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Will 5G trial be a game-changer for satellite connectivity?

A new trial aims to see if low Earth-orbiting satellites can provide 5G connectivity to smartphones worldwide.

Joanne TaaffeJoanne Taaffe
15 Jul 2022
Will 5G trial be a game-changer for satellite connectivity?

Will 5G trial be a game-changer for satellite connectivity?

Ericsson, Qualcomm and Thales have teamed up to test whether a network of Earth-orbiting satellite will be able to provide connectivity to 5G devices worldwide.

The three companies are testing different aspects of 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN), including a 5G smartphone, satellite payload and 5G network infrastructure on the ground in France.

The trial follows the approval of 5G NTN by the international telecommunications standards body 3GPP.  One of the important potential benefits 5G NTN is the ability to provide satellite connectivity to future mass market 5G smartphones and thereby do away with the need for separate specialized satellite phones and devices.

The hope is that “such widespread connectivity would boost 5G smartphone subscriber roaming service capabilities, as well as enabling global connectivity for transportation, energy and health sector 5G use cases,” according to a statement by Ericsson.

Certainly “to date, satellite connectivity has been the absolute last resort when no other connectivity option is feasible. With 5G NTN, things are changing in that satellite will be additional access that will contribute to the existing terrestrial network,” says Omdia’s Dario Talmesio, Research Director from Omdia’s Service Provider team.

In addition to backing up terrestrial networks, the companies foresee 5G NTN-based connectivity having security functions that mean national government could count on them for national security and public safety government networks.

However, much remains to be done before companies can envisage using 5G TNT-equipped LEO satellites to provide IoT or roaming services.

“It is too early to say when any resulting 5G equipped prototype satellite could be launched into orbit for real operational use,” according to Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson in a statement. Although he contends that “the highly technical ground-based testing and validation work planned between Ericsson, Thales and Qualcomm Technologies is key to making it happen.”

As part of the trial, Ericsson will verify a 5G virtual RAN (vRAN) stack, modified to handle 5G radio waves as they travel through the vacuum of space and the Earth’s atmosphere. Thales, meanwhile, will verify a 5G radio satellite payload suitable for deployment on LEO satellite. And Qualcomm will test that 5G NTN can be accessed by future 5G smartphones.

Even if all goes well, “LEO will continue to face some challenges,” says Talmesio. And in particular, “the cost of building the network, especially the cost of putting satellites up, and the cost of CPEs. These have always been hurdles and are not going to disappear overnight. Still, for those satellites addressing the direct-to-device opportunity, one of the hurdles will be lessened.”