CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem

with Carrier-in-Carrier

December 2011
 CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem

• CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem builds on Comtech EF Data’s

legacy of providing the most bandwidth efficient satellite modems
– First modem to support DoubleTalk® Carrier-in-Carrier® with LDPC and
VersaFEC® (short block LDPC) FEC
• Multi-layer Optimization
– DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier with Automatic Power Control
– VersaFEC low latency LDPC with ACM
– Ultra low overhead Streamline Encapsulation (SLE) for IP traffic
– Header compression for IP traffic
– Hardware based payload compression for IP traffic

2
CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem
• Award Winning Technology
– Carrier-in-Carrier was the winner of the 2007 World Teleport
Association (WTA) Teleport Technology of the Year Award
– CDM-625 was the winner of the 2010 WTA Teleport
Technology of the Year Award
• Thousands of modems deployed around the world
• Ideal for duplex links
• Future proof modem simplifies mid life technology
update
– FAST technology
 Upgrade can be as simple as entering a code
– Increase capacity
– Enable features

3
CDM-625 Advanced Satellite Modem
• Extensive list of features and options
– DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier
 Automatic Power Control
– VersaFEC (short block, low latency LDPC) with ACM & CCM
– LDPC/TPC codec
– Packet Processor
– Dual band capability – 70/140 MHz and L-Band
– Widest range of data interfaces

4
 Typical Users & Applications
Typical Users
• Mobile Operators
• Telecom Operators
• Satellite Service Providers
• Government & Military
• Enterprise
• Offshore
• Internet Service Providers
Applications
• Mobile backhaul
• Providing T1/n x E1/T2/E2 connectivity
• Transmission of voice, video & data
• High-speed trunking
• Offshore communications
• Communications-on-the-move (land
vehicles/trains)
• Satellite News Gathering
5
 What’s New
• Base modem enhancements
– Carrier-in-Carrier Automatic Power Control (CnC-APC)
 Requires FW release 2.0.2
– Jumbo frame (2048 byte) support
 Requires rev 2 hardware
 Requires FW release 2.0.2
– Quad E1 interface allows asynchronous E1s
 Requires rev 2 hardware
– Modems prior to hardware rev 2 use a common receive E1
clock for ports 3 and 4, so it is necessary that ports 3 and 4
at the transmitting modem remain synchronized to one
another
 Requires FW release 2.0.2

6
 What’s New
• Packet Processor enhancements
– Managed switch mode
 Requires Packet Processor FW release 1.3.2
 Requires base modem FW release 2.0.2
– M:N redundancy for managed switch mode with CRS-500
– Jumbo frame (2048 byte) support
 Requires rev 2 hardware
 Requires base modem FW release 2.0.2
 Requires Packet Processor FW release 1.3.2
– DHCP relay agent

7
 CDM-625 Key Features
• Next generation DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier bandwidth compression
capability
– Automatic Power Control
– Full or fractional license
• VersaFEC – low latency, short block LDPC
– ACM & CCM modes of operation
• Integrated TPC/LDPC codec
• Dual band capability with independent TX and RX
• Modulation: BPSK, QPSK/OQPSK, 8-PSK/8-QAM, 16-QAM
• Packet Processor
– Header & Payload Compression
– Advanced Quality of Service (QoS)
– Managed switch mode with VLAN support
• 4-port managed Ethernet switch
– VLAN capability and Layer 2 QoS
• Quad E1 Drop & Insert (QDI)
• IP sub multiplexer
• Open network support
8
 Key Specifications
• Symbol rate
– 18 ksps to 12.5 Msps
• Data rate
– 18 kbps to 25 Mbps
 Depending on modulation, FEC and data interface
• Dual band capability
– 50 – 180 MHz (standard)
– 950 – 2000 MHz (FAST option)
 LNB power and 10 MHz reference
 BUC power supply (HW option), FSK and 10 MHz reference
– Independent TX and RX operation
 Ability to TX at 50 – 180 MHz and RX at 950 – 2000 MHz or
vice versa

