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For the customers

Regulations

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1. General Information

1.1. The State Federal Unitary Enterprise "Russian Satellite Communications Company" (hereinafter referred to as "RSCC") shall be guided by the Regulations. RSCC is acknowledged operator of long-distance and international satellite networks. RSCC provides communication services by leasing the space segment capacity and ground communication facilities to its Customers. RSCC Customers (domestic and foreign companies, international organizations, foreign Communication Administrations) shall follow the Regulations.

1.2. RSCC performs operator activities as per The Charter approved by the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Russian Federation on 21.03.01 and by virtue of the following Licenses:

  • The Activity: "Provision of Telecommunication Services", dated 05.04.1994 #1176;
  • The Activity: "Lease of Communication Channels", dated 09.10.1998 #10861;
  • The Activity: "Lease of Communication Channels", dated 26.02.1999 #11508;
  • The Activity: "Provision of Local Telephone Communication Services", dated 08. 11. 2001 #19938;
  • The Activity: "Provision of Local Telephone Communication Services", dated 08. 11. 2001 #19908;
  • The Activity: "Provision of Telematic Services", dated 08. 11. 2001 #19908;
  • The Activity: "Designing and Operation of Satellite Communication and TV Systems by means of "Gorizont", "Express", "Ekran" and "Gals" Spacecraft. The Spacecraft Flight Control", dated 09. 12. 200 #455;
  • The Activity: "Provision of on-air TV Programs Transmission Services", dated 05.07.2001 #18772;
  • The Activity: "Construction of Buildings and Facilities. Execution of Civil and Erection Works", dated 09.08. 2000 #002883-1;

1.3. The present Regulations shall be applied as guidelines at all stages of RSCC interaction with the Customers, including preparation and conclusion of contracts, access to the Space Segment, the start-up and termination of the rented transponders and Earth Stations.

1.4. The requirements of the present Regulations shall bind for the Customers and RSCC, and shall be in effect in line with contract terms and conditions.

2. Preparation of Contracts

2.1. The Users are to hold preliminary consultations with the representatives of RSCC Commercial Department to initiate business relations.

The purpose of the consultations is to clarify the Customer demands for communication services and to select the reasonable way of provision thereof, and to draw up the appropriate contract as well.

2.2. As per the outcomes of the consultations, the Customer shall prepare an application (Appendix 1 hereto) for satellite communication services and submit to RSCC along with a covering letter addressed to Director General of RSCC.

2.3. The application shall compulsory contain the attachments detailing the specifications for:

  • parameters of the established satellite channels (in accordance with a form given in Appendix 2 hereto);
  • Earth Stations, that are planned to be utilized (in accordance with a form given in Appendix 3 hereto);
  • parameters of the established digital terrestrial links (in accordance with a form given in Appendix 4 hereto).

Note:

1.Description of Earth Stations shall be compulsory contained in Appendix 3, if RSCC is not the owner of these Earth Stations.

2.Parameters of digital terrestrial links shall be contained in Appendix 6, if Customer intends to lease digital terrestrial links (standard channels, trunk lines) from RSCC.

2.4. Proceeding from the Application, RSCC shall perform calculations of satellite communication links, study the setting-up of digital terrestrial links, prepare specifications related to a satellite channel (Appendix 5 hereto) and digital communication links (Appendix 6 hereto). The above-mentioned specifications shall be finalized with the Customer and shall be enclosed to the contract for provision of communication services in the form of Attachments. RSCC Commercial Department shall execute the contract.

2.5. The present Regulations do not determine the commercial terms and conditions. The commercial terms and conditions are to be defined solely in the contract.

2.6. According to the "the Procedure to assign frequencies to the radio communication facilities in the Russian Federation", the signed contract is assumed as a basis for an application to be submitted by the Customer to the Rradio-frequency Agency for assignment of frequencies to the Earth Stations defined in the contract.

