Satellites have proven to be a reliable method of communication for distribution of CD-quality digital audio. The Integrated Digital Audio Distribution Network is a recognisable worldwide standard for digital audio distribution.

A satellite broadcast network consist of three major subsystems: a satellite transmission uplink station, the satellite link, and one or more remote satellite receivers

The hub or satellite transmission uplink station is the facility where the audio to be transmitted is collected and uplinked to the satellite. This facility consists of an audio encoder/multiplexer, a digital modem, an earth station, an antenna, and a network control computer. As an otion, a terrestrial link can provide dial-up diagnostics and performance monitoring of receiver sites.

The Satellite Link consists of a commercial telecommunications satellite (like Palapa C2 and Philippine-made Aguila) in geosynchronous orbit above the earth. Two radio frequency bands that are primarily used are C-band and Ku-band.

The third major subsystem, the Remote Satellite Receiver, includes three major components: a Satellite Antenna Subsystem, an interfacility link cable, and a satellite audio receiver.

The satellite antenna and its associated Low Noise Block(LNB) Downconverter collect and convert the signal from the satellite's native C- or Ku-band signal to L-band signal.

A phase lock loop(PLL) type LNB must be used for all satellite links using the QPSK modulation. Satellite links using BPSK modulation may use the lower cost dielectric resonance oscillator(DRO) type LNB.

The L-band signal is then sent through the interfacility link (IFL) cable to the satellite receiver. Then the receiver processes this signal and outputs the audio, data, and control to the user-supplied station equipment for distribution.