Dynamic signal quality criteria for satellite terminal installations

A satellite communication system, comprising:

• a first communications satellite having a first coverage area;
• a second communications satellite having a second coverage area, wherein the first communications satellite and the second communications satellite are in a same satellite communication system, the same satellite communication system being the satellite communication system;
• an installation device associated with a satellite terminal to be installed in the satellite communication system, the installation device configured to:
• receive position information corresponding to a position of the satellite terminal,
• initially point the satellite terminal at the first communications satellite based at least in part on the received position information,
• determine a signal quality threshold for the satellite terminal based at least in part on whether the received position information for the satellite terminal is within a region of that satellite terminal comprising an overlapping portion of the first coverage area and the second coverage area and a signal quality map, the signal quality map including the region,
• adjust the pointing of the satellite terminal based at least in part on the determined signal quality threshold, and
• determine that a signal quality value for the adjusted pointing satisfies the signal quality threshold;
• and
• the satellite terminal to be installed in the satellite communication system, the satellite terminal configured to communicate with the first communications satellite and the second communications satellite based at least in part on the determining that the signal quality threshold satisfies the signal quality threshold.

A satellite terminal, comprising:

• a positioning signal receiver;
• a communication signal transceiver;
• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the satellite terminal to:
• receive, at the positioning signal receiver, position information corresponding to a position of the satellite terminal to be installed in a satellite communication system, the satellite terminal in a region of a first coverage area that overlaps with a second coverage area, wherein the first coverage area is associated with a first communications satellite, the second coverage area is associated with a second communications satellite, and the first communications satellite and the second communications satellite are in a same satellite communication system, the same satellite communication system being the satellite communication system into which the satellite terminal is to be installed, the satellite terminal initially pointed at the first communications satellite based at least in part on the received position information;
• determine a signal quality threshold for the satellite terminal based at least in part on whether the received position information for the satellite terminal is within the region and a signal quality map that includes the region, the pointing of the satellite terminal adjusted based at least in part on the determined signal quality threshold;
• determine that a signal quality value for the adjusted pointing satisfies the signal quality threshold;
• and
• communicate, using the communication signal transceiver, with the first communications satellite and the second communications satellite based at least in part on determining that the signal quality threshold for the adjusted pointing satisfies the signal quality threshold.