Abstract: An arrangement for multicasting digital data to a user accessing an Internet connection is disclosed. The arrangement entails placing streaming digital data content that is to be multicast in IP protocol to generate streaming IP digital data. The streaming IP digital data is uplinked from a transmission site to a satellite and downlinked to one or more remote Internet gateways via a communications path that is substantially separate from the Internet backbone. A plurality of separate satellite receiver systems, which may be located at separate remote Internet gateways, are adapted to receive IP streaming content via downlink carrier from the satellite and provide the streaming IP content to an Internet gateway without providing substantial TCP confirmation of delivery. At a remote Internet gateway, the streaming IP digital data content is multicast for delivery as a one-way data stream to at least one receiving Internet user's apparatus connected to but distant from the remote Internet gateway.

Abstract: A method of multicasting digital data to a user accessing an Internet connection is disclosed. The method includes placing digital data that is to the multicast in IP protocol to generate IP digital data. The IP digital data is transmitted from a transmission site to a remote Internet point of presence through a dedicated transmission channel substantially separate from Internet backbone. The dedicated transmission channel may be, for example, a satellite channel. At the remote Internet point of presence, the IP digital data is multicast for delivery to at least one receiving Internet user's apparatus connected to but distal from the remote Internet point of presence.