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28 August 2014
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Background
TDM/TDMA and SCPC are the main alternative technologies for satellite networking in the world today. The modem and
management technologies underlying both approaches have been advancing rapidly in recent years, causing some
confusion as to which technology is better for a given set of networking requirements. This technical note will explain the
important trends and trade-offs.
These two alternative technologies are illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 for a simple star topology network, highlighting
their key elements and configuration differences.
Figure 1: TDM/TDMA Network
(Time Division Multiplexing with Time Division Multiple Access)
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SCPC uses a separate dedicated carrier to each remote terminal ("VSAT") to receive information from the central site, and
another dedicated carrier for each VSAT to transmit information back to the central site. Both carriers are modulated in
"continuous mode". Usually some non-standard coding techniques are used since SCPC technology was never
standardized.
In contrast, TDM/TDMA technology uses a single high-speed TDM carrier transmitted from the central site or "Hub", from
which many VSATs can receive information. For this TDM forward link, the DVB-S2 standard is most commonly used. It is
also the most flexible for multiplexing many concurrent streams of traffic to different sites, and the most efficient with its
support of Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM). ACM dynamically adjusts the modulation and coding on the "virtual
link" to each VSAT individually, as local conditions (e.g., weather, interference) at the VSAT change.
To transmit back to the central site efficiently, the VSATs in a TDM/TDMA network are synchronized, and they transmit
information in "burst mode" within a series of short, scheduled timeslots. Timeslots may be assigned across multiple TDMA
carriers and accessed using "fast frequency hopping". Timeslots are assigned to each VSAT exclusively (i.e., without
contention) based on their current traffic needs. This is called Dynamic TDMA, and it is the most advanced form of
TDM/TDMA. This technology is fully standardized internationally by the DVB group under the DVB-RCS family of standards.
TDM/TDMA networks allow all VSATs to dynamically share multiple TDMA carriers, as if they were a single large pool of
bandwidth. Each TDMA carrier group may contain dozens of carriers, with up to 32 carriers per carrier group in a SatLink
network. Therefore the "return link" may contain huge amounts of capacity, in aggregate.
In a SatLink TDM/TDMA network the TDMA carriers may operate at widely different symbol rates (e.g., from 500 ksps to 5
Msps and even higher). To determine which VSAT will use which timeslots on which carrier at any moment, SatLink has ACS
(Adaptive Carrier Selection). ACS is applied dynamically for each VSAT, given its local weather conditions, configuration
(e.g., antenna and BUC size) and service policy (e.g., maximum rate requirements). ACS determines what carrier & symbol
rate will work best at the current signal levels of those available in the carrier group.
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In addition, in a SatLink DVB-RCS2 ("2nd Generation") network, ACM per burst is supported for each VSAT and on all TDMA
carriers in the carrier group. This further optimizes efficiency, throughput, and reliability for each VSAT and greatly
simplifies network operations. Any VSAT can use any MODCOD, on any carrier, if necessary.
DVB-RCS2 SatLink TDM/TDMA networks now surpass SCPC networks not only in efficiency, but also in throughput and link
availability for almost any conceivable network configuration and satellite band (e.g., C, Ku, X, and Ka band).
50
100
150
200
In this cost analysis OPEX is the dominant consideration. The reason a TDM/TDMA network is not easily justified when there
are just a few sites is due to the fixed capital cost of the Hub for a TDM/TDMA network, which is higher than the cost of a few
SCPC modems.
In the range of 20 to 50 sites, the total transponder OPEX, plus details of the network traffic patterns and various user
requirements, must be examined more closely to determine which technology offers a lower cost of ownership.
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Using teleport hub services to support a small number TDM/TDMA VSATs can also shift the balance in favor of TDM/TDMA,
enabling "virtual private" TDM/TDMA networks with just a few VSATs that replace SCPC with good savings for network
operators.
the peak-to-average load ratios for traffic at each site (Tx and Rx) during the peak hour, and
the variability in the timing of the peak hour, across the various sites.
Even video, audio, and voice traffic have peak load timings and magnitudes that are variable throughout the month, the
week, and the day. And their loads fluctuate during the peak hour as well. Thus they all benefit from using bandwidth-ondemand which matches actual load requirements second-by-second. This benefit is especially applicable when using the
most efficient new codecs for these traditional "real-time" media types, when transporting them over IP links.
Furthermore, getting the maximum feasible peak speed for each VSAT site has become very important for all types of IP
applications and media. Having just 500 kbps or 1 Mbps per site as the maximum rate in a satellite network is no longer
acceptable to most user sites (with a few exceptions). User sites in many satellite networks now demand peak load receive
(Rx) rates of 10 to 40 Mbps or more, and peak load transmit (Tx) rates of 3 to 20 Mbps, or more. And these rates are only
going to increase in coming years.
