Tokyo-based SCC provides services for a range of customers, including government departments, broadcasters and electricity companies, from its high performance SUPERBIRD communications satellites. SCC will operate the satID system around the clock, 365 days a year, from one of its two satellite control centres in Japan to help ensure the secure operation of the SUPERBIRD satellites.

The SCC sale is the latest of a string of satID sales successes achieved in the past few years. The US Department of Defense alone has bought three systems this year (2005). Further SatID system sales secured this year include one bought to provide a pan-European geolocation capability to a co-operative of radio communication agencies.

Nigel Smith, QinetiQ's satID Commercial Director in the USA, said: "We are nearing the end of our most successful year to date and are delighted to have SCC on board as a customer. Satellite interference is a growing problem for both military and commercial operators and satID provides a rapid and accurate solution to that problem. The system can help minimise disruption to services, enabling SCC to provide a better service to their customers and reduce the financial costs that interference brings."

Interference is often accidental, the result of faulty equipment, or incorrect operation of ground terminals. In this case, the groundstation causing the problem will be alerted. However, malicious attacks also occur. During the 2002 football world cup cult group Falon Gong jammed Chinese TV broadcasts over the Sino Satellite. More recently, Voice of America broadcasts were blocked from being transmitted into the Middle East.

QinetiQ has undertaken over 20 years' research into the area of geolocation, which has resulted in the delivery of interference location services and the creation of satID. The satID system can be deployed using existing satellite communication infrastructure, on a worldwide basis.

Satellite operators can choose one of three levels of geolocation service from QinetiQ. They can purchase a whole system, enabling them to pinpoint sources of interference wherever and whenever they like. They can lease a satID system from QinetiQ to bring its capability to their location to investigate the problem with the option to buy the system at the end of the lease. Alternatively, QinetiQ can use its own systems to provide a geolocation service covering Europe and the Far East.

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