By Brian Galante
Thomson Broadcast-owned GatesAir has brought to life an enhanced managed services program that is designed to address what the company calls “the urgent need” for skilled RF resources and services in the global broadcast industry.
Introducing “GatesAir Care,” which offers defined service level agreements across three-tiered support plans that GatesAir says collectively aim to fill widening gaps in engineering skillsets as longtime RF engineers approach retirement.
The number of services included escalates with each tier, beginning with simple extended warranties, discounted spare parts, and preventative maintenance visits to keep transmitters and associated RF systems in excellent operating condition.
Additional services are available with each tier, which can include installation and commissioning, 24/7 remote maintenance and monitoring, and live, onsite technical support for major broadcast events.
“Most young engineers coming into the business today possess a strong IT skillset but have limited to no RF expertise,” said Ray Miklius, GatesAir’s Vice President of Technology. “We developed GatesAir Care to alleviate concerns about finding skilled engineers to take care of RF systems and plants as veteran TV and radio engineers reduce hours and ultimately retire.”
The three program tiers (Elite, Signature, Standard) can also scale to the size of the broadcaster, including dedicated services in smaller markets that are especially light on engineering resources. GatesAir Care will also offer options for crisis team deployment and disaster recovery services in the event of severe weather or other unanticipated events that require immediate attention.
GatesAir VP/Global Sales Mark Goins added that the GatesAir Care program ultimately aligns with the broadcast model’s increasing emphasis on operational efficiency. “Changes in the global RF engineering fleet are unfolding at a very swift pace over the past 12-18 months. The GatesAir Care program will help broadcasters maintain their focus on operational efficiency with the peace of mind that our experienced, dedicated support staff will provide consistent, proactive and responsive service tailored to each customer’s needs.”
GatesAir will also offer beginning and advanced RF training courses in alignment with the GatesAir Care program to help younger broadcast engineers strengthen their RF skillsets.
