The digital video broadcasting, return channel via satellite second generation (DVB-RCS2) linear modulation scheme offers significantly better performance than that of the first generation (DVB-RCS) both at the physical layer and at the link layer. The DVB-RCS2 design allows for optimizing the link margin by implementing adaptive coding and modulation (ACM) in the return link, controlled by the central system controller, resembling the ACM as supported for the DVB-S2-based forward link. The gain of the return link ACM complements performance improvements at layers 1 and 2. The performance enhancement of the DVB-RCS2 comes with a higher computational complexity compared with that of the DVB-RCS but mainly at the gateway, whereas the computational load increase of the terminal is minimal.