Method and system for multicast using a satellite network

In a communications node, a method for transmitting a message to a plurality of subscriber units, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a message from an external source;
• determining a number of cells used to convey said message to said plurality of subscriber units;
• replicating said message a number of times proportionate to said number of cells;
• and
• transmitting said message to said plurality of subscriber units using said number of cells.

A system for conducting a multicast session, comprising:

• an originating subscriber unit which transmits a multicast session message;
• a constellation of satellite communications nodes which receives said multicast session message and distributes said multicast session message to the satellites of said constellation;
• a plurality of receiving subscriber units wherein certain ones of said plurality of receiving subscriber units receive said multicast session message transmitted from certain ones of said constellation of satellite communications nodes;
• a session manager coupled to said constellation of satellite communications nodes which determines the certain ones of said plurality of receiving subscriber units which receive said multicast session message from said certain ones of said constellation of satellite communications nodes;
• and
• a network control facility coupled to said constellation of satellite communications nodes for allocating addresses for certain ones of said plurality of receiving subscriber units.