The reverse link is the communication channel that carries voice and data traffic from a mobile subscriber unit to a fixed base station or cell tower. In satellite communications, it encompasses the entire path from the mobile terminal up to the satellite and back down to the ground station. Network engineers closely monitor the reverse link because mobile devices have limited transmit power compared to base stations, making this path highly susceptible to interference and signal dropouts.
We're seeing high packet loss on the reverse link because the handset is struggling to reach the tower from inside the building.
Also heard as
- uplink
Do not mix it up with
- Uplink: Uplink is often used interchangeably with reverse link in terrestrial cellular, but in satellite systems, uplink specifically means ground-to-satellite.
Related terms
Forward link
The communication path from a fixed base station to a mobile user.
Uplink
The communication path originating from a remote device and traveling toward the core network.
Base station subsystem
The section of a cellular network that manages radio links between mobile devices and the core network.