C H A R T I N G T H E F U T U R E O F I N N O V A T I O N I # 6∙2 0 2 3

ERICSSON
TECHNOLOGY

3GPP TECHNOLOGY
FOR SATELLITE
COMMUNICATION
✱ 3GPP TECHNOLOGY FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

Using 3GPP
technology for satellite
communication
Most satellite communication today is based on proprietary solutions,
but that may soon change. Non-terrestrial networks became part of the
3rd Generation Partnership Project standard in Release 17, establishing
a strong foundation for direct communication between satellites,
smartphones and other types of mass-market user equipment.

As the rate of adoption of mobile communication Integration with satellite networking

SEBASTIAN EULER,
XIAOTIAN FU,
technology around the world continues to rise, technologies that can provide coverage in areas that
SVEN HELLSTEN, the goal of using it to provide seamless global TNs cannot reach would help to deliver resilient
CHRISTOPHE KEFEDER, coverage to anyone, anywhere, at any time has services to people and businesses currently
OLOF LIBERG, become increasingly important. This has led to unserved in both developed and undeveloped parts
EDUARDO MEDEIROS, major advances in both terrestrial and non- of the world, bringing significant social and
ERIK NORDELL, terrestrial satellite networking technology. economic benefits [1].
DAMANJIT SINGH, Beyond the benefits NTNs will deliver to
PER SYNNERGREN, ■ Smooth interworking and integration of terrestrial smartphones, they will also have the capability to
ELMAR TROJER, network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) support both industrial and governmental IoT
IOANNIS XIROUCHAKIS components is the next logical step on the coverage devices for verticals such as automotive, health care,
journey to provide enhanced mobile broadband agriculture/forestry, utilities, maritime transport,
(eMBB) to consumer smartphones (direct-to- railways, aeronautic/drone sector, national security
smartphone) and Internet of Things (IoT) use cases. and public safety.

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1,000km 10,000km
100km
15,000km

HAPS LEO MEO

Starlink SES/O3B GEO
Airbus Eutelsat
Softbank HAPS Mobile OneWeb Viasat
Google Loon Iridium
Intelsat
Telesat
Amazon Kuiper

Figure 1 Overview of existing satellite systems

Overview of satellite systems commercial aircraft and high-altitude platform

Different satellite systems have been used for years system (HAPS) providing local service coverage.
to provide services such as TV broadcasting, GEO satellite systems are operated at a high
navigation, communications, surveillance, weather altitude of approximately 36,000km, which
forecasting and emergency systems [2]. Figure 1 introduces long latencies (>500ms) and limited data
illustrates the orbits of the three main satellite types rates due to the large path loss. GEOs appear
– geostationary (GEO), medium-Earth orbit (MEO) stationary to the device and provide a large field of
and low-Earth orbit (LEO) – in comparison to a view, which makes them well suited for satellite

Terms and abbreviations

3GPP – 3rd Generation Partnership Project | 5GC – 5G Core | CHO – Conditional Handover | CSP –
Communication Service Provider | CT – Core Network & Terminals | DL – Downlink | FDD – Frequency
Division Duplex | FSS – Fixed Satellite Services | GEO – Geostationary Orbit | gNB – gNodeB | GNSS –
Global Navigation Satellite System | HAPS – High-Altitude Platform System | HARQ – Hybrid Automatic
Repeat Request | HRC – High Reliability Communications | IoT – Internet of Things | LEO – Low-Earth
Orbit | LTE – Long-Term Evolution | LTE-M – LTE for Machine-Type Communications | MBB – Mobile
Broadband | MEO – Medium-Earth Orbit | mMTC – Massive Machine-Type Communications | MSS –
Mobile Satellite Services | NB-IoT – Narrowband IoT | NG – Interface between the gNB and the core
network | NMS – Network Management System | NR – New Radio | NTN – Non-Terrestrial Network |
ppm – Parts Per Million | RF – Radio Frequency | RTT – Round-Trip Time | SA – Service & System Aspects |
SI – Study Item | SNO – Satellite Network Operator | TN – Terrestrial Network | UE – User Equipment |
Uu – Interface between the gNB and the UE | UL – Uplink | WI – Work Item

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✱ 3GPP TECHNOLOGY FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