9
 Modulation & FEC
• Modulation
– BPSK
– QPSK/OQPSK
– 8-PSK/8-QAM (FAST)
– 16-QAM (FAST)
• FEC
– Viterbi
– Viterbi + Reed Solomon
 Open network & closed network
– Sequential
– 8-PSK/TCM rate 2/3 per IESS-310 (8-PSK is FAST option)
– Integrated TPC (2nd Gen) and LDPC codec (HW option, FAST
options)
– VersaFEC (HW option, FAST options)

10
 DoubleTalk® Carrier-in-Carrier®
• Based on patented “Adaptive Cancellation”, Carrier-in-
Carrier (CnC) allows carriers in a duplex satellite link
to occupy the same transponder space

Without DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier With DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier

Carrier-in-Carrier is a Registered Trademark of Comtech EF Data

DoubleTalk is a Registered Trademark of Applied Signal Technology, Inc.

11
 Multi-Dimensional Optimization

• Combined with proper modulation and FEC, Carrier-in-

Carrier allows for multi-dimensional optimization
– Reducing OPEX
 Occupied bandwidth & transponder power
– Reducing CAPEX
 BUC/HPA size and/or antenna size
– Increasing throughput
– Increasing link availability
– Or, a combination to meet different objectives

12
 Carrier-in-Carrier
• CnC Automatic Power Control (CnC-APC)
– Increased availability without increasing total composite
power
• Significant enhancements
– Improved Eb/No performance
– Improved Doppler performance
– Inclined orbit operation
• No measurable impact on circuit latency

13
 Cancellation Process

S1*'+ S2*' : Composite Signal

S1 S2
*' *'
S1 + S2

Mod_1 Demod_1 Demod_2 Mod_2

S1 S1* S2* S2
S2 S1

S1* : Copy of S1 with delay, S2* : Copy of S2 with delay,

amplitude, phase and frequency amplitude, phase and frequency
estimate applied to it estimate applied to it

14
 Cancellation Process Overview
• Carrier-in-Carrier operates by suppressing (cancelling) near
end transmission
– Since a copy of transmitted signal is available, it can be subtracted
from the composite received signal
• The process can be summarized as
– Round trip delay estimation
– Frequency, phase and amplitude estimation of the interfering (uplink)
signal in the composite received signal
– Continuously tracking the variations in delay, phase, frequency and
amplitude
– Storing the uplink signal and applying the delay, frequency, phase
and amplitude estimate
– Cancelling the stored, modified uplink signal from received composite

15
 Cancellation Performance

• Typical interfering signal cancellation is 28 to

35 dB (depending on the product)
– Residual interfering signal appears as noise
 i.e. the Noise Floor is slightly raised, causing a slight
degradation of the Eb/No
• To compensate for the residual noise, a small
amount of additional margin is required to
maintain the BER
– Margin depends on the product, modulation and
power ratios

16
 Key Operational Rules
• General rules for Carrier-in-Carrier
– “Loop-back” satellite (i.e. the transmitting
station must be able to receive itself)
– “Non-processing” satellite (i.e. does not
demodulate/ remodulate the signal)
• CDM-625-specific rules
– Power Spectral Density Ratio (Interferer to
Desired)
 -7 dB to +7 dB
– Symbol rate ratio (max)
 3:1 (TX:RX or RX:TX)

17
 Optimization with CnC
• Carrier-in-Carrier provides a powerful mechanism to
trade bandwidth and power
• Carrier-in-Carrier can be successfully deployed in
almost any scenario, as long as basic Carrier-in-Carrier
requirements (such as loopback transponder, PSD
ratio etc) are met
– Traditional link is bandwidth limited
– Traditional link is power limited
– Traditional link is balanced
– Antenna size asymmetry
– Data rate asymmetry

18
 Optimization with CnC

• When the traditional link is bandwidth limited, savings

from Carrier-in-Carrier are obvious
• What if the traditional link is balanced or power
limited?
– If I use Carrier-in-Carrier in this case, won’t it increase the
PEB?

