SATELLITE SYSTEMS FOR PERSONAL COMMUNICATION-NETWORKS

The paper addresses some issues related to Satellite Personal Communic ation Networks (S-PCNs). The role of satellite communications in that scenario is discussed, and some characteristics of S-PCNs are identifi ed. In addition, the problem of the integration of S-PCNs with the Uni versal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) is considered. In this r espect an original methodology for accomplishing such integration is p roposed; such methodology aims at avoiding complex protocol conversion s at the interfaces between the terrestrial and the satellite segment. The paper is partly based upon the work performed by the authors in t he framework of the European Community INSURED Project ''INtegrated Sa tellite UMTS Real Environment Demonstrator''.