2.7. RSCC will execute an application to be submitted to the Radio-frequency Agency for assignment of frequencies to the Earth Stations and obtain the appropriate licenses as well, if RSCC owns the Earth Stations used to provide services.

2.8. It is not sufficient to prepare and to sign a contract, in order to provide the Customer with access to the space segment.

The Customer will have access to the space segment and be able to test a satellite channel, only if the Customer holds the appropriate licenses issued by the radio-frequency agencies. This condition shall be explicitly stipulated in the contract.

2.9. RSCC renders satellite services as per the terms and conditions of the signed contract and monitors the space segment utilization on a regular basis.

3. Access to the Space Segment

3.1. General Provisions

3.1.1. "Access to the space segment" is understood in the present Regulations as the turn-on of a power radiation condition in the direction of GEO at least at one of the Earth Stations defined in the contract.

3.1.2. Access to the space segment will be done by means of the particular Earth Station and by virtue of a license issued by RSCC to the Customer, after the Customer completes the Earth Station pre-starting procedure.

3.1.3. The Earth Station pre-starting procedure (certification) provides for:

  • the execution of a license to operate radio communication facilities;
  • Earth Station trials;
  • the execution of test protocols, and Earth Station certification.

3.1.4. The owner of the Earth Station must execute the license with local radio-frequency agency to operate radio communication facilities in virtue of the approval to use the frequencies assigned to the particular Earth Station.

3.1.5. Each Earth Station shall be tested stepwise by applying methods set forth in Module 42 hereof. The trials procedure is defined in sections 3.2 and 3.3 thereof. Test results shall be set forth in the test protocols.

Note: Mobile small-sized transmitting Earth Stations are tested on site.

3.1.6. Following the completion of the test procedure, Earth Station Certificate will be executed by using the data set forth in the test protocols. The execution of the certificate will be done as per Appendix 7 hereof.

The owner of the Earth Station shall be responsible for the execution of the certificate and data adequacy therein.

3.1.7. RSCC executes and issues to the Customer a license for access to the space segment. The given license shall be executed by virtue of a copy of the license issued by the radio-frequency agency ( a copy shall be presented at the 1st stage of trials), and a copy of the Earth Station Certificate presented following completion of the Earth Station trials. The license form is contained in Appendix 8 hereof.

3.2. The 1st Stage of Earth Station Trials

3.2.1. The purpose of the 1st stage of trials is to verify the Earth Station parameters, whether the parameters are in line with the ones defined in Customer's application (Appendix 3 hereof) for satellite communication services.

3.2.2. The owner shall perform the 1st stage of trials in off-line mode of operation without SHF-power radiation in the direction of GEO.

3.2.3. The owner of the Earth Station is to draw up a verification Earth Station parameters protocol as per the results of the 1st stage of trials. The protocols contain the actual parameters as well as the parameters defined by the Applicant in the application form.

3.2.4. The Customer is to notify RSCC in writing enclosing trial protocols and a copy of the license to operate the given radio communication facilities, that the Customer is prepared to commence the 2d stage of trials, if actual parameters of the Earth Station are in line with the defined ones, and if the Customer holds the license to operate radio communication facilities issued by the radio-frequency agency.

3.2.5. RSCC will perform the 1st stage of the Earth Stations trials, if RSCC owns the Earth Stations in question, and execute the appropriate permits as well.

3.3. The 2d Stage of Earth Station Trials

3.3.1. The purpose of the 2d stage of trials is to verify antenna and high-frequency parameters of the tested Earth Station while operating the space segment. The control Earth Station shall perform the verification.

3.3.2. The 2d stage of trials will be performed following the receipt of notification from the Customer, as per clause 3.2.4 above. The trails are to be performed according to the test program (Appendix 9 hereof).

3.3.3. Well in advance, RSCC will provide information related to the control Earth Station and testing procedure.

3.3.4. The control Earth Station shall perform on-line monitoring over the trails progress. A service channel shall be utilized between the control station and the tested Earth Station.

