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MiTV Consultancy Proposal - Ver6
MiTV Consultancy Proposal - Ver6
THL
Proposal to
For
Consultancy Services
for Nationwide
Network Rollout
RFP Reference
MiTV/TX/DVB - T-
PMC/2006/01-1
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Consultancy Services for Nationwide Network Rollout
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
MiTV
Requested By:
Malaysia
Confidentiality
The information contained herein shall remain the intellectual property of THL Australia
and is presented in confidence exclusively for the purposes of evaluating this proposal.
The contents of this proposal shall not be utilised for any other purpose nor disclosed to
any other parties without the express written permission of THL Australia.
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Consultancy Services for Nationwide Network Rollout
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THL Australia (THLA) is pleased to be invited to provide this proposal to MITV for
the provision of consultancy services, in response to the MITV Request for
Proposal (RFP Reference MiTV/TX/DVB - T-PMC/2006/01-1) for Consultancy
Services for Nationwide Network Rollout.
THLA considers the MiTV proposed system a highly complex and wide ranging
project, involving 5 SFN’s (multiplexers) at up to 17 different sites. This equates to
85 transmission systems and this is an ambitious project by any standard. As such
MiTV is strongly advised to consider using a well established company such as
THLA who have the experience and expertise to design and implement such a
large and complex system.
If MiTV selects THLA for this consultancy they will be using Asia Pacific’s most
experienced broadcasting coverage and system integration specialists. The benefit
for MiTV is that THLA is totally independent and has no alliances with equipment
vendors or other parties. This will ensure that MiTV receives unbiased advice and
will ensure acquisition of transmission components is conducted in a fair and
equitable manner and delivers the best value for money solution to MiTV.
As an owner and operator of one of the largest TV Broadcasting Networks in the
world in New Zealand, THLA are well placed to understand the intricacies of
designing and implementing such networks.
Our previous work in Malaysia is particularly relevant, from this THLA are able to
draw on previous experiences including knowledge of sites, sites owners and the
general broadcasting environment. THLA has gained this experience through
completing a number of projects in Malaysia including Spectrum Planning and
Interference Analysis for JTM (now MCMC), complete network implementation for
NTV and a detailed consultancy for Measat which had very similar requirement to
the MiTV project.
The THL Group of which THLA is a part, has been carrying out this type of work
since the inception of Television in New Zealand in the early 1960s. Initially using
the BCLIPPS (BCL Propagation Prediction Software) tool developed by BCL
engineers, THLA designed television and FM radio coverage for the whole of New
Zealand (some 600 sites). Since the advent of digital television in the late 1990s,
THLA has been involved in coverage and spectrum engineering in countries
including Malaysia, Singapore and Macau, as well as New Zealand and Australia.
THLA now uses ICS Telecom Radio Planning Software from ATDI and our
experience in planning SFN’s is particularly relevant as Malaysia will be a
challenging environment to design a national DVB-T coverage and spectrum plan
using SFN’s.
In order to more accurately define the scope of work and estimate pricing THLA is
proposing that the consultancy be divided into 7 phases, or work packages, in
summary as follows;
• Preparation and Data clarification.
• Preliminary Coverage Design
• Site Surveys
• Final Coverage Design
• Costing/Business Plan Verification
• Equipment Acquisition
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
It is difficult to provide a fixed price quotation for some phases of this consultancy
as work required with each phase generally rely on inputs from the preceding
phase. Where it is possible to provide a fixed price for a phase this has been done
and for the variable phases THLA has provided an estimate with a variable
component charged at a daily rate.
Pricing provided for this consultancy is based on the rollout of a 5 multiplex network
at 17 sites. Any reduction in scope of this requirement will reduce the price relative
to the reduced scope.
THLA’s total price for this work is RM2,472,484 and is broken down as per Tables 1
& 2 in section 2.5 of this document.
Due to its experience in both analogue and digital coverage and spectrum planning
of one of the world’s largest broadcasting networks, THLA believes that its
expertise is unmatched by any other organisation and can deliver a value for money
solution to MITV.
