The massive TerreStar-1, the largest commercial satellite has been launched into space on Wednesday, with a mission to provide high-speed Internet and wireless voice service in North America to smartphone-size handsets.

The blast-off took place from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, South America.

California-based Space Systems/Loral had built the satellite, TerreStar-1.

According to TerreStar President Jeff Epstein, TerreStar-1, which is equipped with sixty-foot S-band antenna, will always keep military personnel, emergency responders, and rural customers in contact.

It may be noted here that TerreStar, which has developed a smart phone that operates both on its satellite network and a traditional cellular network, has secured a roaming agreement with AT&T Inc. and the company is further interested in similar agreements with other wireless carrier companies.
 
The plus point of satellite service is that covers much wider area of the country than other types of connections.

On the other hand, SkyTerra Communications Inc. also has similar plans to offer mobile Internet services through next-generation satellites, which it plans to launch in the first half of 2010.