One-way messaging service via the MSAT satellite

The paging market is growing at a phenomenal rate worldwide. Providing satellite messaging services to areas that are currently unserved or under-served by terrestrial paging networks has become increasingly attractive. TMI Communications is in the process of implementing its in-vehicle one-way satellite messaging service. This service will complement its existing satellite-based mobile voice and data services by providing users with a relatively low cost means of communication. The MSAT one-way messaging system will be interconnected with existing terrestrial paging networks to allow a subscriber to receive messages from the MSAT satellite via a conventional terrestrial pager equipped with an MSAT paging receiver. It is capable of providing seamless coverage over the entire North American continent. This paper describes the concept of the MSAT service, the system characteristics, and the network architecture