A method for allocating transmission channels to devices configured to
communicate short data packets to a diversity of non geostationary
satellites is disclosed hereby. The method suggests a dynamic cellular
partitioning of the earth surface, based on the smallest intersections of
overlapping satellite service areas ("footprints"), defined as
mega-cells, and reusing channels in different mega-cells. In addition, a
transmission cycle is defined and divided to time slots, synchronized at
each device by GPS timing signals, and mega-cells served by more
satellites are allocated with fewer time slots, in order to increase the
chance of transmitters placed in mega-cells served by fewer satellites to
be detected. Further, each mega-cell is divided to cells, and different
channels and time slots are allocated to each cell, from those allocated
to the corresponding mega-cell. Consequently, collision of transmissions
from different mega-cells is reduced, and collision of transmissions from
different cells in a mega-cell is avoided.