PBS WARN Project (Warning, Alert and Response Network)

Transcription

1 PBS WARN Project (Warning, Alert and Response Network)

2 Dana Golub Executive Director, WARN

3 What is WARN? The Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act was passed by Congress to create a national emergency alert system. The WARN Act directed the FCC to adopt rules requiring PTV stations to install equipment and technology to distribute geo-targeted emergency alerts to commercial mobile service (CMS) providers. FCC issued multiple orders culminating in the Second Report and Order (FCC on PS Docket No ).

4 What is WARN? cont The Second R&O requires NCE broadcast stations and public broadcast stations to install necessary equipment to enable distribution of emergency alerts. The equipment installed by public television will operate as a system to provide a redundant pathway from the emergency message aggregator (FEMA) to the CMS providers as one part of a comprehensive alert and warning system for the public. Second R&O directs the provision of an infrastructure under which CMS providers may elect to transmit emergency alerts to the public.

5 The WARN Act and PBS PBS received $26.8 million from NTIA in May 2010 to provide the necessary equipment for stations to comply with the FCC s Second R&O. Necessary equipment will be selected by PBS and supplied to most PTV stations. PBS will create a system for emergency alerts to help stations comply with The WARN Act and the FCC s Second R&O.

6 Goals of the WARN Project PBS is creating a system to provide a redundant pathway from the emergency message aggregator to the CMS providers as one part of a comprehensive alert and warning system for the public. Benefit to the stations? FCC compliance Value-add to your station s community Part of a national alert and warning system

7 But.where will these messages go? Stations only need to pass alert messages from FEMA to CMS providers no further action is required. But PBS is working hard to ensure those messages are picked up by CMS providers. What are we doing? Member of ATIS, TIA and JCMAS Wireless Committees. Working with Cellular Providers: AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless as well as FEMA, DHS, Rural Cellular Association and Manufacturers.

8 Nick Doshi Senior Broadcast Engineer

9 System Overview

10 Emergency Messaging to Mobile Devices DHS (FEMA) Main Communication Link for CMAS Cellular Infrastructure Cell Receive Site Secure Link to PBS BACKUP Link for CMAS PBS-WARN Feedback Link to PBS Station TX Site Monitoring Link Hughes Network PBS NOC WARN Message Station STL WARN IRD WARN Groomer PBS DRS PTV Station Station Programming Not Part of PBS-WARN Part of PBS-WARN

11 Station Level Functional Signal Flow

12 What will stations receive? Redundant groomers & receivers and failover switch. Cabling and L-band distribution (if necessary). Pre-installation training. Installation support.

13 Bandwidth Allocation by the numbers Typical message payload: 90 characters. Expected message size: 3Kb. Message delivery window: 5 minutes.

14 Introducing the Sencore TDI 3000

15 Sean Wallace Engineering Consultant

16 The Groomer How did we chose? Evaluation of existing core technology. Interaction with station transport stream. Least impact to station s on-air quality.

17 Why this box? Efficient Bandwidth Allocation Transparency Reliability Ease of Use

18 Bandwidth Allocation Message insertion strategy relies on null packet replacement. Selectable PSIP grooming of program guide (EIT 4 onward). Selectable video service muting for duration of message (typically < 1sec).

19 Transparency Input identical to output when no message is present. No full time alteration to video streams. No re-mux operation. No PCR restamping of transport stream. Native support of ASI and SMPTE-310.

20 Reliability Non-PC based hardware. Relay bypass of input to output on system errors to ensure air-path is protected. Based on existing product platform. Redundancy at the device and system levels.

21 Ease of Use Plug and play operation. Set-up GUI based on existing product platform familiar to PBS Member Stations. Local and remote control. Rear mounted bypass switch.

22 Nick Doshi Senior Broadcast Engineer

23 Where are we now? Next Steps March 14, 2011: Receiver RFP released. July 2011: Evaluation testing/alpha Testing to begin. Fall 2011: Beta testing of full system (including receivers). December 2011: Equipment shipments begin.

24 Support and Implementation Plan What we ve done WARN Equipment Survey Questionnaire responses used to build the WARN Database. Individual follow-up phone calls made to confirm responses and create equipment lists. What we re preparing to do Give stations access to the WARN Database to confirm equipment lists. Initiate pre-installation training.

25 Support and Training is Critical All equipment purchased and installed as a part of this program will be fully supported for five years. Groomer software bug fixes covered for five years. Pre-installation training via webinar. Replacement units, spares, parts.

26 Quality Assurance 3-Prong Test Strategy Continual testing during design cycle Acceptance testing Factory Acceptance Testing Extended lifecycle support after delivery 5 years guaranteed bug fixes Path to future feature updates Release strategy driven by PBS bug reports

27 Coming Soon What are we working on? Hughes Network/monitoring Beta selection Operations plan NOC interconnection

28 WARN Project Team Dana Golub Executive Director Kristen Weiss Communications Director Fred Spanogle Senior Telecommunications Engineer Nick Doshi Senior Broadcast Engineer Cheryl Ann Welsh Senior Project Manager Sean Wallace Consultant, Engineering Ed Caleca Consultant, Implementation

29 Visit us on Connect! Project Updates Useful documents and background info System diagrams and RFP s Recordings of webinars and copies of all communication about WARN

30 Visit us in the Exhibit Hall! Come to the Sencore/WARN Booth (201/203) for a brief Groomer demo! Meet the PBS WARN Team and Sencore Project Teams!

31 Questions?