Telespazio adopts LinkStar networking features to roll out enterprise-quality shared hub satellite IP services.

Telespazio is a satellite service provider with the mission of designing and implementing global satellite-based systems supporting innovative services and Internet applications. In Latin America, the company has developed a new family of broadband IP services called Evolv-e. Telespazio launched Evolv-e first in Argentina and Brazil from shared network hubs in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"Evolv-e is Telespazio's DVB-IP multimedia platform for a new generation of business communication services," said Claudio Mastroiani, vice president of IT at Telespazio. "We feel it represents an overwhelming qualitative leap in broadband communication, making satellite IP accessible for businesses anywhere."

The technology platform that Telespazio is building on is the LinkStar® broadband VSAT system from ViaSat. A number of LinkStar innovations enable Telespazio to reach its goal of expanding the reach of satellite IP:

• Cost effective for thin route or broadband applications
• Dynamic bandwidth allocation optimizes bandwidth efficiency
• TCP acceleration for higher data throughput
• Smaller, more highly integrated and lower-cost RF equipment

Many times, the demand in Latin America is still for simple, thin-route applications such as voice over IP, although broadband demand is growing. LinkStar enables Telespazio to provide cost-effective networking for either low-rate services or bandwidth-intensive applications, such as digital media streaming, video, multicasting over IP, VoIP, and high-speed file transfer.

LinkStar also became the choice for Telespazio because it is a VSAT specifically designed for enterprise level services. Those features include dynamic bandwidth allocation that matches bandwidth use to customer applications and faster throughput at the customer premises by using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) acceleration.

The round-trip time (RTT) for a packet traversing a LinkStar system via satellite averages 670ms. This is the time from when a packet is sent until its acknowledgement or reply is received. This includes satellite propagation delay, as well as processing delay of the LinkStar remote and hub components. When connecting to a corporate network using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection via terrestrial backhaul, the round trip time (RTT) for packets, and network throughput, could potentially increase by 15 to 20 percent.

The ViaSat TCP-PEP (TCP Performance Enhancing Proxy) Gateway eliminates this potentially problem by accelerating TCP/IP applications over the satellite. It is installed between the customer LAN and the satellite network equipment and transparently routes IP traffic while selectively accelerating TCP traffic. No modifications are required for customer applications, servers or workstations. All TCP-based applications, including web browsing, e-mail and ftp, can operate at the maximum data rate allowed by the satellite network. Using ViaSat TCP-PEP, files typically download in just one-third the time that it would take in a satellite link without TCP acceleration.

In addition, guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) techniques help business users prioritize different types of data flowing over the network, rather than simply queuing all traffic indiscriminately. For example VoIP traffic can be expedited over email or large file transfers.

Evolv-e services use Ku-band transponders on a variety of regional satellites. Data rates are 10 Mbit/s for the DVB outbound and 64 kbit/s to 1 Mbit/s on the return from remotes to the hub. Evolv-e subscriber terminals include VSAT-size antennas, about 1 to 1.2 meters, which fit on building rooftops. ViaSat also focuses on cutting costs in the outdoor RF equipment portion of the terminal, often the single largest element of cost in VSAT terminals. Along with its subsidiary US Monolithics, ViaSat has developed advanced, compact RF components that significantly reduce costs for satellite networking.

Telespazio, 100% owned by Telecom Italia SpA in the Telecom Italia Group, is the first European private operator able to provide the whole range of satellite products and services to communication operators, business and consumer users. Telespazio holds a majority stake in Telespazio Brazil, a joint-venture with Inepar (Brazil), Entel (Chile), and BGH (Argentina) which markets Telespazio's portfolio of products & services in Latin America.

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