mobile satellite services (satellite comm.) (MSS)

With the Mobile Satellite Service(MSS), the International Telecommunication Union( ITU) has adopted a global standard that offers global travelers the advantage of being able to communicate worldwide with one and the same mobile terminal or cell phone. Because the 2nd generation mobile communications systems currently in use use different transmission technologies and frequency ranges, mobile communications subscribers must use dual- and tri-band devices, such as tri-band cell phones, to be able to communicate worldwide.

The same applies to 3rd generation cellular networks, with these systems supporting mobile satellite services(MSS). The system then switches to this service when the mobile subscriber is out of range of a terrestrial base station. The MSS networks are designed to cover the entire earth.

Two frequency bands in the 2 GHz range are available for mobile satellite services (MSS) transmitted via Low EarthOrbit ( LEO) satellites: The frequency range for the uplink is between 1.980 GHz and 2.010 GHz, and that for the downlink is between 2.170 GHz and 2.200 GHz. The data rates are a maximum of 100 kbit/s.

In addition to the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS), there is also the Fixed Satellite Service( FSS) for stationary use.