Technology

Activ8me Corporate uses the IPSTAR system which is comprised of a gateway earth station communicating over the IPSTAR satellite to provide broadband packet-switched communications to a large number of small terminals with network star configuration.

A wide-band data link from the gateway to the user terminal uses an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) overlay. These forward channels employ highly efficient transmission methods including Turbo Product Code (TPC) and higher order modulation (L-codes) for increased system performance.

In the terminal to gateway direction or return link, the narrow-band channels employ the same efficient transmission methods. These narrow-band channels operate in different multiple-access modes based on bandwidth usage behaviour, including Slotted-ALOHA, ALOHA, and TDMA for STAR return link waveform.

About IPSTAR (our satellite partner)

 

IPSTAR Australia Pty Ltd (IPA) is part of one of the largest commercial satellite companies in Asia, Shin Satellite PLC, based in Thailand.

IPSTAR was created from the vision of making satellite technology play an important role in the broadband revolution and the convergence of information and communication technologies.

The IPSTAR-1 satellite, a new generation of Internet Protocol (IP) satellites, is one of the largest communications satellites ever built, it is the size of a city bus, and has a massive bandwidth capacity of 45Gbps. Most satellites serving Australasia today have less than 2Gbps capacity.

It aims to provide a low cost user terminal and large scale bandwidth via a satellite-based broadband platform. This competes effectively with terrestrial broadband solution such as ADSL, Cable Modem and Fixed Wireless while, at the same time, retaining the key satellite advantages of large coverage, and fast and flexible service deployment.

The IPSTAR technology is designed to increase system capacity and efficiency so the cost of service is considerably lower than provided by conventional satellites.

This means IPSTAR can offer a highly cost-effective service across Australia.

The IPSTAR gateway's backbone is interconnected with fibre optic cables, delivering high data throughput. IPSTAR satellite broadband is a true two-way satellite broadband delivering fast last-mile Internet service to consumers, competing effectively with cable modem and ADSL services.

Technical Statistics

  • Satellite throughput capacity: 45Gbps
  • Satellite lifespan: 12 years
  • Modem download capacity: 4Mbps
  • Modem upload capacity: 2Mbps
  • Satellite gateways connected with fibre optic cables to Perth, Adelaide and Sydney.

 

Features

  • Spot beam technology
  • Dynamic Power allocation
  • Bent-pipe satellite
  • No on-borad regenerative payload
  • Dynamic bandwidth management

 

Formed in December 2004, IPA has an office in Sydney and two satellite earth stations and IPSTAR Gateways in Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie.