Broadband satellite networks: trends and challenges

The next generation global communication network infrastructure is designed to be all IP based, supporting various heterogeneous core and access technologies for broadband and mobile user applications. In this paper, we discuss the trends of broadband satellite communication networks to meet the emerging aeronautical and fast train applications, and mobile users, in providing ubiquitous global coverage. Mobile satellite systems will be fully integrated with wireless networks and terrestrial segments. The technical challenges for future broadband satellite systems will be to insure seamless integration between satellite and wireless systems and without compromising quality of service (QoS). We discuss briefly the technical challenges and possible solutions, including a QoS reference model, traffic management, dynamic bandwidth allocation, cross-layer protocol design, satellite TCP, mobility management, satellite IP security, internetworking and standardization issues to realize heterogeneous networks.