Disaster Recovery for Cable Television

Cable system operators may receive commercial network television signals via tower and
antenna, or fiber optics when the television broadcasting station is within the local area.
Microwave transmissions are used to pick up television broadcasting from a distant station,
and satellite dishes are used to receive specialized pay cable services that cable programmers
transmit via satellite.
1. MANAGEMENT AWARENESS
Cable system management should do all it can to protect the cable system from damage,
which can be costly in both time and money. The active interest and dedication of
management in a loss prevention program is the key to a successful "umbrella of protection."
When underwriting a cable system, the following loss prevention areas should be evaluated:
1) Development of a disaster contingency plan, including mutual assistance from other cable
system operators where possible.
2) Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment.
3) Development of a specific retention program where vital records are concerned.
4) Development of duplicate programs, where applicable, and arrangements for off-premises
storage.
5) Creation and enforcement of security standards for videotapes, files and other records.
6) Creation of a formal training program for all head-end and field operations personnel.
7) Implementation of a proper inspection and maintenance program.

2. EQUIPMENT, HAZARDS AND LOSS CONTROL

A cable system consists of a tower, antenna, head-end equipment, distribution cable,

amplifiers, trunk cable and feeder and drop lines.
The system receives TV signals at the tower site, usually on a hill, mountain or tall building.
The signals are then transported via coaxial cable (about three-quarters of an inch thick) to
the "head-end" equipment, which de-scrambles, amplifies the signal received and sends it
through the community distribution system. The head-end facility also houses high-valued,
complex computer systems used in broadcasting and advertising. The head-end facility also
may contain the operator's business office, and may be the site at which locally originated
programs (e.g., news, weather and talk shows) are produced.

A. Towers and Antennas

The towers include antennas and all other permanent connections or attachments. This
description includes guy wires, antenna de-icing equipment, transmission lines, and
protective equipment that covers attachments or microwave antennas.
Towers can be of two general types: guyed or self-supporting.
Guyed towers, which can be square or triangular, need enough room for the placement of guy
anchors. Guy wires usually extend a distance of from half the height of the tower to the full
height of the tower. Guyed towers may have a pivotal or fixed base. Those with a pivotal base
allow the base to move if the soil settles unevenly beneath it, enabling the tower to remain
plumb. Guyed towers are either three or four legged and are guyed at several elevations. Most
towers of 100 feet or more are guyed towers.
Self-supporting towers are used where there is a limited amount of space. There are three or
four legged towers, with fixed or pivotal supports and well-spread footings. Their members
are of a heavier gauge metal than that used in the construction of guyed towers.
The major causes of loss for towers are collapse due to lightning, windstorm, ice, aircraft,

earthquake, flood and structural failures. Proper grounding is essential to help prevent
damage from lightning. To protect against windstorm damage, towers and antennas should be
designed to withstand the maximum force of wind that can be expected in the area, such as
hurricane forces if in a hurricane belt. It may be impractical to design a tower to withstand the
force of a tornado (several hundred pounds per square foot). The path of a tornado is narrow
and the chance of a tower being in its path is slim; hurricanes, however, cause destruction on
a broad scale.
The presence of ice on a tower can increase the surface area exposed to the wind and
contribute to its collapse. Ice may be more of a hazard on a guyed tower, which has more and
lighter structural members than self-supporting towers. A design factor for full ice loading, as
well as for increased wind load area -- because of radial ice on the tower, including the guys
-- should be built into the structure of a tower when conditions indicate it is needed.
The antennas supported by the tower should be equipped with deicing equipment to maintain
a quality broadcast signal. Microwave receivers and other attachments located on the lower
areas of the tower should be protected from falling ice with a metal type umbrella.
The Electronics Industries Association Standard EIA-222-D-1986, "Structural Standards for
Steel Towers and Antenna Supporting Strucures," does not mention deicing equipment, but
specifically addresses ice loads on the "exposed surfaces of the structure, guy wires and
appurtenances" under Section 2.1.2. Tower manufacturers have tried many methods of
handling the tower icing problem, including coating the members of the tower with various
materials, such as Teflon-type materials, so that moisture would not bead up and freeze.
However, these methods were found to be impractical because of their high cost and short life
expectancy. There is no practical way to deice or prevent an ice buildup on a tower of any
significant height.
Apart from proper design and construction, the following should be considered:
* A tower should have suitable lighting and markings to warn approaching aircraft.
* Towers built in areas prone to earthquake should incorporate earthquake resistant features
in their design. Guyed towers have gained greater acceptance in earthquake areas than self-

supporting towers because of their flexibility.