THLA appreciates the opportunity to offer its services and looks forward to working
with MiTV on this project in the near future.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
The THL group consists of a Holding Company and with three subsidiary
companies BCL, THL Australia, and AAPCS. A high level Organisation chart is
shown in Figure
CEO
Geoff Hunt
CFO
Business Dev/
Ian
Widdowson Dept of the
Future
THLA AAPCS
BCL MD – N Powl MD – P Robson
MD – G Hunt
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Consultancy Services for Nationwide Network Rollout
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
contracts in excess of $420m have been secured from Government agencies and
privately owned communications organisations.
Resources have expanded to engineering bases throughout Australia and New
Zealand. Service resource is located throughout every state and territory in
Australia.
THL Australia brings the full resources of the THL Group including knowledge
gained from our experience in fields such as Project Management, Systems
Integration, RF Engineering, Service Delivery and Operations & Maintenance.
The revenue for the companies is derived from both Broadcasting and
Telecommunications and is roughly divided as indicated below.
2.1.3 Experience
THL Australia’s key strengths lie in its technical, managerial and financial capacity
to complete large scale broadcasting and telecommunications projects in a timely
and cost effective manner. Over 75% of THL Australia’s staff in Australia are
engaged in engineering activities encompassing planning, design, installation,
maintenance, operations and management of transmission facilities. Many of these
staff have several decades experience in the broadcast and telecommunications
industries. The company has a proven track record in all facets of broadcasting
and telecommunications engineering, as well as electrical, structural, mechanical,
and civil engineering for infrastructure related projects.
As an operator and owner of communication networks in Australia and New
Zealand, THL Group brings an operator’s perspective to network system
engineering. Our particular experience in the design and operation of
communication networks ensures practical whole of life design solutions and long
term cost effectiveness and reliability.
THLA has significant engineering resources in New Zealand in Wellington and
Auckland and in Australia in Sydney. THL also has regional and support teams
located throughout Australia and New Zealand. The maps on the following page
demonstrate the extent of THL Group presence.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
• BCL built, operates, maintains and owns New Zealand’s national TV and
radio broadcasting network
• BCL’s 400-site broadcast network provides 99.8% population coverage
• Provides broadcast distribution and transmission, data circuits, next
generation IP services
• Customers include national TV and radio broadcasters, telcos and ISPs
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
In New Zealand, BCL operates its own network of over 400 transmitting stations,
providing nation-wide transmission services and facilities to all New Zealand’s
leading broadcasting and telecommunications organisations. BCL’s multi-user
transmission sites are utilised for TV and FM radio broadcasting, cellular telephone,
mobile and maritime radio, microwave transmission, and for police, defence, rail
and utility communications.
BCL owns and operates the country’s national TV and FM radio transmission
networks as well as the Maritime Operations Centre for the New Zealand Maritime
Safety Authority’s GMDSS service. Through this experience BCL has developed
significant expertise in the operation of maritime radio services.
In Asia, South America, and the Middle East BCL has been active in providing
engineering consulting and project implementation of broadcasting and
telecommunications networks.
BCL International, now THL Australia has been active in South East Asia since
1993, and has established itself as one of the leading RF engineering consultancies
in the region having undertaken major projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore,
Thailand, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, The Philippines, India, and Pakistan. Through
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Consultancy Services for Nationwide Network Rollout
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
THL Australia, BCL provides resources for the consultancy, design, development,
implementation and operation of broadcasting and communications systems world-
wide.
BCL has over fifty years experience in engineering and operating broadcast and
telecommunications networks. Today, BCL consultants are expert in wireless
system integration, specialising in implementing design, build and operations
solutions for operators worldwide. It is this experience in the day-to-day operation
of broadcasting systems that ensures that the consultancy services offered by BCL
are founded in practice rather than reliant on theory alone. This makes BCL is
unique among those who offer spectrum planning services.
