.”

Multiple Sclerosis is the most common disease of the central nervous system and affects more than 23,000 Australians.

At the conclusion of her internship year, Larteasha started in a full-time position as a video journalist, producing content for the network’s Indigenous current affairs program Living Black.

Broadcast Australia Supporting the Community

CEOs to lead MS Sydney to the Gong Contingent

The delegation visited to discuss network digitisation, as the Ministry and National Broadcaster advance their plans to move to DVB T2 and MPEG4. BA recommended that the Ministry consider HEVC based video coding.

The visit came as BA released a technical paper that positions Australia as a leader, and shows how the terrestrial platform can deliver greater choice, quality and reduced costs. To read more, please visit: http://bit.ly/1q7Sbpl.

30 September – 2 OctoberComms Connect Conference and Exhibition and ARCIA Gala DinnerMelbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreFor more information: www.comms-connect.com.au

8 - 10 October 2014M&E NSW (Mining & Engineering NSW)Newcastle Entertainment Centre, NSWFor more information: www.miningandengineeringnsw.com.au

27 - 28 October 2014Longwall ConferenceCrowne Plaza, Hunter Valley, NSWFor more information: www.longwallconference.com.au

27 - 28 October 2014LGAQ Annual ConferenceMackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, QLDFor more information: www.lgaq.asn.au/web/guest/118th-annual-conference

UPCOMING EVENTSBAI Group representatives will be in attendance at the following events:

Broadcast Australia releases technical paper following visit by the Ministry of Communications of Malaysia

BAI’s Brett Savill was invited to speak about the successful confined communications solutions Transit Wireless has delivered, including Wi-Fi to the New York City subway at the Comms Connect Sydney event on 19 June.

Brett Savill at Comms Connect Sydney

P25 Solution CentreThe P25 Solution Centre will be at the 2014 Comms Connect Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne, at stand 54. An industry initiative for testing multi-vendor interoperability, the P25 Solution Centre provides the perfect environment to experience a specified system working in a real-life situation. Made up of a number of market-leading radio infrastructure, dispatch and terminal vendors working collaboratively to deliver a range of open standards based P25 technology solutions, the PSC will be offering live demonstrations of ISSI and CSSI.

For more information visit: www.p25solutioncentre.com.au

As seen in Critical Comms!

In late June, Broadcast Australia received a delegation from the National Broadcaster and Ministry of Communications of Malaysia.

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BAI IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE 2014 COMMS CONNECT CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION. VISIT US AT STAND 121 TO SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.