Welcome back for what promises to be a productive second semester for PeachStar and Georgia Public Broadcasting. As you know, GPB experienced the failure of our satellite in September, which necessitated our looking for a new satellite. Fortunately, we were able to secure space on AMC-3, and once situated, we immediately began the task of repointing the more than 2,400 satellite receiving sites operated by our users statewide.
GPB worked with Convergent Media Systems (CMS) to contact schools and libraries in an effort to repoint each site's satellite receiving equipment as well as reauthorize the IRDs. CMS has been dispatching technicians to sites unable to successfully repoint the equipment, and this work is nearing completion. If for any reason you are still not receiving our signal, please contact the Convergent Helpdesk immediately at 800-877-7805. They are on call to assist our users and will be happy to work with you to restore your satellite service.
As we begin the new year, we are well on our way to restoring service to all of our users. We have resumed the broadcast of our regularly scheduled programming and will continue our Video On Request service to give you access to the programming you need in a timely manner.
All of us at Georgia Public Broadcasting thank you for your patience during this trying time. We appreciate your understanding and your support. Also, I want to remind you that we want to hear from you've want your ideas and suggestions on ways that we can enhance and improve our programs and services for you and your school.
I also want to thank you for your positive reaction to our video streaming services. Your extraordinary response "we had 90,000 successful transactions last month alone" is a strong indicator that you find this service useful and valuable to your classrooms. And it confirms our decision to provide this important service to Georgia's education community. We will continue to expand the resources available by streaming and, as always, want your feedback to ensure that we meeting your needs.
Best wishes for a wonderful New Year filled with happiness and prosperity for you, your family, your students and colleagues.
Sincerely,
James M. Lyle
