BROADCASTING SERVICES

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In 2007 Kuwait's Ministry of Information awarded ACC a contract to provide a turnkey project for a DAB/DMB, a fully redundant head-end system which had to be the encoding/multiplexing part of a complete DAB network for the Kuwait Ministry of Information. The system had to be based on a classical N+N redundancy method. 

The main challenges were to implement the project within a short period of time and to install the antennas on top of the tower metal mast at Kuwait Liberation Tower. 

ACC provided a turnkey integrated project including design, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, and support for the first Terminal DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) station in the Middle East for the Kuwait's Ministry of Information (Kuwait Radio). The DAB transmitting system provided was in passive stand-by configuration as the core part of a turnkey solution featuring encoders & multiplexers, antenna system, supervisory system, and numerous DAB receivers. 

• The Kuwait DAB system is distributed over two locations. Both the service providing and ensemble providing equipment are located at the Kuwait Ministry of Information. 
• The DAB ensemble is then converted to an optical signal and transmitted through a 12 core fiber (1.2 km) to the transmitters.
• The DAB transmitting system (which includes the antenna system and DAB exciters with single board COFDM encoders) was installed at the Kuwait Liberation Tower, at a height of 190 meters above sea level. 
• The transmitting system consists of a 2KW transmitter and a standby 500W transmitter each with its own exciter. 
• A control/monitor unit provides auto and manual switching between the main and standby transmitters.

The DAB system was officially commissioned in February 2007 and operates in the VHF band III (174 – 220 MHz). 11B is the frequency that has been used (216.8 MHz). ACC provided the needed technical and operational training to make DAB in Kuwait a reality.  

Currently, the system is operated by Radio Kuwait and there is a multiplex of 8 radio channels being broadcast. Content ranges from temporary music, both in English and Arabic to older more traditional music.

With this project, the Ministry of Information established the first digital audio broadcast station allowing listeners with proper equipment to receive high-fidelity audio programs.

National Bank of Kuwait needed to have  Broadband Microwave Network Solution 

The requirements of this network calls for a high-speed, resilient solution that is able to withstand Kuwait’s extreme weather, and able to connect all of the banks many branches located throughout Kuwait, together with the head office and provide an SLA to ensure continuous operations of all NBK branches without any interruption. 

The microwave network was able to allow NBK to benefit from many additional services such as: 

• Centralization of the CCTV security surveillance and CCTV video transmission and recording.
• Centralized CRM services.
• High speed intranet and internet access from HQ to the branches.
• Consolidated server support from HQ instead of a server at each branch.
• High bandwidth in branches, facilitating high quality video conferencing.
• Provide ITU high grade microwave links to each branch and eliminate the dependence of any multi-branch business on local telecom service providers.
• Linking shall be able to provide high-grade reliability and the network is to be based on distributed architecture with a single point of failure.
• Withstanding any types of extreme weather conditions without any problem.

This project enabled us to successfully pioneer the concept of independency in the banking sector and we were able to deliver a telecom network that is both economically sound and offers far more advantages than copper or radio technologies. 

Our solution offered NBK & ABK the opportunity to rely on this network and recover the down-time. In addition to the technical achievements, NBK & ABK network offers, customer satisfaction through high productivity and scalable capacity and enables easy expansion and high level of security. 

Today we continue to provide NBK with round the clock maintenance and support for this network, keeping it working in perfect condition.