research-article

Realtime Multimedia Services over Starlink: A Reality Check

Authors:

Jiangchuan LiuAuthors Info & Claims

NOSSDAV '23: Proceedings of the 33rd Workshop on Network and Operating System Support for Digital Audio and Video

Pages 43 - 49

https://doi.org/10.1145/3592473.3592562

Published: 07 June 2023 Publication History

Abstract

Recently, Low Earth orbit Satellite Networking (LSN) has been suggested as a critical and promising component toward high-bandwidth and low-latency global coverage in the upcoming 6G communication infrastructure. SpaceX's Starlink is arguably the largest and most operable LSN to date. There have been practical uses of Starlink with diverse networked applications, including multimedia applications of stringent demands. Given the mixed and inconsistent feedbacks from end users, it remains unclear whether today's LSNs, in particular, Starlink, have been ready for realtime multimedia. In this paper, we present a systematic measurement study on realtime multimedia services over Starlink, seeking insights into their operations and performance in this new generation networking. Our findings demonstrate that Starlink can effectively handle most video-on-demand (VoD) and live-streaming services with properly configured buffers, but suffer from video pauses or audio cut-offs during interactive video conferencing, especially in extreme weather. We also examine the impact of satellite switching and evolution of satellite routing strategies, offering hints into the future enhancements for multimedia services and for LSNs.

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Cited By

Garcia JSundberg SBrunstrom A(2024)Fine-Grained Starlink Throughput Variation Examined With State-Transition Modeling2024 19th Wireless On-Demand Network Systems and Services Conference (WONS)10.23919/WONS60642.2024.10449629(69-76)Online publication date: 29-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/WONS60642.2024.10449629
Laniewski DLanfer EBeginn SDunker JDückers MAschenbruck N(2024)Starlink on the Road: A First Look at Mobile Starlink Performance in Central Europe2024 8th Network Traffic Measurement and Analysis Conference (TMA)10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10559110(1-8)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10559110
Laniewski DLanfer EMeijerink Bvan Rijswijk-Deij RAschenbruck N(2024)WetLinks: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Starlink Dataset with Contiguous Weather Data2024 8th Network Traffic Measurement and Analysis Conference (TMA)10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10558998(1-9)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10558998
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Index Terms

Realtime Multimedia Services over Starlink: A Reality Check
1. Networks

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cover image ACM Conferences

NOSSDAV '23: Proceedings of the 33rd Workshop on Network and Operating System Support for Digital Audio and Video

June 2023

77 pages

ISBN:9798400701849

DOI:10.1145/3592473

Copyright © 2023 ACM.

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SIGMM: ACM Special Interest Group on Multimedia

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New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 07 June 2023

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NSF I/UCRC
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NSERC CGS M
British Columbia Salmon Recovery and Innovation

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NOSSDAV '23

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SIGMM

NOSSDAV '23: 33rd Workshop on Network and Operating System Support for Digital Audio and Video

June 7 - 10, 2023

BC, Vancouver, Canada

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Overall Acceptance Rate 118 of 363 submissions, 33%

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Cited By

Garcia JSundberg SBrunstrom A(2024)Fine-Grained Starlink Throughput Variation Examined With State-Transition Modeling2024 19th Wireless On-Demand Network Systems and Services Conference (WONS)10.23919/WONS60642.2024.10449629(69-76)Online publication date: 29-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/WONS60642.2024.10449629
Laniewski DLanfer EBeginn SDunker JDückers MAschenbruck N(2024)Starlink on the Road: A First Look at Mobile Starlink Performance in Central Europe2024 8th Network Traffic Measurement and Analysis Conference (TMA)10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10559110(1-8)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10559110
Laniewski DLanfer EMeijerink Bvan Rijswijk-Deij RAschenbruck N(2024)WetLinks: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Starlink Dataset with Contiguous Weather Data2024 8th Network Traffic Measurement and Analysis Conference (TMA)10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10558998(1-9)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.23919/TMA62044.2024.10558998
Izhikevich LEnghardt RHuang TTeixeira R(2024)A Global Perspective on the Past, Present, and Future of Video Streaming over StarlinkProceedings of the ACM on Measurement and Analysis of Computing Systems10.1145/37004128:3(1-22)Online publication date: 10-Dec-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3700412
Ramanathan AJyothi S(2024)Weathering a Solar Superstorm: Starlink Performance during the May 2024 StormProceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on LEO Networking and Communication10.1145/3697253.3697270(31-36)Online publication date: 18-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3697253.3697270
Lai ZLi ZWu QLi HLiu WLiu YXie XLi YLiu J(2024)Mind the Misleading Effects of LEO Mobility on End-to-End Congestion ControlProceedings of the 23rd ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks10.1145/3696348.3696867(34-42)Online publication date: 18-Nov-2024
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Xu CQian RFang HMa XAtlas WLiu JSpoljaric MShu YLiu JTan RHe YChen J(2024)SALINA: Towards Sustainable Live Sonar Analytics in Wild EcosystemsProceedings of the 22nd ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems10.1145/3666025.3699323(68-81)Online publication date: 4-Nov-2024
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Fang HZhao HShi JZhang MWu GChou YWang FLiu JCai JKankanhalli MPrabhakaran BBoll SSubramanian RZheng LSingh VCesar PXie LXu D(2024)Robust Live Streaming over LEO Satellite Constellations: Measurement, Analysis, and Handover-Aware AdaptationProceedings of the 32nd ACM International Conference on Multimedia10.1145/3664647.3680712(5958-5966)Online publication date: 28-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3664647.3680712
Mohan NFerguson ACech HBose RRenatin PMarina MOtt JChua TNgo CKa-Wei Lee RKumar RLauw H(2024)A Multifaceted Look at Starlink PerformanceProceedings of the ACM Web Conference 202410.1145/3589334.3645328(2723-2734)Online publication date: 13-May-2024
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Beckman CGarcia JMikkelsen HPersson P(2024)Starlink and Cellular Connectivity under Mobility: Drive Testing Across the Arctic Circle2024 Wireless Telecommunications Symposium (WTS)10.1109/WTS60164.2024.10536679(1-9)Online publication date: 10-Apr-2024
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