19
Where Does The Savings Come From ?
• Carrier-in-Carrier provides equivalent spectral efficiency
compared to traditional side-by-side link using lower
order modulation and/or FEC
Spectral Efficiency (bps/Hz)
Modulation &
Traditional SCPC Carrier-in-Carrier
Code Rate
BPSK 1/2 0.50 1.00
QPSK 1/2 1.00 2.00
QPSK 2/3 1.33 2.67
QPSK 3/4 1.50 3.00
QPSK 7/8 1.75 3.50
8-QAM 2/3 2.00 4.00
8-QAM 3/4 2.25 4.50
8-QAM 7/8 2.63 5.25
16-QAM 3/4 3.00 6.00
16-QAM 7/8 3.50 7.00

20
Where Does The Savings Come From ?

• Lower order modulation reduces the transponder

power required
– The transponder power savings can now be traded for
bandwidth
• Lower order modulation provides the savings in
remote’s BUC/SSPA power requirement
– QPSK TPC 7/8 Eb/No is about 4 dB less than 16-QAM
TPC 7/8
 For equal throughput this translates into almost 60% reduction
in remotes transmit power

21
Where Does The Savings Come From ?

• Alternatively, Carrier-in-Carrier can be used to

achieve extremely high spectral utilization
that would not otherwise be possible
– 16-QAM, R=7/8 with CnC is spectrally equivalent to
256-QAM, R=7/8, i.e. 7 bps/Hz
 Customers have successfully deployed 16-QAM, R=7/8 with CnC
– 16-QAM, R=3/4 with CnC allows one of our
customers to deploy 58 T1s in a 36 MHz
transponder

22
 Use Spreading When Traditional Link
is Balanced OR Power Limited
POWER

OCCUPIED BW

23
 Multi-Dimensional Optimization

Traditional CDM-625 With Savings /

Side-by-Side Carrier-in-Carrier Improvement
OPEX Savings
Leased Bandwidth 3.0 MHz 1.9 MHz 37%
Hub SSPA
Remote BUC
20.0 W
20.0 W
8.0 W
8.0 W
60%
60% } CAPEX Savings

1 - 2 days of Higher
Additional Margin 0.0 dB 2.0 dB additional availability
availability per year

E1: 7.6 m to 2.4 m

24
Carrier-in-Carrier Automatic Power
Control (CnC-APC)
• Patent-pending technology
• Allows modems on both sides of a CnC link to
automatically measure and compensate for rain loss
while maintaining total composite power
– Ku-band: 1.0 to 3.0 dB link margin improvement
– Ka-band: 4.0 to 9.0 dB link margin improvement
• Enables CnC modems in a circuit to share link
margin, thereby further enhancing overall availability
– i.e. a modem in clear sky conditions can effectively give
excess link margin to the other modem experiencing fade
• Implemented using values measured by the modems
and general rain model knowledge
– i.e. a system level implementation is not required
25
 CnC-APC Operation
Carrier 1
Initial
Do Link Set-up
k wn
lin lin
Up kt
o
Composite Carrier (Clear-Sky)
T1 T2

Satellite
Target PSD
T1 T2
to
l ink Carrier 2 Up
Balance Link
wn lin
k Carrier 2
Do
Carrier 1

Terminal 1 Terminal 2
Monitor & Est.
Satellite Link CnC Carriers
LU1, LD1, LU2, LD2

N Link Attn
Carrier 1 Change?
Do LD2
LU1 k wn Y
n lin
U pli kt Composite Carrier
o
T1 T2 Comp. for new
Satellite
Target PSD
LU1, LU2,
T1 T2
to
nk Carrier 2 Up Carrier 1
w nli lin
Do LD1 LU2 k
Y
Carrier 2
Link Opt?
N
Terminal 1 Terminal 2
Satellite Link Rebalanced
(with Rain) CnC Carriers

26
 VersaFEC ®
• VersaFEC is a patented (Covered by U.S. patents
7,353,444 and 7,415,659; other patents pending)
system of short-block, low latency Low Density Parity
Check (LDPC) codes designed to support latency-
sensitive applications, such as mobile backhaul over
satellite
• VersaFEC is designed to support both Constant
Coding and Modulation (CCM) and Adaptive Coding
and Modulation (ACM)
• Requires optional expansion card
– Can be field installed by a qualified technician

VersaFEC is a Registered Trademark of Comtech AHA

27
VersaFEC Modulation & Code Rates
(Standard Code Set)
• VersaFEC supports 12 different modulation and code
rates for ACM and CCM