3.3.5. The service channel must be in operation in the course of the whole period of trials. The performance of trials shall be suspended in the event of malfunction takes place in the service channel operation. The Earth Station HPA shall be turned off immediately in this case. The trials may be resumed only after the service communication is restored.

3.3.6. Each time, the power is radiated in the direction of GEO only by command of the control station.

3.3.7. Before the power is radiated in the direction of GEO, the Earth Station personnel must be certain that the following conditions are met:

  • frequency and HPA output power are in line with the required values;
  • spurious and out-of-the-band radiation at the output of the HPA are lower the admissible level.

3.3.8. The Earth Station HPA is to be turned on only for the period of trials.

3.3.9. The Customer and the control station are to set forth the results of the 2d stage of trials in the appropriate protocols and forward the protocols to RSCC to be analyzed. RSCC shall take the final decision on provision of access to the space segment. RSCC will announce the outcomes of the analysis.

3.3.10. RSCC will execute a license for access to the space segment and issue the given license to the particular Earth Station as per the results of the analysis, after the Earth Station certificate is submitted to RSCC by the Customer. The execution shall be done in case it is determined that the Earth Station complies with contract terms and conditions, as well as requirements for this type of the Earth Station set forth in Module 41 hereof.

3.3.11. The Customer shall take measures to eliminate the detected contract discrepancies or apply to RSCC to amend contract terms and conditions, if the Earth Station is not in the compliance with contract terms and conditions and(or) requirements for this type of the Earth Station set forth in Module 41 hereof.

3.3.12. After the Customer eliminates the discrepancies, the Customer will offer RSCC to conclude a contract to repeat trials of the upgraded Earth Station.

3.3.13. RSCC will execute a license for access to the space segment and issue it to the Earth Station, after the actual Earth Station parameters are brought into accord with the contract terms and conditions, and second trials, if necessary, are performed.

3.3.14. The issued formal license shall be the basis to start up a satellite communications channel by applying the particular Earth Station.

4. Satellite Communications Channels Start-up

4.1. General Provisions

4.1.1. RSCC Commercial Department organizes and controls the activities relating to satellite communication channels start-up by applying RSCC facilities.

4.1.2. To organize the activities relating to satellite communication channels start-up, RSCC shall hold the following documents:

  • satellite communication channel specification;
  • terrestrial digital links specification;
  • a license for access of the Earth Station to the space segment;
  • Earth Station Certificate.

4.1.3. A bilateral certificate shall confirm completion of works related to the start-up of satellite communication channel or space segment capacity, in which report the actual start-up date must be indicated.

4.1.4. RSCC commercial department executes the start-up certificates using the data provided by the technical services. RSCC and the Customer management shall sign the certificates.

4.1.5. The signed start-up certificate shall be the basis to exercise routine monitoring of the quality of the channel or the space segment capacity, and to perform on-line interaction with the Customer in the course of the whole operation period.

4.1.6. RSCC and the Customer are recommended to specify the details of their activities in the set of rules related to the cooperation between the appropriate technical services.

4.2. Full or Partial Transponder

4.2.1. As a rule, the Customer himself starts up communication channels by means of the rented full transponder. At the same time, RSCC ensures the required configuration of on-board spacecraft hardware, selects the appropriate on-board transmitting antenna, sets the transponder gain and adjusts target point (if possible).

4.2.2. As a rule, the Customer himself starts up communication channels by means of the rented partial transponder. At the same time, if the other part of the transponder has been already utilized by the other Customers, the part of the transponder being started up shall succeed previously set parameters.

4.2.3. RSCC ensures the required mode of operation of the transponder as well as performs testing thereof.

4.2.4. The Customer utilizes the transponder under control of the Earth Station assigned by RSCC. The Customer may sometimes utilize the transponder independently as agreed with RSCC and as per the contract provisions by applying its own control facilities.

