Springing Forward

Posted on April 6, 2021 in ATSC News

As ATSC 3.0 deployments continue for U.S. markets, a significant announcement about the international potential of the technology helps us look forward to the future. 

The month of March saw two more markets launch ATSC 3.0 services – Syracuse and Buffalo – and Grand Rapids / Kalamazoo stations filed commercial license applications to begin ATSC 3.0 broadcasting. History suggests that in just a few weeks, consumers will see NextGen TV services in that market, too.

On March 2, 2021, India’s telecom standards development organization (TSDSI) and ATSC inked an agreement paving the way for TSDSI to adopt ATSC 3.0 standards. India boasts over 1.2 billion cell phones, and like elsewhere in the world, is experiencing exponential growth in video data traffic. This and other factors support the goal of direct-to-mobile broadcast services and offloading traffic from two-way distribution systems to broadcast distribution systems as much as possible. In addition, over 70% of the population in India lives in rural areas, and broadcast solutions can be powerful systems for reaching everyone.

This milestone agreement not only allows TSDSI to adopt ATSC 3.0 standards, but also to adapt them to the needs of India. While this is just the first step forward, it will be exciting  to see how India’s talented engineers might extend and improve ATSC 3.0.

Back by popular demand, starting April 12 SMPTE will be running a third session of its ATSC 3.0 Virtual Course, “Understanding ATSC 3.0 – NextGen TV and the Future of Broadcasting”. The first two sessions saw over three dozen students successfully complete the course. Taught by industry experts Aldo Cugnini, Glenn Reitmeier and Dave Siegler – and backed by SMPTE’s professional education program – it’s no surprise that the course itself gets consistently high marks.

Learning about ATSC 3.0 can feel like “drinking from a firehose” and so the three instructors have carefully crafted the course to give practitioners the perfect baseline understanding they need to plan a station rollout. There are also many opportunities for students and instructors to interact both offline and during live “instructor sessions” for each module, affording an opportunity for dynamic group discussions. Not only are the instructors able to provide comments and insights that go beyond the course details, but attendees also learn from one another through questions that they may not have thought to ask. If you or someone you know is looking for a great way to learn “just enough” math, science and Shannon Limits to begin working with ATSC 3.0, I encourage you explore this opportunity.

After many years of excellent work, Daro Bruno has moved on from ATSC. I know I speak on behalf of all of us in the ATSC community in expressing deep gratitude to Daro for his professional work and support of ATSC’s mission for many years, and wishing him all the best in his future endeavors.

With next-generation broadcasting continuing to pick up momentum from coast to coast, indeed across the globe, ATSC is springing forward. Whether your organization already is an ATSC member or you are considering joining, there’s never been a better time to participate in our standards-development and advocacy efforts.

Madeleine Noland, ATSC President

Posted in ATSC News