28
 Extended CCM MODCODs

• Additional VersaFEC MODCODs for CCM operation

only

29
VersaFEC Ultra Low Latency (ULL)
Codes
• Four new shorter block codes have been added to
address the needs of users with applications
requiring even lower latency than the standard
VersaFEC code set
• CCM mode only

30
 Adaptive Coding & Modulation
• Satellite users have traditionally relied on worst case link
margin to overcome rain fade and other dynamic
impairments which leads to significant inefficiencies
• Adaptive Coding & Modulation (ACM) converts the fade
margin into increased capacity – average throughput
gain of 100% (or more) is possible, compared to
traditional CCM
– This is accomplished by automatically adapting the modulation type
and FEC code rate to give highest possible throughput.
• ACM maximizes throughput under all conditions
– Rain fade
– Inclined orbit satellite operation
– Antenna mispointing
– Interference
– Other impairments

31
VersaFEC ACM

32
 Data Interfaces & Connectors
• Widest range of available data interfaces
Interface Connector
4-port 10/100 Ethernet RJ-45
HSSI (Up to 25 Mbps) DB-25
Requires CIC-60 adapter

RS-422/EIA-530 DCE (Up to 14 Mbps) DB-25

LVDS Serial (Up to 25 Mbps) DB-25

V.35 DCE (Up to 14 Mbps) DB-25

X.21 DCE & DTE DB-25

ASI (Up to 25 Mbps) BNC

G.703 T1/E1/T2/E2 DB-9 or BNC

Quad G.703 E1, ports 2, 3 & 4 (FAST) DB-9

Overhead Data High Density 44-pin D

33
 4-port 10/100 Ethernet

• Base modem provides Layer 2 managed switch

operation
– VLAN support
 Access (Native) Mode
 Trunk Mode
 Quality of Service
– Physical port priority
– VLAN Priority
• Packet Processor for layer 2/3 operation (HW option)
– Can be field installed by a qualified technician
• New HW supports 2k byte MTU

34
 Layer 2 Quality of Service
QoS Mode Description
Off QoS disabled
Traffic is prioritized based on the priority bits
VLAN Priority Only in the Ethernet frame’s VLAN tag. Priority 7 is
the highest priority.

Traffic is prioritized based on ingress port.

Port Priority Only Each physical port can be assigned a priority
from 1 to 4. Priority 4 is the highest priority.

In this mode, if the ingress Ethernet frame

VLAN and Port contains a VLAN tag, it will apply the VLAN
Priority Priority; otherwise it applies the port-based
priority.

35
 Packet Processor
• The packet Processor enables efficient IP networking
and transport over satellite by adding layer 2 / 3
packet processing with
– Ultra low overhead Streamline Encapsulation (SLE)
– Header compression
– 2nd generation payload compression
– Quality of Service
 DiffServ
 Rule Based
• Operational modes
– Router
– Managed switch

36
 Streamline Encapsulation

• Ultra low overhead framing / encapsulation

• Patent pending
• Reduces encapsulation overhead
– Up to 65% compared to HDLC
– Up to 95% compared to DVB-RCS
– Up to 90% compared to other VSATs

37
 Lossless Payload Compression
(2nd Generation)
• Most real world data has statistical redundancy
• Lossless data compression works by encoding source
information using fewer bits
– E.g. a repeating pattern is replaced with a pointer
• HW implementation for maximum speed and efficiency

11 bytes of data
is replaced by 3
bytes

60%+ savings for

Calgary test suite

38
 Header Compression

• Header Compression
– Reduces Layer 2/3/4 header to a few bytes
 E.g., in case of Voice over IP (VoIP) bandwidth requirements
can be reduced by as much as 65%
– Configurable on a per route basis
– Ethernet headers are also compressed when operating in
Managed Switch Mode

39
 Header Compression
60 bytes
Layer 3 & 4 Header Compression
40 bytes 20 bytes

IP
IP/UDP/RTP Header G.729 Payload
TCP
UDP
Header
Compression
RTP (Codec Independent)

