A method for balancing inroute traffic load that contains both guaranteed QoS and best effort traffic. Hierarchical grouping levels are defined with the lowest level corresponding to inroutes within the system. Certain levels have common symbol rates, modulation rates, or both. When a new terminal requires admission, it is assigned to entries in the different hierarchical levels so that the inroute traffic load across all levels are balanced. Terminals are admitted to inroutes based, in part, on their channel quality indicator. Inroute traffic load can periodically rebalance based on elapsed time or terminal redistribution.

A system and method for transmitting a data stream between a server and a user terminal, comprises at least one satellite gateway associated with a satellite router communicating with at least one satellite terminal associated with a terminal router, wherein the terminal router is configured, when it receives a stream request from a user terminal, to search for it in its memory resources and, if appropriate, transmit it to the user terminal, the satellite router is configured to transmit the request to the server, estimate a popularity of the stream and transmit a message of correspondence between the stream and broadcasting parameters then convert the stream into a point-to-multipoint stream adapted to the broadcasting parameters, the terminal router is configured to convert point-to-multipoint streams into point-to-point streams and transmit them to the user terminals.

Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to a satellite and cellular terminal, comprising: an indoor unit; and an outdoor unit comprising a satellite antenna and an outdoor Radio configured to communicatively couple to the indoor unit, the outdoor Radio comprising: an outdoor cellular antenna configured to communicate over a cellular communications network by transmitting signals generated using at least a cellular modem; and a feed horn configured to communicatively couple to the satellite antenna, wherein the satellite antenna is configured to communicate over a satellite communications network by transmitting signals over an inroute and receiving signals over an outroute.

A communication device is a communication device that communicates with at least one of a plurality of ground stations via a non-geostationary satellite, and includes: an acquisition unit that acquires predetermined information necessary for switching a connection destination ground station in advance before switching processing; and a communication control unit that switches the connection destination ground station based on the predetermined information.

Radio communications systems use 100 to 200 satellites in random low-earth orbits distributed over a predetermined range of north and south latitudes. The satellites themselves create a radio route between ground stations via radio links between multiple satellites by virtue of onboard global navigation satellite system circuitry for determining the location of the satellite and route creation circuitry for calculating in real time the direction from the satellite's location at a particular instant to a destination ground station. Directional antennas in the satellites transmit routing radio signals to enhance the probability of reception by other satellites. One embodiment facilitates the creation of satellite-to-satellite links by assigning each satellite a unique identifier, storing orbital information defining the locations of all of the orbiting satellites in the system at any particular time, and including in the radio signal the unique identifier associated with the transmitting satellite.

A radio communication route enables communication from an originating ground station to a destination ground station via one of multiple randomly orbiting, rotating satellites with no active attitude control. The ground stations and satellites include directional antennas for receiving radio signals from and transmitting radio signals in multiple directions. The satellites store an address of a destination ground station from which an initial information signal is transmitted and antenna information identifying the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received. Plural satellite antennas transmit linking information identifying the satellite to the originating ground station. Data transmissions received at the originating ground station that designate a particular destination are transmitted by the originating ground station using the antenna on which the linking information was received and the satellite retransmits the data transmission using the satellite antenna identified by the stored antenna information.

A method for establishing a communication of the IP multimedia subsystem in local routing mode where user data are routed directly at one or more interconnected satellites, without passing through the ground, between two UE terminals connected to a regenerative satellite of a communication network comprising a satellite constellation. A session control function of the IMS core network interrogates a server linked to the satellite constellation with the information relating to the satellite access networks of the two terminals. The server is able to determine, by verification of an inter-satellite link between the regenerative satellites corresponding to the information relating to the satellite access networks of the two terminals, whether local routing of the user plane without passing through the ground is available to directly connect the two terminals are connected by link.

Radio communications systems use 100 to 200 satellites in random low-earth orbits distributed over a predetermined range of north and south latitudes. The satellites themselves create a radio route between ground stations via radio links between multiple satellites by virtue of onboard global navigation satellite system circuitry for determining the location of the satellite and route creation circuitry for calculating in real time the direction from the satellite's location at a particular instant to a destination ground station. Directional antennas in the satellites transmit routing radio signals to enhance the probability of reception by other satellites. One embodiment facilitates the creation of satellite-to-satellite links by assigning each satellite a unique identifier, storing orbital information defining the locations of all of the orbiting satellites in the system at any particular time, and including in the radio signal the unique identifier associated with the transmitting satellite.

Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to a satellite and cellular terminal, comprising: an indoor unit; and an outdoor unit comprising a satellite antenna and an outdoor Radio configured to communicatively couple to the indoor unit, the outdoor Radio comprising: an outdoor cellular antenna configured to communicate over a cellular communications network by transmitting signals generated using at least a cellular modem; and a feed horn configured to communicatively couple to the satellite antenna, wherein the satellite antenna is configured to communicate over a satellite communications network by transmitting signals over an inroute and receiving signals over an outroute.

Systems and methods for enabling data and voice communications via a satellite network are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a method of enabling data and voice communications for a user terminal includes establishing a local connection between the user terminal and a first core network operated by a first network provider, routing data communications received by the first core network from the user terminal to a satellite terminal operated by the first network provider for further transmission via a satellite, and routing voice communications received by the first core network from the user terminal to a second core network operated by a second network provider.