1980
IMO decides to use satellite
communications for maritime safety
1982
Start of GLONASS
1982
First civilian mobile satellite
system introduced
1987-89
Architecture of non GEO for mobile
satellite communication investigated
and proposed
1990
First commercial satellite radio
broadcast system filed
1990
First commercial non geostationary
hand held system announced
1990-91
Introduction of commercial land
and aeronautical mobile satellite
services (MSS)
1992
Introduction of GSM system
1992
Changes to mobile frequency allocation
1993
Announcement of first commercial
little LEO satellite system
(with secure finance)
1994
Announcement of first non¬
geostationary fixed satellite services
(FSS) for personal communications
1994-96 Announcement of several regional
,super geostationary' satellite systems
1996
Introduction of paging service 1997
1997
Desktop sized mobile terminals
introduced
1997
Introduction of first non geostationary
little LEO satellite system
1997
Frequency allocation for non
geostationary fixed system
1997
Launch of first batch of non¬
geostationary satellite system for
voice communications (big LEO)
1997
Launch of first batch of non¬
geostationary satellite system for
low bit rate data communications
(little LEO)
1997
Mobile experiments using ACTS
1997
Navigation system: geostationary
overlay capability available
1997-98
Start of world wide spot beam
operation for MSS
1998
Introduction of first non¬
geostationary big LEO satellite system
Introduction of dual mode receivers
(i.e. satellite and terrestrial)
1998
SOLAS Treaty introduced
1998
Introduction of processing satellites
for MSS
1999-2000
Serious financial difficulty
experienced by new MSS systems;
2000-05
Iridium declares bankruptcy; ICO files
for bankruptcy and is taken over by
new investors; ICO name changed to New ICO. Introduction of
Consolidation of new mobile satellite
system operators; some become
defunct due to losses
2003-05
Introduction of wideband personal
mobile communication systems
2005-10
Convergence of fixed and mobile
services for personal communications