G.729 Payload 63%

Savings
1-3
20 bytes
bytes
21 - 23 bytes

78 bytes
Layer 2, 3 & 4 Header Compression 4
bytes
14 bytes 40 bytes 20 bytes
Supported Layer 2 Headers Ethernet

FCS
Ethernet 2.0 IP/UDP/RTP Header G.729 Payload
Header
Ethernet 2.0 + VLAN-tag
Ethernet 2.0 + MPLS Header
802.3-raw Compression

802.3-raw + VLAN-tag
802.3 + 802.2 G.729 Payload
802.3 + 802.2 + VLAN-tag
802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP 72%
20 bytes
802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP + VLAN-tag 1-3
bytes Savings
802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP + MPLS 21 - 23 bytes

40
 Nb Interface Optimization
• Nb interface connects Media Gateways (MGW)
• Allows 2G/3G interworking
• Generally located with BSCs to enable local
switching and reduce traffic needing backhaul
Over 70%
savings

Nb User Plane Packet

Nb User Plane Packet Over

Satellite with Comtech Optimization

41
 Quality of Service
• Minimizes jitter and latency for real-time traffic
• Provides priority treatment to mission critical traffic
• Allows non-critical traffic to use remaining bandwidth
• Modes
– DiffServ
 Industry-standard method that enables seamless co-existence
in networks that implement DiffServ
– Max/Priority
 Provides multi-level traffic prioritization with the ability to limit
maximum traffic per priority class
– Min/Max
 Provides a Committed Information Rate (CIR) to each user
defined class of traffic with the ability to allow a higher burstable
rate depending on availability

42
 Managed Switch Mode
(With Packet Processor)
• Layer 2 operation while providing the benefits of
header and payload compression
– Header compression
 Ethernet 2.0
 Ethernet 2.0 + VLAN-tag
 Ethernet 2.0 + MPLS
 802.3-raw
 802.3-raw + VLAN-tag
 802.3 + 802.2
 802.3 + 802.2 + VLAN-tag
 802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP
 802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP + VLAN-tag
 802.3 + 802.2 + SNAP + MPLS
• VLAN support

43
 Quad E1 Drop & Insert (QDI)
• Quad E1 Drop & Insert allows multiplexing of up to 4
Full or fractional E1s into a single carrier
– All E1s must be synchronous (prior to release 2.0.2)
– Release 2.0.2 with new HW allows independent clocking for
the 4 E1s (Bit rate must be within G.703 spec of ± 50 ppm of
2048 kbps )
– Release 2.0.2 with old HW allows independent clocking for
ports 1 and 2 (Bit rate must be within G.703 spec of ± 50
ppm of 2048 kbps )
 Ports 3 and 4 must be synchronous
• Time slots can be independently selected on each E1
– Aggregate of 1 to 128 time slots is permitted

44
 Sub Multiplexer
• Allows multiplexing of one fixed rate synchronous /
plesiochronous data stream with Ethernet/IP traffic
– Ratio ranges from 1(IP):59 to 9(IP):1
• Supported combinations
Primary Interface Secondary Interface

RS-422 4-port Ethernet

V.35 4-port Ethernet
G.703 T1 4-port Ethernet
G.703 E1 4-port Ethernet
G.703 T2 4-port Ethernet
G.703 E2 4-port Ethernet
Quad E1 4-port Ethernet
HSSI 4-port Ethernet
LVDS 4-port Ethernet

45
 Modem Management

• 10/100Base-T Ethernet
– SNMP
– Web browser/http
– Telnet
• Ability to assign a dedicated management port
(without Packet Processor)
• Distant end SNMP proxy
• EIA-232/485
• EDMAC/EDMAC-2/EDMAC-3
• AUPC

46
 Distant End SNMP Proxy

• Allows SNMP management of the distant-end

modem without a dedicated Ethernet/IP traffic
channel
• The near-end modem acts as a proxy for the distant-
end modem
• Requires EDMAC-3 framing
– New framing developed to support SNMP proxy
– 5% overhead for data rates up to 2.048 Mbps
– 1.67% overhead for data rates > 2.048 Mbps

