Communications Unit - An Introduction

Canada is one of the largest nations in the world in terms of land mass. The country spans over 6000 kilometers from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans and nearly 5,000 kilometers from the North Pole to the United States border. With this challenge of distance on a grand scale, we have naturally become pioneers in telecommunications. From the invention of the telephone in 1874 to the world's first domestic satellite system in 1972, Canada has been a technology leader. This heritage has led to the development, not only of equipment, but of attitudes that are particularly appropriate to the design of global communications.

We have had to learn to use a host of techniques to develop network designs, at the same time minimize cost and maximize performance, including: VHF, UHF, and microwave radio, fiber optic cable, multiple access radio systems and thin-route satellite service. Canada has become a leader in the engineering, manufacture, installation and utilization of such systems.

Satellite earth stations, using single-channel-per-carrier technology, have become a major component in the rural nature of our telecommunications programs. These telecommunications stations are linked through one of the Anik satellites to our national networks and via similar satellites to international networks. Their applications in voice and data services range from off-shore drilling platforms, to remote customer service, to portable emergency facilities that can be quickly transported to, and set up in, disaster areas.

SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Our plan is operate a global, virtual private network, by connecting, through TeleSat Canada, to GlobeSat, which will further extend our range and allow TEERS to provide better intra­corporate communications to our users. GlobeSat allows us to fully exploit the potential of direct satellite communications during emergency and non­emergency periods. We will be able to increase the effectiveness of the service with the completion of the new TeleGlobe earth station in Vancouver, Canada. The advanced technology of the IntelSat V series of satellites permits the use of small earth stations (3.7 to 8 meters) for our communications, reducing the cost of terrestrial communications. Our new system has the added advantage of offering a voice and data service integrated in one high­speed digital stream.

Range of Services

Network flexibility, digital transmission and capacity to handle large amounts of data will enable us to meet a wide variety of emergency communications needs. From low speed data transmission at 56 Kbits (56000 baud) to digitally­compressed, full­motion disaster site video conferencing at 2,048 Mbits. Through the use of time­division multiplexing we can integrate a number of applications on single high­speed link.

The new system will allow us to offer the following range of services:

1. DATA: Corporate electronic mail, R & D, data base and file transfers and interconnection of local area networks.
2. VOICE: Advances in voice compression techniques permit near toll quality at 16 Kbits/s thus increasing the number of circuits which can be accommodated on a high­speed circuit.
3. FACSIMILE: Fax transmission are carried along with voice and data transmissions and then relayed through the terrestrial networks.
4. MESSAGING: Along with TEERS electronic mail and data services, piggy­backed private messaging and intra­corporate electronic mail networks in a wide range of speeds will also be cost­effectively accommodated on the high­speed network.
5. TELECONFERENCING: Digital compression techniques ranging from 768 Kbits/s and as low as 384 KBits/s allows for affordable teleconferencing on the system.

User Benefits

1. By using state­of­the­art, satellite communications technology we are able to offer not only economy but flexibility.
2. Reduction the use of extensive and costly terrestrial services that are not always available in emergency situations and at emergency sites.
3. Avoidance of frequency interference with other services.
4. The high quality and cost efficiency of an all­digital transmission system with a minimum bit error rate (BER) of 1 in 10 to the 6th for 99% of the year.
5. Single­network integration of voice, data and facsimile traffic.
6. The flexibility of a fully­switched private network.
7. Cost effective on­demand assignment of bandwidth.
8. Network privacy and security.
9. Network transparency to character code, message content and line protocol.

Global Coverage

Our Canadian position provides access to a unique and truly global intra­corporate satellite network, a very important consideration when dealing with emergency situations. Our utilization of satellite communications will provide virtually complete coverage of Europe and North America from just a single satellite. By networking satellites together, we will be able to provide coverage to almost any location in over 200 countries or virtually the entire surface of the earth. Combined with portable, small­dish, earth stations and/or briefcase terminals, we have the ability to handle communications for any disaster, anywhere it occurs.

TEERS-international uses high-speed satellite communications systems like the GlobeSat, and InMarSat systems The TEERS Training Centre will bring representatives from many countries. The teams will be trained in Chain of Command Techniques, Supply Sourcing, Public Relations, Equipment Deployment Techniques, Biology, Mapping, Computer Science, Satellite and Terrestrial Communications Systems, including briefcase terminals and small-dish earth stations.

The System

The public backbone of the system serves as a global, educational tool and communications system dealing with environmental and related issues. The product is a cost effective, international, multilingual communications and data system with a user friendly interface and low learning curve utilizing existing communications serves known as the InterNet or Information Highway. The system reaches beyond areas covered by the InterNet with innovative connections to existing Bulliten Board Systems or BBS's.

The closed, non-public side of The Environmental Emergency Response System, also called "TEERS", deals with response requirements. Whether addressing the petroleum shipping industry, the petrochemical plant or other environmental emergency situations all parties concerned share a common goal - rapid disaster response, through maximized communications and resource accessibility to yield a significant reduction in environmental damage and therefore a cost-reduction for end-users. From our cost effective `J.I.T' (Just In Time) material delivery via our electronic Environmental Resources Catalogue (ECAT), to possible reduction in environmental damage and resulting insurance claims. An added benefit of the system is that it also provides a secure global, corporate electronic mail and data transfer service on a cost plus basis.

Current and future TEERS services encompass expansion of a global mapping and data base on environmental disasters that have occurred during the last twenty years, expansion of international, satellite communications services utilizing the IntelSat V series of satellites, a training school for disaster response personnel and rapid deployment teams, proprietary designs and new technologies including a global oil spill modeling system. One of our most innovative products in this area is ECAT, the Environmental Resource Catalogue System. One small 3.5" floppy disk will hold over 7100 products with descriptions, locations, suppliers and pricing for 13 different categories. Products and services selected from ECAT are automatically saved or printed as a purchase order and can include pricing for job cost control. ECAT is updated on a daily basis and is always available for downloading from the system. Our innovative techniques yield substantial benefits over competitive outsource services:

On a global basis The Environmental Emergency Response System provides:

o Simplicity
o Reliability
o Performance and Capacity
o Precision and Availability
o Security
o Flexibility