 

4.3. Standard Satellite Digital Channels and Composite Communication Channels

4.3.1. The satellite channels being started up must be tested to verify the compliance thereof with the requirements set forth in the guidance document - "Electric Parameter Standards for Digital and Composite Communications Channels " (?A 45.041-99).

4.3.2. The testing must be performed to verify whether the channels are in compliance with the established standards. The tests shall be done along with the procedures of the above-mentioned document.

4.3.3. The Customer and RSCC technical services must draw up protocols containing test results, which will be databased.

4.4. Satellite TV Channels

4.4.1. RSCC and the Customer start up satellite TV channels jointly.

4.4.2. TV channels are established in line with the requirements set forth in the document - "Satellite Links Operating Rules"(?A 45.192-2001).

4.4.3. Satellite digital and analogue TV channels are to be tested to verify the compliance thereof with requirements set forth in the following normative documents:

  • "Standards for Digital TV Signals Transmitted over Satellite Channels" (digital TV channels) (?A 45.065-99);
  • "TV Broadcasting Facilities Operating Procedures" (analogue TV channels) (IOY NAO-95).

5. Operation of Satellite Channels

5.1. General Provisions

5.1.1. Operation of satellite channels is performed on the basis of routine information exchange between the Customer technical services and RSCC.

5.1.2. Twice a year and well in advance, RSCC notifies the Customer of the estimated solar interference periods, if deterioration may occur in the operation of satellite networks or satellite channels of the Customer due to solar interference.

5.1.3. RSCC shall notify Customers operating satellite channels on "Gorizont", "Ekran-M" spacecraft not later than 7 days prior to eventual technical breaks caused by eclipse periods.

5.1.4. RSCC shall notify the Customer of routine, repair, adjustment and alignment works not later than 5 days prior to the performance thereof, if technical break is required.

5.1.5. RSCC shall notify the Customer of urgent repair works caused by satellite facilities malfunction not later than 2 hours prior to the performance thereof, if technical break in satellite channel operation is required.

5.1.6. RSCC shall immediately notify the Customer of the emergency to switch off the deteriorated satellite channel, if RSCC is unable to ensure normal operation of the satellite channel due to malfunctions detected in the operation of transponder, Earth Stations, terrestrial lines, or due to inadmissible interference.

5.1.7. According to the data provided by RSCC technical services, RSCC shall immediately notify the Customer, if technical parameters of the Customer's equipment do not meet contract terms and conditions, or inadmissible interference is caused and effects the operations of the other users.

5.1.8. The Customer shall immediately notify RSCC, if the Customer detects abnormal parameters of the satellite channels and interference, that degrade communications quality. The Customer shall notify RSCC of all interruptions that took place in the communications channel operation.

5.1.9. On-line interaction between the Customer's technical services shall be done, if necessary, with the help of the appropriate technical services of TV Technical Center, General Programs Directorate, and emergency situations services to resolve the following issues: TV programs extension; delay in programs starting-time; technical breaks time-changing; emergency TV programs changeover, in the event of terrestrial or satellite channels malfunction.

5.1.10. If inadmissible transponder interference is caused due to unknown cause the Customer, at the request of RSCC, shall switch off the Earth Station HPA or slew the Earth Station antenna through an angle of not less than 5 degrees upwards.

5.2. Satellite Communication Channel Monitoring

5.2.1. Transponder control

5.2.1.1. RSCC shall perform general transponder monitoring on a regular basis by applying control stations and telemetric data as well.

5.2.1.2. The Customer may control the operations of the corresponding transponder independently by applying specific RSCC procedures and equipment. The Customer shall coordinate control methods with RSCC.

5.2.1.3. To meet the Customer needs, RSCC may consider the issue related to the provision of uninterrupted automated monitoring of Customer's transponder operation. A separate contract shall be concluded.

