Requirements for a mobile communications satellite system. Volume 2: Technical report

Three types of satellite aided mobile communications are considered for users in areas not served by (terrestrial) cellular radio systems. In system 1, mobile units are provided a direct satellite link to a gateway station, which serves as the interface to the terrestrial toll network. In system 2, a terrestrial radio link similar to those in cellular systems connects the mobile unit to a translator station; each translator relays the traffic from mobile units in its vicinity, via satellite, to the regional gateway. It is not feasible for system 2 to provide obiquitous coverage. Therefore, system 3 is introduced, in which the small percentage of users not within range of a translator are provided a direct satellite link as in system 1.