Practical experiences in interconnecting LANs via satellite

We present an experiment in interconnecting LANs via a satellite link and describe the individual components involved in the experiment. The project was developed in two phases: a) design and realization of a satellite access scheme that supports real-time and non real-time traffic with a signal fading countermeasure, called FODA/IBEA-TDMA; b) interconnection of LANs where real-time and non real-time applications run. The experiment was presented the first time in June 1994 as a demo in which the Eutelsat satellite was used (in the 12/14 GHz band) to exchange data between two LANs in Pisa and Florence, while video and audio applications running on PCs connected the two sites. The demo was repeated a few weeks later and the Intelsat satellite was used in the 20/30 GHz band.