BCL’s independence from manufacturers and equipment suppliers ensures totally
impartial and objective solutions allowing specification of the most appropriate
solutions to client requirements.
BCL consultants are expert in wireless system design, build, integration and
operational solutions, for network operators world-wide. It is this experience in the
actual operation of broadcasting and telecommunications networks that ensures
that the consultancy services offered by BCL are founded on practice rather than
totally reliant on theory.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
The first two phases is where the best outcome can be managed by good planning,
and is especially important with regard to cost, time, quality and risk. As you move
to the later phases it becomes increasingly more difficult, and expensive, to change
events, where there is a time constraint. Within these phases certain processes are
carried out and activities do cross between the boundaries of the phases. These
processes are based on the THL Australia Project Methodologies / Guidelines and
they also align with PMI and AIPM methodologies.
THLA believes in trying to identify key issues and risks as early as possible. This is
achieved by maintaining regular communication between the parties, and by having
a good understanding of the customer and the projects requirements, objectives,
and scope, at project start up. THLA’s approach is to monitor the project issues
closely on a day to day basis, revising the project plans accordingly, to mitigate
problems from occurring.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
In addition to the projects described above, the THL Group has carried out the
following projects internationally.
Malaysia
• Astro Pay-TV terrestrial television network, Malaysia (1997).This
consultancy provided coverage and spectrum planning, population and
demographics analysis and site infrastructure planning. The scope of works also
included site surveys to most sites in Sabah and Sarawak, East Malaysia.
• Malaysia’s Spectrum Planning Agency MCMC (Previously JTM). BCL
completed a major spectrum-planning project on behalf of the Government, for
the introduction of digital broadcasting into Malaysia (pre 2000). Supported by
ASTRO.
• Coverage planning and system design for several broadcasting organisations
including MMDS, UHF TV, and FM radio networks for AMP.
• Complete Transmission Design, Procure and Implementation for NTV7
• Border co-ordination – Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei
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Consultancy Services for Nationwide Network Rollout
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
Singapore
DVB coverage and interference issues for Advent Television, Singapore
(1998).
• This consultancy studied the coverage and interference issues regarding the
installation of the Advent Television DVB (DTT) transmitter in Singapore.
• BCL, leveraging on its development experience in NICAM multi-channel sound,
undertook the turnkey conversion of Singapore Broadcasting Corporation’s
VHF TV transmitters to stereo operation
• Network design and test transmission for a metro MMDS service
• Singapore DTT Spectrum plan
• Advent TV SingaporeAdvent TV has the distinction of being the world’s first
operator of a DVB digital terrestrial television station. BCL was responsible for
the implementation of the service and for subsequent coverage verification. As
the service was to be optimised for mobile coverage BCL undertook field
surveys to analyse reception quality along all major roads in Singapore.
Mexico
• Engineering consultancy for a proposed MMDS TV network
Macau
• Design of common Telecommunications Antenna systems for Macau Tower
other Broadcast & Telecommunications planning
Western Samoa
• System design and implementation of a MF radio network in Western Samoa
• System design and feasibility study for TV station in Western Samoa
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Bangladesh
• ABU Technical Expert to NBAB, Bangladesh Radio. Tutored engineers in FM
frequency planning and implementation. Planned frequency band for FM
broadcast radio in Bangladesh and advised on spectrum assignment issues
• ETV complete design and implementation of a free to air VHF service at three
sites
Indonesia
• Engineering consultancy for a proposed Pay TV network
• Television coverage and planning surveys
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DVB-H Network & Coverage Planning
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
NOTE 1:
Phases 3, 6 and 7 are estimated prices only. As the scope of work required in
these phases relies on preceding phases it is not possible to provide a fixed
price quotation. THLA will provide a fixed price quote for these phases
following confirmation of the scope of works required.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
2.6.2 Options
The Project Plan (Gantt Chart) from Section 3.3 of the THLA Technical Proposal,
(Part B of this document) is a Draft Plan, to be used as a guideline only and it
reflects elapsed time rather than resource input. The Project Plan will be updated
during the Contract Negotiation Phase to better reflect the real program, once more
of the actual specific requirements and firm lead times are known.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
2.6.5 Validity
2.8 Inclusions
• Travel to Malaysia by THLA personnel, as required to complete the scope of
works as currently understood.
