Satellite multimedia applications through compact portable and mobile terminals

Recently, the Commission of European Communities (CEC) have planned an experimentation of broadband conummication mobile multimedia satellite service in the frame of the Advanced Communications Technologies and Services (ACTS) program. A European team, leaded by Alenia Spazio, recently started a project named SECOMS (Satellite EHF Communications for Multimedia mobile Services), to design a new satellite system at Ka and HBF bands, to develop relevant technologies, and to perform comprehensive field trials. Main target of SECOMS project is to address the ubiquitous and mobile multimedia services through portable and mobile satellite terminals having small sizes and reduced cost in order to promote a potentially huge market. To fulfill the objective a large variety of individual terniinals typologies, palm-top, lap-top, brief case as well as collective tenrninals mounted on train, cruis-car, ship and airplain are foreseen.