Personal mobile communications by satellite

The engineering feasibility of satellite systems for paging and message services to mobile users with small terminals is demonstrated. The satellite itself would provide cover mainly in rural and semi-urban areas, but the coverage could be extended into urban areas by the use of rooftop repeaters. By comparing estimates of user costs with corresponding current costs of broadly similar terrestrial-based services, the satellite system costs are shown to be of the same order as the terrestrial costs, implying that satellite services could be operated commercially.