BROWSING: NTN

AST SpaceMobile streams an AT&T commercial from space to a smartphone

The commercial highlights an AT&T satellite-to-cellular service In the most recent of a series of ongoing tests with AT&T, AST SpaceMobile streamed one of the carrier's commercials from space to a smartphone. The two companies are conducting tests via AST SpaceMobile's BlueWalker 3 satellite, which is...

Editorial Report: The new space race? The outlook for NTN standardization and commercialization

From emergency texting to revolutionizing agriculture, explore the promises and challenges of cellular coverage into space in RCR Wireless News' new report. In the report we explore the intricacies of space-based cellular connectivity and delve into the status of NTN standardization and commercialization. Make sure you...

Deals, demos, delays and disappointments in 5G NTN (Part 2)

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...

Deals, demos, delays and disappointments in 5G NTN (Part 1)

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...

Four market predictions for 5G NTN (and four phases of direct-to-cellular)

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...

ASTSpaceMobile, AT&T to conduct more direct-to-device testing

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...

Editorial Webinar: The new space race? The outlook for NTN standaridization and commercialization

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...

Satellite 2024: ‘We need orders of magnitude improvement’

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...

Satellite 2024: NTN/cellular integration is a ‘game-changer’

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...

FCC approves rules for NTN direct-to-device service

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...

MTN, Omnispace to deploy satellite IoT, 5G NTN services

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 announces 5G-A plans, launches 5G-A products at MWC 2024

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...

At MWC Barcelona, eyes on 5G NTN

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...

ZTE to showcase 5G-A developments during MWC 2024

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...

Cellular NTN provider Skylo raises $37m from Intel, BMW, Samsung, others

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...

Mobile Test Summit on trends in wireless communications – sessions available online now

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,...

Test and Measurement: GCF to certify NTN IoT, 5G devices

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...

AST SpaceMobile set for commercial rollout with new investments from AT&T, Google, Vodafone

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...

Iridium invites IoT community to pitch requirements for its satellite NB-IoT network

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 to enable global cellular IoT connectivity with satellite

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 and Measurement: Anritsu boosts NTN testing

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...

SpaceX launches first direct-to-cell satellites

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...

EchoStar, Dish complete merger

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...

Test and Measurement: SpaceX to test direct-to-cellular connections

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...