VoIP over DVB-RCS with QoS and bandwidth on demand

Motivated by the need for compliance/interoperability above the satellite-specific layers, this article proposes a consolidated approach for voice over IP over satellite networks based on the ETSI DVB-RCS standard. Voice communication is a real-time service that needs priority over other services in IP environments with limited bandwidth, such as IP satellite networks. Bandwidth utilization in such networks needs to be optimized in order to reduce service costs, and this requires the use of dynamic bandwidth allocation schemes. This article therefore addresses the role of bandwidth on demand in the optimization of bandwidth allocation for VoIP and assesses the impact of BoD mechanisms on voice quality. The trade-off between voice quality and bandwidth efficiency is investigated under different DVB-RCS-specific capacity request/allocation strategies, and it is demonstrated that DVB-RCS provides an efficient platform for integrated support for a variety of VoIP applications over satellite. The main contribution of this article consists of the identification of the mechanisms capable of responding to the key challenges raised by the VoIP application in the satellite environment.