5.2.1.4. According to the Customer's request, RSCC may ensure uninterrupted monitoring of transponder operation by means of RSCC technical facilities during a certain period of time.

5.2.2. Control of Satellite Communication Channels and Composite Communication Channels

5.2.2.1. RSCC stations monitor satellite communication channels and composite communication channels set up by means of the transponders.

The parameters to be controlled:

  • pilot-frequency and its level;
  • signal-to-noise ratio;
  • center channel frequency.

The control stations detect interference and unidentified carriers at the transponder output as well.

5.2.2.2. The Earth Stations ensure general quality monitoring of satellite communication channels and composite communication channels set up via these Earth Stations.

5.2.2.3. The Earth Stations are to take measures to detect the source of malfunction, if technical troubles occur in the operation of satellite communication channel or composite communication channel.

5.2.2.4. After the Earth Stations are notified of malfunction in the operation of communication channel or composite communication channel, the Earth Stations, that set up these channels, must verify their equipment. The Earth Stations must also share the information on actions to localize and eliminate the malfunction.

5.2.2.5. In the event of malfunction in the operation of communication channel or composite communication channel is taking place, and the Earth Stations have determined that their equipment is in efficient operation, the Earth Stations shall approach the RSCC control station to localize and eliminate the malfunction.

5.2.3. TV Satellite Channels Control

5.2.3.1. The Customer's transmitting Earth Stations and receiving Earth Stations (node and control E.S.) control the quality of a satellite TV channel.

5.2.3.2. The basic parameters of analogue satellite TV channel (in the direction of transmitting E.S. > satellite > receiving E.S.) shall be controlled over EN 19 (332) and 20 (333) signals delivered to the transmitting E.S., if it is necessary to verify the satellite loop profile.

5.2.3.3. Scheduled measuring of analogue satellite TV channel is performed quarterly as per the timetable drawn up by the RSCC technical services and in accordance with the applications submitted by the Customers.

5.2.3.4. RSCC tests the satellite links, that are used for digital TV transmission, to verify the compliance thereof with the requirements set forth in the guidance document - "Electric Parameter Standards for Digital and Composite Communication Channels " (?A 45.041-99).

5.3. Maintenance and Repair Works

5.3.1. Scheduled preventive maintenance of satellite channels hardware is performed as per annual timetables, approved by RSCC and finalized with the Customer and the parties concerned.

Timetables approval dates:

  • before the 15th August of the year preceding to the scheduled (for public telephony communication channels);
  • before the 30th October of the year preceding to the scheduled (for the rest of channel types).

5.3.2. If RSCC or the Customer initiate unscheduled repair works or to introduce changes in the scheduled repair works, all modifications shall be obligatory coordinated with the parties concerned not later than 5 days (weekends and holidays are excluded) prior to the commencement of the works, whether the performance thereof is caused or not caused by interruptions in communication sessions.

5.3.3. The initiator shall notify all the parties concerned of the need to perform urgent repair works not later than 2 hours prior to the commencement thereof, if technical breaks in satellite channels operation are required.

5.3.4. RSCC performs general management of the scheduled maintenance and unscheduled repair works.

6. Service Communications

6.1. The Customer, that owns one or several Earth Stations, is to establish service communication with RSCC and(or) with control station assigned by RSCC to ensure on-line interaction during the satellite channels start-up and operation thereof.

6.2. The following types of service communications may be applied:

  • dedicated satellite service communication;
  • assigned terrestrial lines;
  • public telephone channels.

6.3. The application of dedicated satellite service communication must be stipulated in the contract and may be established in one of the following ways:

  • setting-up of additional channel in the channelizer (with the appropriate increase in channel throughput rate);
  • application of one channel per carrier for the network of Earth Stations;
  • setting-up of dedicated service channel by applying single carrier and modem.

6.4. The type of the above service communications shall be selected at the stage of contract preparation subject to the nature and scope of services provided.