* Check with the Army Corp of Engineers to determine if the tower site is in a flood zone.
* The operator should follow a regular inspection and maintenance program as recommended
by the manufacturer.
B. Head-End Facility
A carefully designed loss prevention program for the head-end facility is critical for cable
system operators, due to the extremely high values of equipment stored there. Loss
prevention considerations include fire, lightning, smoke, burglary, vandalism, changes in
power supply, flood and water damage.
The building that houses the head-end equipment and the interior construction should be fire
resistive or noncombustible. The equipment room should be separated from the electrical
substation, boiler room, heating or ventilation room either by an adequate distance or fireresistive construction. The temperature and humidity requirements differ for computer and
head-end facilities; each area should have a separate air conditioning system.
Utilize an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system. This should include smoke and
heat detectors, sprinklers, or total flooding with CO2 or a halogenated extinguishing agent*.
Prior to release of the extinguishing agent, power to the head-end equipment and air
conditioning system should be automatically shut down. When the room is equipped with an
extinguishing system, the system should be connected to a central station or other station that
will provide human response at all times. A sufficient supply of fire extinguishers with noncorrosive agents should be present throughout the facility.
There is current controversy surrounding Halon agents and their role in depletion of the
stratospheric ozone layer. While Halon is currently available at reasonable cost, it is likely in
the near future that production levels will be curtailed and regulated, and its cost therefore
driven up. Since its future is uncertain, anyone considering the installation of Halon fire
suppression systems should closely consult with their computer manufacturer and property
insurance company.

Keep the amount of combustibles in the room to a minimum. Store supplies in metal cabinets.
Remove debris on a daily basis; any debris storage should be limited to self-closing metal
receptacles. Smoking should be prohibited, and such rules should be strictly enforced.
Utilize a burglar alarm, with the signal connected to a central station providing human
response at all times. Closed circuit TV also can be used to monitor activity in the head end
facility.
Assign a person to monitor the security program at the building. Security procedures should
be in writing and followed by all employees who have access to the head-end facility. Equip
all doors and windows with locking devices. The building should be fenced in with at least a
10-foot high cyclone fence with barbed wire on top, with gates kept locked at all times.
Whenever possible, place the head-end facility above grade level to minimize the water
damage hazard and provide adequate draining in the floor. The main gas, electric and water
lines should not go through the head-end facility. If there is a basement, it should not be used
to house the head-end equipment. If it has to be utilized, take measures to have surface water
drain away from the building. Also, any surface level openings should be watertight. Keep
roof and plumbing in proper condition through a regular maintenance program.
C. Transmission System
Microwaves are electromagnetic waves similar to radio waves but at a higher frequency. A
microwave antenna is mounted on a microwave transmission tower. This tower is usually
known as a microwave relay and is equipped with receivers and transmitters for picking up,
amplifying and passing on the signals sent over a microwave network.
Earth station satellite dishes, approximately 6.1 meters in diameter, are usually aimed at one
particular satellite to receive their programs for distribution to cable television subscribers.
While subject to many of the same perils as towers and antennas, such as lightning, flood and
vandalism, the frequency and severity of loss to transmission equipment is lower. It is
essential that dishes are properly grounded and designed to withstand local wind velocities.

D. Distribution System
Loss prevention considerations for the distribution system include wind, ice, earthquake,
collapse and vandalism. The distribution systems consists of a main trunk line, feeder and
drop cables. The trunk line branches out into local distribution lines, which form a network
throughout the communities being served. Feeder and drop lines then bring the signal from
the distribution line to the subscriber.
Signals are distributed from the head-end facility to trunk lines located on utility poles or
underground through a network of amplifiers and splitters to the user. Amplifiers are installed
to maintain a strong signal for customers furthest from the head-end control center.
Coaxial cable continues to be the common distribution method. It is not unusual to have over
2,000 miles of cable consisting of trunk, feeder and drop lines, trunk amplifiers and splitters
in a customer system. Fiber-optics (glass fibers grouped together in cables that carry optical
messages) are replacing copper wiring for data transmission because the glass cables weigh
less, can carry more information, and are immune to electromagnetic interference. The use of
fiber-optics in cable systems (called super-trunking) is becoming more prevalent for special
uses, such as from a head-end to a distribution center and then on to local customers in
remote or distant communities.
Utility poles may be owned by an electric utility, a telephone company or the cable system
operator. In the case of pole upset, the utility company has repair priority and is allowed to
make repairs first, followed by the telephone company and the cable system operator.
Electrical power for the trunk and distribution plant is usually supplied by a local electrical
utility company through step-down transformers to a 60 volt system. Provide standby
emergency generators for stable operations.
3. TIME ELEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Damage to the towers, antennas, transmitting equipment or distribution lines can prevent
transmission or reception. Even severe losses to towers and transmitting or receiving
equipment may result in relatively short down-time periods by the substitution of earth
station satellite systems for standard tower or microwave transmission systems. The cable

