This work deals with provisioning of communication services via satellites for collectively mobile user groups in a heterogeneous network with several radio access technologies. The extended use of personalised user equipment beyond the coverage of one single terrestrial network by means of a satellite transport link, represents an increasingly important trend in mobile satellite communication. This trend is confirmed by the commercial introduction of broadband satellite communication to mobile terminals mounted on vehicles, trains, ships or aircraft. This work provides a consequent and structured approach for provisioning of services to broadband satellite terminals for mobile user groups and addresses: -- a systematic satellite communication system design process for collective mobile terminals; -- mobile satellite modelling at a wide range of frequencies, including current and potential frequencies; -- an optimised Pointing Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) system design including characterisation of moments for vehicle types of all mobile scenarios; -- a general hierarchical multi-service dimensioning methodology for collectively mobile user groups, including voice, data, and multimedia services; -- an aeronautical system dimensioning scheme with (capacity and handover) requirements analysis and evaluation of results for different satellite scenarios.

This work deals with provisioning of communication services via satellites for collectively mobile user groups in a heterogeneous network with several radio access technologies. The extended use of personalised user equipment beyond the coverage of one single terrestrial network by means of a satellite transport link, represents an increasingly important trend in mobile satellite communication. This trend is confirmed by the commercial introduction of broadband satellite communication to mobile terminals mounted on vehicles, trains, ships or aircraft. This work provides a consequent and structured approach for provisioning of services to broadband satellite terminals for mobile user groups and addresses: -- a systematic satellite communication system design process for collective mobile terminals; -- mobile satellite modelling at a wide range of frequencies, including current and potential frequencies; -- an optimised Pointing Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) system design including characterisation of moments for vehicle types of all mobile scenarios; -- a general hierarchical multi-service dimensioning methodology for collectively mobile user groups, including voice, data, and multimedia services; -- an aeronautical system dimensioning scheme with (capacity and handover) requirements analysis and evaluation of results for different satellite scenarios.