By Richard L. Vega, Telecommunications Systems, Inc
This paper presents the technical and operational considerations associated with a new, and unique, Pay Television service recently introduced into the Anchorage, Alaska, marketplace. The pay service incorporates the delivery of various programming sources via satellite, earth station design, studio origination system design and operation, interconnection of the studio with the distribution medium via point-to-point microwave (studio-transmitter-link), and the delivery of the pay product to the subscriber in the single family dwelling via the common carrier facilities of a Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) microwave station. System design parameters and daily operational procedures will be discussed in depth as well as the first widescale utilization of a MDS facility to serve the private home marketplace with a pay channel.