The interest in cellular non-terrestrial network technology and the business opportunity is reflected in the amount of activity in the space in recent years, as 3GPP 5G standards work has built momentum toward convergence of satellite and cellular networks and raised the possibility of...
With both the satellite industry and the cellular industry trying to figure out which use cases, services and business models should shape their approach to converged 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), what do analysts have to say about the market opportunity?
There have already been...
The Federal Communications Commission has granted permission for AT&T and ASTSpaceMobile to test direct-to-cellular capabilities using FirstNet and 800 MHz spectrum in Texas and Hawaii.
According to a filing with the FCC, ASTSpaceMobile and AT&T are planning to test uplink connections from up to...
If cellular systems are to reach ubiquitous terrestrial coverage, that means going where no cellular technology has gone before: Into space. Early services which integrate satellite-based cellular, such as emergency texting, are set to launch in 2024. But the challenges of equipment survivability and...
WASHINGTON, DC—Satellite and cellular technologies are converging in 3GPP standards. New partnerships are being struck to provide services such as the ability to send text messages in areas where terrestrial mobile networks don't reach. What is the potential of satellite-cellular convergence?
If there were...
WASHINGTON, DC—At the satellite industry's flagship show, one of the hottest topics is the emerging convergence between terrestrial cellular and satellite systems, what one moderator called the "Great Convergence."
During a panel of satellite company CTOs on Monday who were discussing "game-changing" tech in...
The Federal Communications Commission has unanimously approved a new rules framework on satellite-based, cellular communications directly to end-user devices—or "supplemental coverage from space" (SCS).
The new rules provide guidance to "enable collaborations between wireless carriers and satellite operators to make sure smartphone users stay...
Omnispace will develop a next-generation standards-based mobile and IoT network designed to serve the markets where MTN operates
Omnispace announced a collaboration with African telco MTN with the aim of exploring the use of S-band for satellite services to expand the latter's portfolio of wireless...
ZTE unveiled 10 5G-A products including UBR and FDD massive MIMO products, mmWave products and a non-terrestrial networks (NTN) base station
Chinese vendor ZTE Corporation recently announced 5G-Advanced (5G-A) products at an event during MWC 2024, which took place in Barcelona, Spain, last week.
During its...
BARCELONA—As 5G continues to evolve, the telecom industry is setting its sights on a new frontier: achieving global service ubiquity through a combination of cellular terrestrial networks and space-based, non-terrestrial networks.
At booths around the show, Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets were on display, enabling...
During MWC 2024, ZTE said it will showcase its indoor 5G-A CampSite solution, among other solutions
BARCELONA--Chinese operator ZTE will unveil its latest developments in the 5G-Advanced (5G-A) field during Mobile World Congress 2024, taking place this week in Barcelona, Spain.
In the field of green...
US-based Skylo Technologies has raised $37 million for its non-terrestrial cellular 5G network (NTN), including from the investment arms of Intel, BMW, and Samsung, among others. The new investment will go to expand its satellite network and business operations, as it looks to load...
This past November, Rohde & Schwarz hosted the Mobile Test Summit, a platform for industry professionals to share insights on the latest trends in mobile device and infrastructure testing. This year’s event covered a wide range of topics, such as 5G NTN, 5G RedCap,...
The Global Certification Forum is adding device certification for cellular Non-Terrestrial Networks to its programs, responding to increasing interest across the industry in making sure that IoT devices and mobile phones successfully interoperate with emerging satellite-based connectivity options.
NTN certification will be activated with...
New investors join Vodafone on backing 'cellular in space' network
Satellite direct-to-cellular company AST SpaceMobile has garnered two major new financial backers, adding AT&T and Google as strategic investors along with additional funding from existing partner Vodafone to support commercial roll-out of its technology.
The...
Satellite comms provider Iridium Communications is inviting device makers, chipmakers, mobile operators, and IoT developers to have their say on the functionality of its developing NB-IoT satellite network. The US firm has convened a consultancy operation as part of its non-terrestrial network (NTN) service,...
Telit Cinterion said it signed partnership with floLIVE and Skylo Technologies to unveil the new solution
IoT solutions provider Telit Cinterion announced a solution featuring cellular and satellite connectivity services on its ME910G1 and ME310G1 modules.
In a release, the company said it signed partnership with...
Test company Anritsu said recently that the first Non-Terrestrial Network protocol conformance tests for narrowband IoT were validated on its 5G NR Mobile Device Test Platform ME7834NR, in conjunction with testing of Sony Semiconductor Israel’s Altair device. Those tests have been submitted to the...
Newly launched Starlink satellites will support reciprocal access services with MNOs
On Tuesday evening, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California with 21 Starlink satellites in tow.
Those satellites included the first six Starlink satellites with direct-to-cellular capabilities, essentially acting...
Charlie Ergen's network companies are now officially one entity again, with EchoStar having completed its merger with Dish Network.
The all-stock transaction was completed on December 31, via the mechanism of a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar merging with Dish Network. The Dish Network...
SpaceX has been granted special temporary authority by the Federal Communications Commission for field testing of direct-to-cellular communications via its Starlink second generation satellites.
The company said that it would be testing up to five devices at different power levels using T-Mobile US' spectrum in...
Barcelona-based satellite IoT provider Sateliot, building an NB-IoT satellite system based on Release 17 specs in the 5G NR cellular standard, has announced a deal with freight software and analytics company t42 to deploy “thousands of 5G-IoT sensors” in shipping containers for “more than...
Telco market is primed for disruption, analyst firm finds, due to impacts of GenAI and more
What telecom trends can the industry expect to shape 2024? Juniper Research has put forward a list of 10 that it sees as being paramount for telcos in the...
Emerson has officially completed its acquisition of National Instruments (NI), at an equity value of $8.2 billion.
NI will become a new Test and Measurement business segment within Emerson's Software and Control group. Emerson indicated that it expects the addition of NI to boost...
