Capacity and coverage planning for networks of small mobile terminals in the C and Ku bands

Networks of small mobile terminals are proliferating in bands that were previously only used for fixed terminals, such as C band and Ku band, for aeronautical, maritime, and land mobile applications in both the government and commercial domains. Some of these networks are assembled using multiple beams on multiple satellites to achieve global reach. The ability to set up new mobile networks without launching dedicated satellites and to draw capacity from a deep global market for transponders will undoubtedly encourage even more entrants into this field. Planning complex mobile network requires actions that are common with fixed networks: · Calculating user data rate demand in each regions covered · Selecting appropriate satellites and beams for those regions · Determining the required bandwidth and power to lease in each beam · Selecting optimal carrier configurations for those beams However, planning these networks poses challenges that are not typically faced in fixed satellite applications including: · Regulatory off-axis EIRP and downlink power spectral density limits that are challenging for small mobile terminals · Link performance that varies widely across the satellite coverage area as a result of satellite and mobile terminal performance · Assembling multiple satellite beams into a contiguous network coverage area This paper will elucidate some of the common trades that mobile network planners face, discuss analytical techniques for optimizing mobile networks, and provide practical advice to planners of such networks. The focus of this paper will be mobile networks with a hub and spoke topology that use an Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) waveform on the forward link (hub to terminal), such as DVB-S2, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) waveform on the return link (terminal to hub), such as iDirect or the JIPM modem. Examples of aeronautical and maritime network will be used. Similar concepts and techniques can be used to plan these networks using new WGS constellation. As such, the paper will be relevant to a broad swath of the mobile networks of this type that are in service or being planned today.