The role of satellites in internet multimedia applications

Abstract

The transformation of the Internet into a global multimedia system for information retrieval and sharing, group collaboration, and interpersonal communication requires a wide range of broadband networking capabilities. This paper describes the potential contributions of satellite networking in the four areas of access from unwired locations, multicast of application software, high-speed download of large information files, and the feeding of proxy servers. By appropriate integration of satellite services, a seamless service structure can be provided, transparent to the user and apparent largely in improve performance.