F

FEC	Forward Error Correction. A technique for improving the robustness of data transmission. Excess bits are included in the outgoing data stream so that error-correction algorithms can be applied upon reception. For the satellite standard the Viterbi code combined with the Reed Solomon code is used. Commercial use of transponders makes 3/4 the code rate most used for Viterbi, which means that three out of four bits contain useable information.
Footprint	See Coverage area
Forward path	The transmission path issued from the service provider and reaching the end user.
Free-to-air services	Services which doesn't require any payments or any special decoders to receive it.
Frequency spectrum	A range of frequencies.