Higher peak transfer speeds increase the peak-to-average load ratio per site during the peak hour, and therefore greatly
favor the trend to use TDM/TDMA and replace SCPC in all forms.
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This hybrid configuration is called "TDM/SCPC" for convenience here. If using DVB-S2 it gets the full benefits of statistical
multiplexing and ACM on the forward link, but these benefits are non-existent on the return link in this hybrid network .
Therefore, the technical and business rationales for using the TDM/SCPC hybrid networks are weak at best.
Nonetheless, the TDM/SCPC hybrid configuration is commonly promoted and used in certain types of VSAT networks, in
particular in cellular backhaul networks and in some other types of networks where fast access to large amounts of capacity
for the return link (upstream) traffic must be guaranteed.
There are three possible reasons for the continued use of this form of SCPC:
A belief that SCPC ("continuous mode" ) will provide better modem efficiency (in bps/Hz) than TDMA burst mode
due to lower overhead and ability to use higher-rate, more efficient MODCODs.
A belief that SCPC links are better at providing guaranteed capacity and will operate more reliably against rain
fades, interference, or congestion.
A belief that SCPC links will provide lower latency or less total delay.
A belief that SCPC links can be operated at a higher speed, when necessary, for any or all sites within the satellite
transponder footprint.
These beliefs (or some of them) are true with respect to the limitations of some popular TDM/TDMA technologies. For those
technologies, the hybrid TDM/SCPC option is useful and may even be "cost effective" in networks with nearly constant levels
of traffic in the peak hour at each site, a consistent peak hour time each day.
However, in comparison to SatLink TDM/TDMA networks using the DVB-RCS2 standards, these conditions do not hold
true. In fact, the opposite is true.
The SatLink DVB-RCS2 implementation exceeds or matches the modem performance specifications of all but the most
expensive SCPC modems with information rates > 24 Mbps for Tx.
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In terms of total network efficiency, a SatLink DVB-RCS2 return link (operating in TDMA burst mode !) will deliver 2x more in
bps/Hz than some popular SCPC options, even before adding in the benefits of statistical multiplexing with TDMA.
Table 1 compares the return link performance of SatLink DVB-RCS2 TDMA modems against the SCPC return link modem
options of two leading suppliers: Comtech EF Data and iDirect.
Table 1: SatLink TDMA vs. SCPC Modems (for Return Links Only)
Attribute
Return Link
Technology Used
SatLink TDMA
(DVB-RCS2)
COMTECH
CDM-625 SCPC
Modems
iDirect's
SCPC Option for
Evolution
DVB-RCS2 standard
(Proprietary)
(Proprietary)
VersaFEC
2D 16-State
MODCODs supported
BPSK: .488
QPSK .533 to .803
8QAM .642 to .780
16QAM .731 to .853
(dynamically selects
best carrier & symbol
No
No
(Fixed Carrier)
(Fixed Carrier)
Yes
Yes, included
Yes
(Proprietary)
125 ksps
18 ksps
8 Msps
12.5 Msps
24 Mbps
at 16QAM 5/6
& 8 Msps
14 Mbps
(in ACM mode)
24 Mbps
14 Mbps
See SatLink
modem performance
documentation
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No
128 ksps
(1.5 Msps at 8PSK)
15 Msps
24 Mbps
at QPSK 4/5
& 15 Msps
(QPSK required for this max)
15.6 Mbps
(for X5 router)
20 Mbps
(for 8000 series)
+/- 0.3 dB
+/- 0.3dB
vs. SatLink
vs. SatLink
with QPSK at
1.2x carrier spacing
Because no ACM,
see Section 0
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Attribute
Link Availability
SatLink TDMA
(DVB-RCS2)
COMTECH
CDM-625 SCPC
Modems
Best
Good
(with ACM)
16 milliseconds
Latencies & Delays
<40% of COMTECH
iDirect's
SCPC Option for
Evolution
Poor, or will reduce
efficiency & speed
(without ACM)
same as SatLink
(at 512 kbps & QPSK w/
438 byte payload)
NOTE: We assumed here the COMTECH modem is configured to use their VersaFEC, which is required if using their ACM feature. Their latency
could be less if using a different FEC.
The COMTECH CDM-625 modem is normally used in a traditional SCPC network where both forward and return links are
SCPC. COMTECH also has the CDM-840 modem, with similar SCPC specs, but which works with a central site DVB-S2 TDM
modem for the forward link in multi-site multiplexed basis (i.e., TDM/SCPC hybrid).
