Communications and Network, 2014, 6, 228-242
Published Online November 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/cn
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/cn.2014.64025
How to cite this paper: Eke, V.O.C. and Nzeako, A.N. (2014) Development of Global Geographical Coverage Area for Terre-
strial Networks Internetworked with Leo Satellite Network. Communications and Network, 6, 228-242.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/cn.2014.64025
Development of Global Geographical
Coverage Area for Terrestrial
Networks Internetworked with
Leo Satellite Network
V. O. C. Eke
1
, A. N. Nzeako
2
1
Department of computer Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
2
Department of Electronic Engineering, UNN, Enugu State, Nigeria
Email: veke39@yahoo.com , annzeako2005@yahoo.com
Received 24 September 2014; revised 20 October 2014; accepted 30 October 2014
Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
Network planning, analysis and design are an iterative process aimed at ensuring that a new net-
work service meets the needs of subscribers and operators. During the initial start-up phase, cov-
erage is the big issue and coverage in telecommunications systems is related to the service area
where a bare minimum access in the wireless network is possible. In order to guarantee visibility
of at least one satellite above a certain satellite elevation, more satellites are required in the con-
stellation to provide Global network services. Hence, the aim of this paper is to develop wide area
network coverage for sparsely distributed earth stations in the world. A hybrid geometrical to-
pology model using spherical co-ordinate framework was devised to provide wide area network
coverage for sparsely distributed earth stations in the world. This topology model ensures Global
satellite continuous network coverage for terrestrial networks. A computation of path lengths
between any two satellites put in place to provide network services to selected cities in the world
was carried out. A consideration of a suitable routing decision mechanism, routing protocols and
algorithms were considered in the work while the shortest paths as well as the alternate paths
between located nodes were computed. It was observed that a particular satellite with the central
angle of 27˚ can provide services into the diameter of the instantaneous coverage distance of
4081.3 Km which is typical of wide area network coverage. This implies that link-state database
routing scheme can be applied, continuous global geographical coverage with minimum span, mi-
nimum traffic pattern and latency are guaranteed. Traffic handover rerouting strategies need fur-
ther research. Also, traffic engineering resources such as channel capacity and bandwidth utiliza-
tion schemes need to be investigated. Satellite ATM network architecture will benefit and needs
further study.