The last decade proved to be hugely successful for the mobile communications industry,
characterised by continued and rapid growth in demand, spurred on by new technological
advances and innovative marketing techniques. Of course, when we refer to mobile communications,
we tend to implicitly refer to cellular systems, such as GSM. The plight of the
mobile-satellite industry over the last decade, although eventful, has, at times, been more akin
to an out of control roller coaster ride. From an innovative start, the industry is now in the
process of re-assessing, if not re-inventing itself. While niche satellite markets have continued
to grow steadily over the last 10 years, the significant market penetration derived from
personal mobile services via satellite that was anticipated at the start of the decade has failed
to materialise. With this in mind, it may seem like a strange time to bring out a book on
mobile-satellite communication networks.
Certainly, if we were to have produced a book merely describing the technology behind
mobile-satellite networks, then in many respects, we would have failed to address the real
issues that affect mobile-satellite systems, namely the influence of terrestrial mobile communications
and an assessment of the market, which ultimately decides whether a system is
viable or not. With this in mind, we have put together a book which aims to highlight these
key issues, while at the same time covering the fundamentals of the subject. We believe this
combination provides a unique approach to the subject that is relevant to those involved in the
mobile-satellite industry.