The GSM procedures in an integrated cellular/satellite system

In an integrated cellular/satellite system for mobile communications a satellite subsystem cooperates with a terrestrial cellular network for providing user services. The paper addresses the problems related of the reuse of the procedures of the GSM cellular standard in an integrated system. Allowing at most changes only at the mobile terminal and/or in the satellite network. The results of the study show that most of the GSM procedures can be reused in an integrated system (in a few cases with limited protocol variations) but some others would require modifications to the cellular network. The results of this study shall also be useful for the suitable definition of the protocols of an integrated satellite/terrestrial system for the next generation of mobile and personal communication services.