The talk briefly reviews the growth of satellite communications for fixed services (voice and data) and mobile services (to ships and aircraft). Currently, about 25% of the voice traffic between countries, and essentially all of the TV traffic is carried by satellite. In addition, there is considerable growth in data as ISPs in overseas markets seek better access to the U.S. backbone. Domestically, satellites are used principally for distributing TV, both to cable head ends and directly to the home, though in some parts of the world (e.g.. the Philippines) they are still used for voice traffic.Mobile satellite communications is being provided to ships, aircraft and land vehicles. Recently, a new service was inaugurated to serve individual users via hand-held, cell-like phones by a company called Iridium, and other projects for the same type of service are in process. Two new systems (Globalstar and ICO) aim to provide a global service, while others (ACeS, Thuraya etc.) are regional.
A new use for satellites will be to link consumers and small offices directly to the Internet. Worldwide, several hundred applications have been filed with the ITU for delivering such service. Here in the U.S. the FCC has conducted four Notice of Proposed Rule Makings, offering companies the opportunity to file for new satellite systems operating a) in the Ka-Band, b) in the Q/V-Bands, and c) as non-geostationary satellites in the Ku-Band. The balance of the talk is spent describing some 13 U.S. Ka-Band systems, that the FCC has so far licensed.
The 13 U.S. licensed systems will all operate at Ka-Band, where rain fading introduces considerable design problems. These are described and the ways that they are to be overcome are outlined. All of the systems entail extremely large investments ($ billions), so that it is likely that only a few will actually get built. The talk concludes with the author's best guesses as to which these are likely to be.