Personal satellite communication: technologies and challenges

Communication regulatory bodies in many parts of the world have recently granted satellite operators the right to extend their networks by adding ground segments. This has opened the door, for the first time, to truly ubiquitous satellite coverage, thus revolutionizing the use of satellites in personal communications. In this article, we review personal satellite communication systems. Background on the evolution of satellite communications is given along with the basics of satellite systems. This is followed by a comprehensive discussion of the current challenges facing the future of personal satellite communication systems and some of the proposed solutions.