DIFI PlugFest USA 2026 – October 5-8
DIFI completed its successful PlugFest 2026 event, hosted by Keysight Technologies in Santa Clara, California.
This week-long event brought together over 80 DIFI members and industry participants, representing 30+ companies, to test and validate interoperability of digital IF technologies using the DIFI Standard.
DIFI 1.2.1 and 1.3 capabilities were tested during the event. The PlugFest provided a unique, hands-on environment for engineers to collaborate, troubleshoot, and advance multi-vendor compatibility across the satellite ground segment. A Showcase event was held post event with multiple presentations.
DIFI Workshop at MILCOM – North Bethesda Marriott, USA
WILL YOU BE STOPPING BY? PLEASE LET US KNOW AND REGISTER HERE
Our Mission
The mission of the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium is to enable the digital transformation of space, satellite, and related industries by providing a simple, open, interoperable Digital IF/RF standard that replaces the natural interoperability of analog IF signals and helps prevent vendor lock-in. A truly interoperable digital IF will enable transformation to a virtualized ground segment, reducing the total cost of ownership and significantly boosting network and terminal agility and scalability.
IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability Standard, v1.3.0 – July 2025
The data plane interface provides the ability to transmit and receive digitized IF data and corresponding metadata over standard IP networks. This interface is meant to be fully compliant with the VITA 49.2 standards. To download the Standard, please complete the contact form below.
Membership
The newly formed consortium is in the process of implementing administrative structures and recruiting additional member companies and organizations with an interest in space networks to become active participants in DIFI. Please review the Governing Documents and join now!
Electronically-steered flat-panel antennas (ESAs) are on a clear evolutionary path from high-cost terminals for single-beam/single-use applications to increasingly affordable offerings, many with some combination of multi-beam, multi-band, and multi-orbit capabilities. Supporting these flexible antenna systems will drive demand for digital-based ground systems for signal routing and processing. The DIFI Consortium is taking up the challenge of setting up and managing services through these antennas in a way that will enable interoperability between antenna systems and digital ground systems.
If you would like to participate in this working group, please click the join button to be part of this exciting endeavor.
Latest News
DIFI Working Group to Tackle Interoperability Challenges Threatening Flat-Panel Antennas’ Future
New DIFI Working Group to Tackle Interoperability Challenges Threatening Flat-Panel Antennas’ Future Rapid innovation in electronically-steerable technology has come at the price of interoperability (PISCATAWAY, NJ: February 27, 2024) The [...]
A New Era of Digitization
Simon Swift, Engineering Director - Digital Technologies, ETL Systems, and Vice Chair of the DIFI Working GroupAs stated in a report published by the UK Military of Defence (MoD) exploring [...]
World Teleport Association Joins DIFI
THE WORLD TELEPORT ASSOCIATION JOINS THE DIGITAL IF INTEROPERABILITY CONSORTIUM (DIFI) Wednesday, November 22, 2023 (0 Comments) Posted by: Victoria Krisman Share | (New York City, November 22, 2023) – The World [...]
