MaxLinear and ProBrand International have announced a contract to deliver mass production quantities of digital satellite low-noise block downconverters (LNBs) to Telefonica. PBI's digital LNBs feature an integrated digital channel stacking switch (dCSS) that enables multiple satellite television channels to be carried over a single coaxial cable, which simplifies installation and lowers deployment costs. The LNBs also come with a common hardware design with programmable software that enables Telefonica to customise the frequency plan based on the unique needs of each country in which it operates.
Telefonica is one of the first major operators to harness the benefits of dCSS technology across its global footprint of satellite networks. The dCSS LNBs are currently being used in Brazil and Colombia, with other markets due to begin deployments in 2018.