• Travel to Malaysia by THLA Engineer to assist in Phase 1 measurements and
provide training on measurement procedures
• System design responsibility.
• All necessary insurances
• Project Management of THLA portion of project
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
2.9 Exclusions
• Any item not mentioned in the SOW or THLA’s Technical Proposal.
• Transmission or other statutory licenses or application fees that may be
required.
• Fees to be paid to site owners
Contact Information:
Bill Curtis; International Business Development
Tel: (+64 4) 9148125
Fax: (+64 4) 9148148
Mobile: (+64 21) 428195
Email: billcurtis@thla.com.au
For further information regarding THL Group services, capabilities, profile and
contacts, please visit:
www.thla.com.au
www.bclnz.com
www.aapcs.com.au
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
3.1 Proposal
Designing a new national digital television network is a very complex process and
cannot be undertaken on an ad hoc basis with coverage predictions and spectrum
allocations being sought as the network grows and this complexity is increased with
the concept of SFN’s. The interaction at the borders with Singapore, Thailand and
Indonesia also has to be considered and border co-ordination is a key consideration
to any design.
To put it simplistically, the global design requires the completion of a
multidimensional jigsaw, in which the jigsaw pieces represent such diverse
elements as
• Population Distribution
• Location of existing transmitting infrastructure
• Existing VHF and UHF spectrum allocations
• Coverage and interference computations
• Optimisation of transmission parameters and antenna patterns
• Border considerations
Added to the complexity of the multidimensional jigsaw is the concept that many of
the jigsaw pieces are dynamically re-shaped during the planning process, and that
this re-shaping necessarily has a flow-on iterative impact on the global design as a
whole.
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This will give us the opportunity to tune the model before commencement of any of
the phases of work. If possible, avoiding having to tune the model midway through
the calculation and prediction processes will help mitigate any inefficiencies due to
re-work
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DVB-H Network & Coverage Planning
Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
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Phase 1 Is Critical
This phase is fundamental, as it will form the basis for the methodology for the other
phases. As such, THLA envisage that our propagation model will be validated and
tuned. The tuning process will involve field measurements collected from the
existing MiTV transmissions. THLA could assist with the field survey methodology
to ensure consistent and repeatable capture of field strength measurements (See
Model Tuning section, page 14).
It is expected that once tuned, the model can be used to simulate DVB-T coverage
for the other Phases with a sufficient degree of accuracy.
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The survey report will document the proposed locations for the new equipment and
detail all the requirements for feeders, combiners, antennas and transmitter
ancillary equipment.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
purchase price. As many of these systems will be located on remote sites, reliability
and vendor support form a large part of the whole of life costs.
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Proposal for Engineering Consultancy
3.3 Timeline
A proposed timeline, displayed as a Gantt chart summary attached. The times
shown are indicative for Phase 3 onwards.
Note that the Gantt chart represents elapsed time and not resource effort.
The time allocations shown for each stage includes consultation and feedback with
MiTV.
Notes;
Phase 6 – Implementation has a three month allowance for delivery of the
transmitters. It is expected that the supply would be staggered over this period and
beyond. Supply also depends on the manufacturer selected, and their ability to
supply the quantities of transmitters as and when required. For the purposes of
planning it has been assumed that a number of sites can be installed and
commissioned in parallel.
Phase 7 - Verification, has the potential to be quite a large task. In this phase
coverage measurements will be taken and used to verify the design, and the
installation. Depending on the number of sites, transmitters (channels), and the
level of engineering detail and modelling required, more time may be required to
complete this task. During the final scoping of the project (Phase 4) this activity can
be finalised.
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