47
 Network Synchronization
• Mobile backhaul networks have traditionally been built using TDM
technologies, where timing is carried along with the data
– PDH and SDH/SONET
– E1/T1 leased lines
• As mobile operators upgrade to 3G/4G technologies, the need for
additional bandwidth is driving operators to evolve their backhaul
network into packet transport
– Unfortunately Ethernet/IP networks are inherently asynchronous
 i.e. do not carry timing information
• A number of techniques have been proposed for synchronization
over packet networks
– GPS
– Synchronous Ethernet
– Network Time Protocol (NTP)
– IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

48
 IEEE 1588v2
Precision Time Protocol
• IEEE 1588v1 published in 2002
• IEEE 1588v2 published in 2008
• Designed to synchronize real-time clocks in a distributed
system that communicate using a network
• Hierarchical master-slave architecture
– End-to-End
– Peer-to-Peer
• Timing messages
– Used to calculate round trip delay between master/slave
– Apply periodic offset correction
• PTP can provide
– Frequency synchronization
– Phase synchronization
– Time of day

49
 IEEE 1588v2
Precision Time Protocol
• CDM-625 incorporates HW support for IEEE
1588v2 Precision Time Protocol for network
synchronization
– Requires rev 2 HW
– Requires base modem FW 2.0.3
 Planned Feb 2012
• CDM-625 operates as boundary clock

50
 IEEE 1588v2
Precision Time Protocol

Master Slave Master Slave Master Slave

Ethernet Ethernet
CDM-625 CDM-625

Hub Station Remote Station

IEEE 1588v2 (PTP) IEEE 1588v2 (PTP) IEEE 1588v2 (PTP)

51
 G.703 Clock Extension
• For Cellular operators and other service providers using
IP backhaul that require remote synchronization
– Eliminates the need for costly GPS equipment at remote
• Provides G.703 T1/E1 signal at remote synchronized to
the high stability reference at hub
– Connect a high stability reference T1/E1 to the hub modem
– Remote modem generates a T1/E1 (data bits set to all 1’s)
synchronized to Hub T1/E1
• Link flexibility
– Symmetric full duplex
– Asymmetric full duplex
– Simplex
– Broadcast
– Data rate configurable in 1 bit/s resolution
52
G.703 Clock Extension

53
 Other Standard Features

• I&Q monitor
• High stability internal reference
– ±0.06 ppm (±6.0 x 10-8), 0 to 50º C
• Adaptive equalizer
• BER tester
• Demo mode
– Allows customers to evaluate optional features
 Certain optional features may require additional
hardware to operate

54
 Modem Redundancy

• Both 1:1 and 1:N redundancy options are

available for CDM-625
• 1:N redundancy
– CRS-300
– CRS-500 (For use with Packet Processor Only)
• 1:1 redundancy
– CRS-170A (L-Band)
– CRS-180 (70/140 MHz)

55
 Why CDM-625 ?
• Most efficient transport for IP and other traffic
– Carrier-in-Carrier and VersaFEC (ACM/CCM) / LDPC / TPC
provides most efficient satellite communication
 Reduced transponder bandwidth & power
 Reduction in BUC/HPA and/or antenna size
 Increased throughput
 Additional margin (availability)
– The Packet Processor with advanced QoS, ultra low overhead
SLE, header and payload compression ensures the highest
quality of service with:
 Minimal jitter and latency for real-time traffic
 Priority treatment of mission critical applications and
 Maximum bandwidth efficiency

56
 Why CDM-625 ?
• Future Proof
– Serial/G.703 and Ethernet/IP multiplexer allows
seamless migration to an all IP transport
– Expansion slots to accommodate new technologies /
capabilities as they become available
• Widest range of data interfaces
• Dual band capability
– Simplifies stocking and sparing

57
Comtech EF Data
• Is the recognized global leader in
satellite bandwidth efficiency and
link optimization

• Provides satcom solutions to

commercial & government users
for fixed, mobile and transportable
applications
– Reduces OPEX/CAPEX
– Increases throughput

• Is recognized as a technology
innovator

• Has a reputation for exceptional

product quality & reliability

• Has products in 160+ countries

58
 Comtech EF Data
2114 West 7th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281
USA
Tel +1.480.333.2200
FAX +1.480.333.2540
sales@comtechefdata.com
www.comtechefdata.com