A distributed digital communications network and method for interactive communications, e.g., for cellular,
wireless Internet access,
digital television, and / or like
multimedia services, is provided, that includes one or more global communications satellites positioned and adapted for receiving and relaying packet data communications encapsulating the interactive communications. One or more
base station(s) are located in each of a plurality of selected remote
geographic regions, and have
mobile wireless links to a plurality of subscribers of communications services in the region. A plurality of
satellite communications terminals is also provided for communicating with the
satellite from the region. Each terminal is located in the selected remote geographic region and associated with one or more of the base stations. In addition, a plurality of user terminals are utilized, each located in the selected remote geographic region and associated with the
base station(s) in the region. One or more
base station controller(s) located remotely from, or locally with, the base
station(s) have
programming for controlling the base stations. Furthermore, a single mobile switching center located remotely from, or locally with, the base
station controller(s) and the base stations. The switching center, in addition, has a digital communications
signal processor for handling
digital signal switching between the plurality of base stations, and / or
wireline and / or other communications network(s). Finally, a packet data network is utilized between the
satellite and satellite communications terminals for interactive data communications throughout the distributed network.