Harris Corporation Completes $85 Million Phase 1 of Nationwide Romanian Broadcast Communications System
January 27 2005 - 10:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Harris Corporation Completes $85 Million Phase 1 of Nationwide
Romanian Broadcast Communications System World's Largest-Ever Radio
Modernization Program Completed Two Years Ahead of Schedule, in
Time to Broadcast Romania's December 2004 Election Results
CINCINNATI, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation
(NYSE:HRS) today announced completion -- nearly two years ahead of
schedule - - of the $85 million first phase of a comprehensive
program to upgrade and expand the nationwide broadcast
infrastructure of S.N. Radiocomunicatii S.A., Romania's state-owned
broadcast organization. Modernization of Romania's aging broadcast
communications system marks a critical step forward for Romania and
its population, bringing the country up to date with the solid-
state analogue technology favored in Western Europe. Harris'
end-to-end radio and television solution also provides S.N.
Radiocomunicatii S.A. with a clear path to the digital future.
Phase 1 of the three-phase project, which is providing 100 percent
radio coverage throughout Romania, was completed in just 20 months
instead of the anticipated four-and-one-half years. Harris
accelerated the project by dedicating the additional engineering
and technical resources needed to establish nationwide radio
coverage before Romania's election in November 2004. Harris
supplied 28 low-power (10kW to 50kW) medium wave transmitters,
eight high-power (200KW and 400KW) medium wave transmitters, and
106 FM radio transmitters for local coverage as well as longer
distances of difficult terrain at sites throughout Romania. The
range and diversity of transmitters was essential to ensure 100
percent nationwide radio broadcast coverage for Romania's regional
network and two national networks across urban areas and vast
stretches of rural communities often divided by the Carpathian
Mountains. Gabriel Grecu, president of S.N. Radiocomunicatii, said,
"The ability to transmit high-quality radio and television
broadcast signals throughout the country is crucial. Our previous
system employed Eastern technology and frequency standards that
were of poor quality and frequently unreliable. Our nationwide
reception is now excellent, and we've harmonized our radio
frequency bands with Western standards. We're even looking into
digital audio broadcasting (DAB) for the Bucharest area. The whole
project represents a huge improvement that benefits not just our
broadcast capabilities, but Romanian society as a whole. What makes
this achievement even more remarkable is that, due to the
often-remote geography of Romania, there are really only six months
of the year when many of these areas are accessible. The
engineering, technology and co-ordination support of our Harris
team was superb." The end-to-end transmission solution also
included antenna systems, microware links for resource sharing,
engineering, installation, training and commissioning services. In
addition, the first of many high- and low-power television
transmitters and transposers were installed. The television
installations begin upgrades to Romania's television transmission
infrastructure, which will be expanded and completed during the
remainder of the modernization program. Furthermore, three control
and monitoring networks will reduce operational costs at each
station facility by enabling the remote monitoring of all radio and
television transmission equipment from four regional headquarters.
Until now, it has been conservatively estimated that the country's
aging broadcast technology did not reach up to 40 percent of
Romania's 22.3 million. With the completion of the radio phase of
the modernization project, the country now enjoys 100 percent radio
coverage at a higher fidelity and lower cost. With the inclusion of
new RDS capabilities, public radio stations can be received and
retained on the move throughout the country. Romania also has the
ability to reach Romanians living in other European countries with
the use of a Harris long-wave AM transmitter. "Romania is showing
Eastern Europe that the time to upgrade to solid-state analogue
technology is now," said Debra Huttenburg, vice president and
general manager of Harris Broadcast Communications' Radio Broadcast
Systems Business Unit. "This is a great example of how the move
from antiquated tube technology to solid-state technology can
provide significantly lower operating costs and higher reliability.
Romania has not only undergone the single largest installation
program in radio history, but it has also ensured that there is a
digital future in place for its entire broadcast communications
infrastructure. The fact that Harris completed the first phase
nearly two years ahead of schedule also demonstrates that we can
deliver comprehensive broadcast systems no matter what size and
scale." About Harris Broadcast Communications Division Harris
Broadcast Communications Division is one of four divisions within
Harris Corporation, an international communications equipment
company focused on providing assured communications(TM) services
for government and commercial customers in more than 150 countries.
One of the world's leading suppliers of broadcast technology,
Harris Broadcast Communications Division offers a full range of
solutions that support the digital delivery, automation and
management of audio, video and data. For more information, visit
http://www.harris.com/ . DATASOURCE: Harris Corporation CONTACT:
Martha Rapp of Harris Corporation, +1-217-221 7577, or ; or Becky
Smith of Ellabeck Communications Ltd, +011-44-(0)-1795-521729, or
Web site: http://www.harris.com/
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