This system is central to Alcatel's new Unlimited Mobile TV solution, the company said in a news release. The technical trial is focusing on the space aspects of the project, is preliminary to the research and development efforts for the terrestrial aspects of the project, which is being conducted with support from the French Industrial Innovation Agency.

CNES has financed and overseen the design and development of the demonstrator, set the trial schedule and is leading the trial. Orange, the leader in mobile broadcasting, is providing terrestrial repeater sites and contributing its expertise for analyzing results.

Alcatel is conducting all trial measurements and preparing the result analysis. In in addition, Eutelsat and SES Astra are supplying the satellite resources needed for feeding the repeaters.

The trial was initially scheduled to continue through September, but based on initial results, project managers have decided to extend the technical trial through the end of the year.

As part of the extended trial period, Eutelsat will partner with CNES, Orange France and Alcatel to pursue the validation of the technical choices of the hybrid satellite and terrestrial broadcasting system to provide S-band services.

The trial is part of permanent ongoing projects being conducted by CNES on space applications for the consumer market, and part of continuing preparatory work being conducted jointly by CNES and Alcatel on architectural concepts and the feasibility of a variety of technical alternatives.

The trial is designed to provide a technical assessment of certain key parameters of hybrid satellite and terrestrial S-band broadcasting, such as the impact of wave form on transmission quality, link budget, antenna diversity, error-correcting codes and frequency sharing.

The demonstrator includes all elements of the proposed solution. The satellite is simulated using an S-band transmitter on board a helicopter at high altitude.

The system is completed by terrestrial repeaters installed in 10 or so locations belonging to Orange France, alongside its GSM and UMTS service transmitters.

A test terminal and instruments on board a vehicle are used to measure and record the signal in real time.

The test area covers southeastern Toulouse and suburbs, but also will be conducted outside of the Toulouse area in order to evaluate reception conditions in population centers of variable size, simulating complete coverage within mainland France.

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