SES has announced that the Satellite and Terrestrial Network for 5G (SaT5G) consortium, comprising of SES and 15 other members, have been tasked to integrate satellites into 5G networks, enabling ubiquitous and instantaneous 5G coverage and capacity.
Funded by the European Commission under the 5G PPP Phase 2 of the Horizon 2020 programme for Research & Innovation, the 30-month project kicked off in June 2017. It aims to deliver the seamless integration of satellites into 5G networks to ensure ubiquitous 5G access everywhere. The consortium will be focusing on extending 5G security to satellite, exploiting multicast for content distribution and driving relevant standardisation efforts mainly in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The key enabling technologies will be trialled and assessed through live testbed demonstrations across Europe.
Maximum service coverage and capacity are key 5G deployment objectives, and these can be attained more effectively and quickly by the joint efforts of terrestrial and satellite infrastructures working together. SES’s geostationary orbit and medium earth orbit high throughput satellites are well positioned to provide massive capacity. Being the first of its kind, the SaT5G consortium is pleased to be spearheading the trials which will demonstrate these capabilities, and to cement Europe’s global leadership in 5G.
The key companies that are part of the Satellite and Terrestrial Network for the 5G (SaT5G) are Avanti Communications, Thales Alenia Space France, University of Surrey, SES, Airbus Defence and Space, OneAccess, TNO (Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek), British Telecommunications, Zodiac Inflight Innovations, Broadpeak, Gilat Satellite Networks, VT iDirect, imec, i2CAT Foundation, University of Oulu and Quortus. The consortium's main goal is to research, develop and validate key technologies required to enable the plug-and-play integration of satellite communications into 5G networks. The SaT5G consortium’s project coordinator is Avanti Communications.
