A telecommunication system comprising: a single geostationary earth orbiting satellite including: a first optical communication system configured to receive forward-direction user data via a forward optical link, and a first radio frequency, RF, communication system configured to transmit, via RF service links comprising a plurality of RF spot beams, the forward-direction user data received via the forward optical link; a single stratospheric high-altitude communication device including: a second RF communication system configured to receive the forward-direction user data via a plurality of concurrent forward RF feeder links, and a second optical communication system configured to transmit via the forward optical link the forward-direction user data received via the plurality of forward RF feeder links; and a ground-based feeder RF terminal, RFT, array including a plurality of ground-based feeder RF terminals configured to transmit a respective one of the plurality of forward RF feeder links and positioned at a same RF feeder site, wherein at least 95% of forward feeder data throughput for the forward RF service link transmissions by the satellite is carried via the forward optical link and the plurality of forward RF feeder links, and wherein the plurality of ground-based feeder RFT of the array are disposed in a compact circular arrangement in which the ground-based feeder RFT are spaced apart at a minimum distance from each other and at which interference among the plurality of forward RF feeder links is below an interference threshold. a single geostationary earth orbiting satellite including: a first optical communication system configured to receive forward-direction user data via a forward optical link, and a first radio frequency, RF, communication system configured to transmit, via RF service links comprising a plurality of RF spot beams, the forward-direction user data received via the forward optical link; a first optical communication system configured to receive forward-direction user data via a forward optical link, and a first radio frequency, RF, communication system configured to transmit, via RF service links comprising a plurality of RF spot beams, the forward-direction user data received via the forward optical link; a single stratospheric high-altitude communication device including: a second RF communication system configured to receive the forward-direction user data via a plurality of concurrent forward RF feeder links, and a second optical communication system configured to transmit via the forward optical link the forward-direction user data received via the plurality of forward RF feeder links; and a second RF communication system configured to receive the forward-direction user data via a plurality of concurrent forward RF feeder links, and a second optical communication system configured to transmit via the forward optical link the forward-direction user data received via the plurality of forward RF feeder links; and a ground-based feeder RF terminal, RFT, array including a plurality of ground-based feeder RF terminals configured to transmit a respective one of the plurality of forward RF feeder links and positioned at a same RF feeder site, wherein at least 95% of forward feeder data throughput for the forward RF service link transmissions by the satellite is carried via the forward optical link and the plurality of forward RF feeder links, and wherein the plurality of ground-based feeder RFT of the array are disposed in a compact circular arrangement in which the ground-based feeder RFT are spaced apart at a minimum distance from each other and at which interference among the plurality of forward RF feeder links is below an interference threshold.