Delivery/MCR

BASED IN BELFAST OUR DIVISION DELIVERS A COMPREHENSIVE AND HIGHLY FLEXIBLE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE, SUPPORTING NEWS, SPORT, AND LIVE PRODUCTION ACROSS THE BBC AND THE WIDER BROADCAST LANDSCAPE.

We operate two fully steerable satellite dishes, a 3.8m and a 2.2m antenna providing access to a wide range of orbital positions. This capability allows us to operate frequently on the BBC satellite lease, while also enabling reception from a wide range of non BBC satellite space. As a result, we are well placed to downlink live sports feeds, major events, and ad hoc contribution services from satellite providers.

Our reception infrastructure includes a bank of 12 Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs), allowing multiple services to be received and managed simultaneously. Satellite communications are controlled via Paradise, with dual cards in place. In addition to satellite inputs, decoders are equipped with ASI inputs, enabling seamless integration of radio camera and other contribution feeds into the wider broadcast chain.

We also maintain spectrum analysers and comprehensive monitoring facilities, allowing continuous assessment of signal quality, interference, and carrier performance. This enables rapid fault diagnosis, verification of transmission parameters, and assurance that all services meet required technical and regulatory standards.

This technical capability is underpinned by a highly experienced team of specialist operators. The team provides end to end satellite support, including:

• Booking and managing satellite space across BBC and third party capacity
• Clearing uplink and downlink transmissions with Ofcom and notifying air traffic control
• Coordinating and supporting live broadcasts, with real time fault finding and problem resolution
• Distributing incoming feeds reliably to production, broadcast, and downstream platforms

Together, our infrastructure, operational flexibility, and specialist expertise ensure the delivery of dependable, broadcast grade satellite services from Belfast, supporting everything from planned network transmissions to fast moving live and breaking events.