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. <EOS>