operator often can return to service with some satellite-received signals and local signals
using temporary antennas.
In addition to loss of income and/or extra expense resulting from usual physical loss (such as
fire, lightning, windstorm, ice, earthquake, water damage and structural failures), mechanical
breakdown or electrical injury also are prime hazards to be considered to avoid unplanned
disruption of operations and resulting financial loss.
A. Mechanical or Electrical Breakdown
1. Equip head-end facility with separate air conditioning systems and temperature controls
along with standby equipment.
2. Maintain an alternate power supply (emergency generators) for immediate use in the event
of partial or total shutdown of municipal or central power.
3. Carry maintenance contracts on all high-valued installations. These contracts should
guarantee that service will be provided within a specified, minimum period of time. The
contract also should stipulate spare parts replacement capability, as well as timely
maintenance and service checks on the equipment.
B. Antenna Icing
1. Equip the antennas supported by a tower with deicers in areas where ice accumulations are
known to occur. It is feasible to prevent ice accumulations on the antennas since the antennas
are much smaller than the tower structure. From a business interruption standpoint, antenna
deicing is critical to maintain the quality of the broadcast signal; if there were heavy ice
accumulations, the signals could not be received or transmitted.
C. Contingency Operation Plan
Quick recovery depends on swift, effective response to an emergency. Senior managment
must provide the motivation for starting, developing and implementing a Contingency
Operation Plan and keeping the information current. Such a plan should include:

1. Preparation of a plan of action for each critical time, including alternate power and
equipment sources and alternate facilities that will assist to minimize the business
interruption effects of a property loss of any nature.

2. Arrangement to use the equipment of a neighboring firm whose equipment is compatible

with operational needs. This arrangement should be tested periodically to keep the
information current.
3. Data collection on the critical equipment, including manufacturing data specifications,
anticipated replacement parts, availability of spare parts, repair facilities independent
contractors, restoration contractors and rental sources, should be kept and updated
periodically.
4. Emergency plans for personnel in the event of a severe loss to the head-end or
computer facility, making it inaccessible or unusable. Knowledgeable, trained personnel
should be contacted immediately to decide whether to repair or replace damaged
equipment or to lease substitute equipment.

Cable Television Best Practices

Physical Security
Cable Operators should have appropriate physical security, augmented by security personnel
and/or video surveillance at their key facilities, including their headend, hub, plant and
customer service facilities.
Backup Power
1. Cable Operators should employ diverse power grid sources wherever feasible.
2. Cable Operators should take appropriate measures to provide backup power capabilities for
their key facilities, including their headend, hub, plant and customer service facilities.
Redundant Communications
Cable systems should have backup satellite receivers for their major news and information
channels. In cases where a backup satellite receiver is unaffordable or impractical, cable
operators should consider the use of DBS receivers at headend and/or hub facilities for use in
emergency situations. Cable systems should have redundant signal routes as far out in their
network as economically practical.

Redundant Facilities
1. Cable Operators should take appropriate measures to provide redundant and
geographically diverse equipment for their headend, hub and plant facilities, appropriate
to the systems operations and facilities.
2. Cable systems should have capability in an emergency situation to provide some news or
information from a location other than their primary headend, where economically
practical.
3. Cable systems should have some capability to obtain news and information in an
emergency situation, such as their own studio or an arrangement to receive signals from
local television broadcasters or cable program providers.
4. All Cable Operators in a market should collaborate, where possible, to increase their
collective site and equipment diversity, redundancy and interconnections.
5. All Local Media (e.g., Television Broadcasters, Cable Operators and Radio Broadcasters)
in a market should collaborate to increase their collective geographic diversity and to
establish redundant interconnections capable of supporting emergency operations.
6. Cable systems and local broadcasters in a market should work jointly to develop
prevention plans and to improve the redundancies in their interconnections.
7. Radio broadcasters should work with television broadcasters and cable operators to
establish diverse primary and backup signal feeds from local television broadcasters and
cable systems for use in emergency situations.