Eutelsat Group, MediaTek, and Airbus Defence and Space conducted what they asserted as the world’s first successful trial of a 5G non-terrestrial-network (NTN) connection involving a commercial fleet of low Earth orbit satellites.

In a statement, Eutelsat positioned the demonstration as paving the way for deployment of a 5G NTN standard, which enables interoperability between satellite and terrestrial infrastructure.

Eutelsat used its commercial OneWeb LEO fleet for the test, during which a 5G user terminal was connected to the core by a satellite link, with traffic exchanged.     

Alongside equipment and work from the trio, they used technology from Taiwan-based Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Sharp, and Rodhe and Schwarz.

The companies employed the Ku-band, a range commonly used in satellite communications.

Eutelsat chief engineering officer Arlen Kassighian noted the demonstration would help pave “the way for new applications in future constellations”.

The company added compatibility of 5G supplied from space and traditional sources would open the way to “ubiquitous connectivity with economies of scale” benefiting smartphone users, the automotive industry and for other IoT deployments.

Head of wireless system and ASIC Engineering at MediaTek Mingxi Fan noted “by making real-world connections with LEO satellites in orbit, we are now another step closer to bring the next generation of 3GPP-based NR-NTN satellite wideband connectivity for commercial use”.

The move is the latest in the competitive NTN space, with major players announcing regular breakthroughs and operators looking skywards in their ambitions for ubiquitous coverage.