The iDirect SCPC option can be used on any iDirect VSAT in their Evolution product line (with the DVB-S2 forward link) and
that VSAT may be part of an iDirect TDM/TDMA network, managed from the same NMS.
Sections below further explain the key points of Table 1 and why SatLink TDMA burst modems using DVB-RCS2 match or
exceed the SCPC modem performance of these two suppliers.
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QPSK must be used to get the maximum data throughput rates at the VSAT (because 8PSK is very "processing
intensive" for them). This means that the higher symbol rates normally allowed with iDirect's SCPC option (those
from 10 Msps to 15 Msps) cannot be used with 8PSK.
QPSK must also be used for symbol rates less than 1.5 Msps. This is unfortunate because SCPC links often need
lower symbol rates than 1.5 Mbps.
Therefore iDirect SCPC links will use QSPK 1/2 to QPSK 4/5 most commonly (requiring SNR levels of 2.2 to 6.0 dB,
respectively, during fades). They will have corresponding efficiencies of 0.8 to 1.3 bps/Hz, according to iDirect modem
documentation.
In contrast, SatLink's modem efficiency in Ku and Ka band will average from 1.6 and 2.6 bps/Hz, by using 8PSK and 16QAM,
or 2x better efficiency than iDirect's SCPC, with typical transponders and VSAT configurations. This is because the use of
ACM allows "clear sky" link budgets (or nearly so) to prevail for >90% of the time in most regions of the world, greatly
increasing average network efficiency across all sites.
Furthermore, due to statistical multiplexing of IP traffic, the required capacity of the TDMA carrier group, in Mbps, is much
less than the sum of the required SCPC return links would be (typically 2x to 8x less), depending on traffic patterns across the
sites.
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Being able to operate at high information rates, up to 24 Mbps, to reduce serialization delays.
Using relatively small FEC block sizes (=burst sizes) compared to SCPC modems. For example, only 540 symbols for
the "small burst" and 1620 symbols for the "long burst" vs. 4,000 symbols for the FEC blocks used by COMTECH's
VersaFEC .
Using advanced methods for assigning bandwidth-on-demand so that there are no delays for receiving capacity
assignments once activity has begun.
The relatively low information rates common on many SCPC carriers (e.g., 500 kbps to 2 Mbps) used to avoid excessive
amounts of dedicated capacity to a single site are often a large source of delays from an end-user perspective when
uploading emails, photos, or other large data options.
The same is true for the TDM Forward Link carrier in a TDM/TDMA network. It will have much lower latency than each of
many SCPC forward link carriers operating lower symbol rates and low information rates.
It will have a high latency very low symbol rate carriers (e.g., < 500 ksps) even when using the short frames option.
It is more expensive for each site, and requires one dedicated DVB-S2 receiver at the Hub site for each remote site
using the SCPC option.
It is not feasible to switch rapidly between DVB-S2 (continuous mode carriers) and a TDMA burst mode carriers in
the event that site needs the option to use either of two modes.
When compared to SatLink's implementation of DVB-RCS2 for TDMA (i.e., burst mode), the efficiency of DVB-S2 modems
are very similar. They are only slightly better (less than 0.5 dB of SNR difference for the same bps/Hz, in the higher rate
MODCODs). Even the overhead differences are small (a few %) when comparing similar FEC frame sizes. And because it is
not possible to use "frequency hopping" among DVB-S2 carriers there is no option for using ACS to adjust symbol rates
dynamically.
And, of course, as with all SCPC options on the return link, there is no ability to gain from statistical multiplexing of traffic
across multiple transmitting sites.
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Increased business efficiency, revenue, and value from higher reliability, speeds, throughputs, and more total
network capacity.
OPEX savings from reduced hardware and software maintenance fees on SCPC equipment and software features.
Sometimes financial justifications can be found for a TDM/TDMA network upgrade even if the network is composed of only
5 sites. The degree of savings will depend on the following:
Average load per site (Gigabytes per hour) in the peak hour for Tx and Rx.
Geography of the network (e.g., how many sites within tropical vs. temperate vs. arid environments) or sites at low
look angles to the satellite.
How widely scattered remote sites will be, and whether there will be diverse VSAT antenna sizes, mobile VSATs, or
other special site requirements.
EMC will assist any potential customer with a fair and detailed analysis, including documentation of all assumptions, to help
them evaluate whether SCPC or TDM/TDMA will deliver better performance relative to their network requirements, and
how both the OPEX and CAPEX for the network will compare under each alternative. It is worth noting that networks with
more than 50 sites easily justify TDM/TDMA except in rare situations.
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