Computer aided frequency planning, transmission impairment and performance analysis in the Intelsat system

Establishment of communications circuits in the current Intelsat global network requires data collection and analysis with the aid of sophisticated computer programs. Every circuit requested by a member country requires assignment to a transmit earth station, a receive earth station, a satellite, a specific transponder within that satellite and a specific carrier within that transponder. Once configured, each transponder frequency plan must be analyzed to determine optimum transponder operating parameters and the effects of transmission impairments. After a frequency plan is established in an operating satellite, circuit performance is continuously monitored to ensure that transmission quality does not degrade. Data from the monitoring effort must be promptly analyzed to detect problems so that corrective actions can be taken. Because of the size of the Intelsat global network, the data collection and analysis efforts required are the most complex in the satellite communications field.