Network Mobility Support for Interoperable IPv6/DVB-T Systems

The tremendous interest received by Internet applications over the last decade, on one hand, and the emergence of the digital switchover, transition from the analogue to the digital TV, on the other hand, convey the trend for the convergence of broadcasting and IP-based networks. Permitting the access to IP services inside a broadcasting context already represents an evolution in next generation of services for digital television. Furthermore, the development of a mobility support for IP users inside such an environment stands as an important enhancement, especially since wireless communications have taken a significant place into the networking world. In this paper, we propose a solution for achieving seamless mobility of IP users in a hybrid IP/DVB context, based on a network layer approach and supporting multicast. This work has been accomplished within the framework of the IST-funded European project ATHENA