Intelligent Gateways Enabling Broadband Access via Integrated Terrestrial and Satellite Systems

Satellite broadband systems will play a key role in reducing the Digital Divide by complementing terrestrial networks in the delivery of next generation broadband to users in remote and rural locations. We describe an integrated broadband delivery system to fixed users that makes simultaneous use of heterogeneous access networks in order to optimize the end-user QoE. The design of the overall network architecture and the key building blocks of the routing entities at both ends of the integrated system are presented. The paper argues that MPTCP is an appropriate mechanism to offer hybrid communications over heterogeneous links and details a specific implementation of the intelligent routing gateways. Results from in-factory validation tests of the prototyped platforms are presented and discussed.