In an earlier insight, we offered a quick reference guide to 10 common (but sometimes confusing) satellite industry acronyms and abbreviations. While it was a lengthy list, it wasn’t exhaustive. Here are five more popular acronyms along with simple explanations to help you navigate the ABCs of the satellite industry.
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FDMA – Frequency Division Multiple Access – Used in satellite communication systems and telephone trunklines, FDMA is one of two ways to divide limited spectrum into multiple channels or frequency bands. Each ground station is allocated a particular frequency group (or a range of frequencies). FDMA is usually implemented in narrow band systems and best for analog communications. (The other way to divide bandwidth is TDMA, #3, below.)
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MNO – Mobile Network Operators provide telecommunications services, including wireless voice and data communication for their subscribers. MNOs are independent enterprises that own or operate the complete telecom infrastructure for hosting and managing mobile communications for subscribers. Hughes serves MNOs around the world; depending upon their needs, Hughes may supply just the satellite ground system equipment for backhaul sites or a fully integrated backhaul network including equipment, network management and satellite capacity – either from our own JUPITER™ Ka-band high-throughput fleet over the Americas or our partner operators worldwide.
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TDMA - Time Division Multiplexing Access – A digital modulation technique used in cellular telephone and mobile radio communication. TDMA is used to divide spectrum bands over a radio frequency (RF) cellular channel, separating users by time rather than frequency. Each user occupies the entire RF channel, but at different time slots.
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SCMA – Scramble Code Multiple Access waveform – The unique Hughes Scrambled Code Multiple Access (SCMA) waveform is designed for micro satellite terminals and to allow smaller antennas to use bandwidth more efficiently. Featured on Hughes HM400 series modems, SCMA allows high data throughput rates that can process high-definition video and data transmissions over multiple frequencies (L-, Ku-, Ka-, Mil Ka, and X-band), and extends a satellite terminal’s capabilities. SCMA is an essential technology for protecting Military SATCOM transmissions in every theater – on helicopters, aboard RPAs, on the water and on the ground.
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HTS – High Throughput Satellites – HTS are powerful satellites that provide far more throughput than their earlier counterparts for the same amount of allocated orbital spectrum. Since the launch of our first HTS in 2007, Hughes has engineered some of the highest capacity Ka-band broadband satellites in the world. Today, the JUPITER™ System is the world's most widely deployed ground platform for both conventional and High Throughput Satellites.
At Hughes, we not only simplify networking, but we also make it easier to understand the complex world of satellites, technology and connectivity.