Paving the way for deployment of the 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) standard, Eutelsat Group has conducted what it claims is the world’s first successful trial of 5G NTN technology over its OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
The standard will result in future satellite and terrestrial interoperability within a large ecosystem, lowering cost of access and enabling satellites for broadband use on 5G devices globally.
During the trial, a 5G user terminal successfully connected to the 5G core via satellite and exchanged traffic.
The trial used Eutelsat OneWeb satellites along with:
- ITRI’s New Radio (NR) NTN gNB
- MediaTek’s NR NTN test chipset
- Sharp and Rhode & Schwarz’s antenna array
Additionally, the LEO satellites carry transponders with Ku-band service link, Ka-band feeder link and adopt Earth-moving beams concept.
Due to 5G’s ubiquitous acceptance in the mobile industry, satellite constellations will be able to complement terrestrial networks for connectivity with economies of scale and opening new markets for smartphones, the automotive sector and the internet of things, Eutelsat said.
“These trials show the commitment of Eutelsat Group in developing and adopting new technologies, in order to provide the best possible services to our customers, in collaboration with trusted partners,” said Arlen Kassighian, chief engineering officer at Eutelsat. “5G NTN will be a key feature of the IRIS2 constellation, and Eutelsat is at the forefront of this innovation and active member of the ecosystem. We are proud to be the first satellite operator to demonstrate the 5G air interface working on a commercial fleet in Ku-band and paving the way for new applications in future constellations.”
