5G technology was supposed to be the next great technological leap of mankind 2 years ago, but the Coronavirus pandemic has postponed the plans of many companies, less than those of Qualcomm, Ericsson and Thales, which are taking 5G into space to improve coverage on Earth, with details below.
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), Thales, a global leader in aerospace, defense, security and digital identity, and Qualcomm Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM), a world leader in wireless technology innovation, has launched an effort to take 5G technology beyond the borders of this world with a network of satellites orbiting the Earth.
- The activity comes amid the approval of 5G non-terrestrial satellite networks (5G NTNs) by the 3GPP, the global telecommunications regulatory body
- Non-terrestrial 5G networks could provide full 5G coverage – including areas currently without terrestrial network services
- In a first step the project in France consists of testing and validating non-terrestrial 5G NTN networks to gain an advantage from the satellite and ICT ecosystem
After a period of detailed research that included several studies and simulations, the three companies will go through a phase of testing and validating non-terrestrial 5G networks on mobile phones.
The result may mean that a future 5G mobile phone could use 5G connectivity anywhere on the Earth's surface and provide full global coverage for broadband data services, including in areas normally covered by traditional satellite phone networks, with capabilities limited connection.
The benefits of 5G connectivity via Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites could include coverage of extreme or remote geographical areas, beyond seas and oceans and in locations not covered by the terrestrial network.
Such broad connectivity would develop the capabilities of 5G roaming services and facilitate global 5G connectivity in areas such as transportation, energy and health.
The space network could also serve as a backup solution for terrestrial networks in case of major blackouts or disasters.
National government communications could be a major use case, given the security capabilities expected from the non-terrestrial 5G network, which would enable strengthening the security and resilience of government national and public safety networks.
Erik Ekudden, Ericsson's Senior Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer, says: "The testing and validation of the collaboration between Ericsson, Thales and Qualcomm Technologies will be an important milestone in the history of communications given that the ultimate benefit could be that wherever you wherever you are on Earth – in the middle of the ocean or in a remote forest – industry-leading, secure and affordable connectivity will be available thanks to 5G satellite and terrestrial connectivity.”
John Smee, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., states: “For 5G to fulfill its promise of always-on connectivity it is imperative that it can also deliver coverage where terrestrial cellular networks do not exist, whether we are talking about overseas or isolated areas. The research we are planning with Ericsson and Thales will be an important step in making this vital technology a reality. We look forward to seeing what this collaboration brings.”
Philippe Keryer, Executive Vice-President, Strategy, Research and Technology, Thales, says: “The deployment of 5G networks is a step in the process of transforming the telecom industry. It's a game changer not only in terms of business opportunities but also in terms of the skills needed to connect and protect billions of people and things. Thales is deeply involved in this transformation through the various activities of the group. The research collaboration with Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies will confirm our belief that 5G non-terrestrial networks will contribute to this revolution and take network resilience and security to the next level.”
cooperation
Tested and validated by Ericsson, Thales and Qualcomm Technologies following approval by 3GPP, the global telecommunications regulatory body, supporting non-terrestrial networks for the first time.
The testing aims to validate the various technology components required for non-terrestrial 5G networks, including 5G mobile phones, satellite payloads and 5G ground elements.
This milestone also aims to validate that non-terrestrial 5G networks can be supported by a mobile phone format, which would allow the 5G mobile phone of tomorrow to become a true satellite phone. Initial tests will take place in a simulated space environment in the south of France, home to most European space industry facilities.
Ericsson plans to test a 5G virtual storage RAN (vRAN), modified to handle radio signals propagating (what happens to 5G waves traveling through a vacuum and the Earth's atmosphere) through high-speed LEO satellites.
Thales will verify a satellite payload suitable for deployment on LEO satellites, while Qualcomm Technologies plans to provide test phones to verify whether 5G NTN networks can be accessed by future 5G cellular phones.
Experts will use ground-based equipment to simulate the propagation of 5G radio waves and the time elapsed between an equipped satellite in orbit and the connection of a 5G cell to the 5G radio access network in various places on the earth's surface.
Ekudden further states: "Even though it is too early to say when a prototype 5G satellite can be launched into orbit for real operations, the high-level technical ground-based test and validation work that we will be doing together - Ericsson, Thales and Qualcomm Technologies – is essential to the success of this project.”
5G NTN technology supported by 3GPP will be able to benefit from a large ecosystem of standardized products and components. The new specification also enables the inclusion of NTN technologies in 5G devices, giving technology providers the ability to easily and quickly achieve 5G NTN compatibility for all devices.
