Hybrid communication

A method for providing wireless communication between ground-based User Equipment (UE) and at least one core network, comprising the steps of:

• providing a wireless communication link between at least one ground-based UE and a first High Altitude Platform (HAP) of a plurality of HAPs;
• providing an optical communication link between the first HAP and a first satellite of a plurality of satellites;
• providing at least a first inter-satellite optical communication link between the first satellite and a further satellite of the plurality of satellites;
• providing a still further optical communication link between the further satellite and a further HAP of the plurality of aerial vehicles;
• and
• providing a final wireless communication link from a final HAP that comprises the further HAP or a still further HAP of the plurality of HAPs to at least one UE or to a ground-based station in communication with a core network,
• wherein each aerial vehicle comprises at least one optical phased array, wherein
• at least one HAP of the first, further and still further HAPs is configured to maintain itself at a location near an orbital plane crossing position for adjacent satellite orbit planes to relay at least one inter-satellite communication link during at least one orbital cross over period.