has emerged since then has been defined by a

MOBILE SATELLITE dramatic increase in annual private venture capital
SERVICES ARE BEST investments in large LEO constellations focusing on
fixed broadband internet services for residential and
POSITIONED AS A business users in existing and planned satellite
COMPLEMENT TO constellations such as Starlink, OneWeb and
Amazon Kuiper. The next step in the development of
TERRESTRIAL MBB SERVICES, mobile satellite services (MSS) focuses on the ability
CREATING A WIN-WIN-WIN to communicate with standard smartphones. Three
development tracks have emerged: legacy MSS,
SITUATION legacy Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G NTN.
The legacy-MSS track aims to integrate legacy
television, business-to-business data services (such MSS technologies into new smartphones using MSS
as trunking/backhauling and enterprise spectrum. Examples of this approach include Apple
networking) and governmental services (such as iPhone 14 and Globalstar, Huawei Mate 50 and
military satellite communication systems). BeiDou, and the addition of Iridium to the
MEO satellite systems such as Galileo, GPS Qualcomm Snapdragon Satellite. Meanwhile, the
(Global Positioning System) and GLONASS are legacy-LTE track is focused on creating a modified
mainly used for navigation and are typically network using terrestrial LTE spectrum to reach
deployed at an altitude of approximately 20,000km unmodified LTE phones from LEO satellites. This
in a semi-synchronous orbit that is predictable and work is running parallel to the 5G-NTN track, which
reliable with an orbital period of 12 hours. There are is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project
constellations in MEO that are also used for (3GPP) standardized solution specified in Release
communications services deployed at a height of 17 (Rel-17) that was completed in 2022. Like the
about 8,000km. This leads to a latency that is five legacy-MSS track, the 5G-NTN track uses MSS
times lower compared with GEO, providing higher spectrum.
data rates. The assumption is that the legacy-LTE and 5G
LEO satellite systems are used for services such NTN technologies will be used in cooperation with
as Starlink, OneWeb, Iridium and Globalstar. These communication service providers (CSPs), as direct-
satellites operate at altitudes of approximately 400- to-smartphone services cannot compete in terms of
2,000km, where a higher speed (about 8km/s, full price and performance with terrestrial services,
orbit time of 90-120 minutes) is required to stay in where they are available. MSS are therefore best
orbit. LEO satellites provide the lowest latency and positioned as a complement to terrestrial MBB
tens of megabits per second of capacity, making them services, creating a win-win-win situation. This is
suitable for MBB and IoT applications. As the because, firstly, CSPs run no commercial risk in
footprint is notably smaller compared with MEO allowing their subscribers to roam into the satellite
and GEO, larger constellations are needed. network, and doing so enables the CSP to collect
roaming fees based on a revenue-sharing model.
Satellite communication use cases and Secondly, satellite operators gain exposure to a much
business rationale larger potential market than they are able to reach
The first commercial rocket launches by SpaceX in today with expensive proprietary devices. And
the mid-2010s coincided with an ongoing paradigm finally, the device industry is interested in building
shift in the space industry that soon resulted in a devices that are guaranteed to work with satellite
significant drop in the cost of launches as well as an systems because they know that this additional
increase in capacity [3]. The “New Space Era” that functionality will increase the value of the devices.

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2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022–2025 2026–2030

Initial 5G 5G Evolution 5G Evolution 5G Advanced 6G

SI: Satellite WI: Service SI: Extra- SI: Phase 3
SA1 access in 5G requirements territorial 5G sat access

SI: Architecture aspects WI: Integration WI: Phase 2

SA2 for satellite access in 5G of sat in 5G satellite access
Unified
SI: Management and 6G design
SA5 orchestration for 5G satellite taking into
Concluded Ongoing account the
work or future work characteristics
SI: Core network of both TNs
CT1 aspects of sat access and NTNs

SI: Scenarios and SI: Solutions WI: Solutions WI: NR NTN

channel models for NR NTN for NR NTN evolution
RAN
SI: NB-IoT and WI: WI: IoT NTN
LTE-M NTN IoT NTN evolution

Rel-15 Rel-16 Rel-17 Rel-18 and Rel-19 Rel-20 etc.

Figure 2 3GPP NTN standardization timeline in the SA, CT and RAN working groups

The 3GPP initiative on non-terrestrial networks NTN architecture shown on the left side of Figure 3,
In line with the growing interest in satellite the algorithms and enhancements are flexible
communication in recent years, 3GPP has made enough to also support the regenerative architecture
efforts to adapt 5G New Radio (NR) as well as shown on the right side.
narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE for machine- In the transparent architecture, the base station
type communications (LTE-M) to provide (gNodeB or gNB) is located on the ground behind
satellite-based connectivity. Figure 2 provides an the gateway, and the satellite’s main purpose is to act
overview of these efforts. Work started with study as a repeater. The only processing that can be
items (SIs) in Rel-15 and Rel-16, but Rel-17 was the performed on the satellite is radio frequency (RF)
first to include normative work. The focus of the processing such as frequency conversion,
3GPP NTN efforts so far is on providing amplification and beam management.
communication services to consumers via satellite; In the regenerative architecture, the satellite
other use cases such as backhaul via satellite are out carries either an entire gNB or parts of it, such as the
of scope. The work encompasses support for radio unit which makes it possible to decode and
different satellite constellations, in particular LEO process packets on the satellite. The feeder link in
above an altitude of 600km and GEO satellites [4]. this case is akin to terrestrial fronthaul/backhaul and
Figure 3 presents the two different architectures it is not necessarily implemented using NR. The
that can be used to realize satellite communication regenerative architecture provides more flexibility,
systems based on 3GPP NTN architecture. In better performance and global coverage due to the
general, the satellite radio payload is connected to ability to support inter-satellite links.
the core network through a satellite ground station
or gateway using what is referred to as the feeder Rel-17 NR non-terrestrial networks
link. The satellite provides communication services Modern satellites typically divide their service areas
to user equipment (UE) via the service link. into several hundred sub-areas, which they serve
Although 3GPP Rel-17 specifies the transparent with individual beams (“spot beams”). In general,

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✱ 3GPP TECHNOLOGY FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

Transparent payload Regenerative payload

RF operations only Capable of decoding,

(not capable of processing and
decoding packets) forwarding packets
NTN NTN NTN
payload processing processing
Inter-satellite
link

SNO SNO
NMS NMS
Feeder Service Feeder Service Service
link link link link link
Uu Uu Uu

NG NG
5GC gNB Gateway UE 5GC Gateway UE

Figure 3 Two different NTN architectures

each of these areas corresponds to one cell, and can for LEO satellites it can amount to tens of
have a diameter of tens or even hundreds of milliseconds. The differential delay within a cell is
kilometers. also large, extending to as much as 10ms depending
While GEO satellites are (almost) stationary with on cell size. The fast movement of LEO satellites
respect to a point on the Earth’s surface, LEO creates large Doppler shifts of up to 25ppm (50kHz
satellites move at approximately 8km/s at 2GHz carrier frequency).
(~30,000km/h) in their orbits. If the beams are fixed The 3GPP solution to this challenge is to require
with respect to the satellite, the beams will sweep the the UEs to compensate delay and service link
surface of the Earth, leading to frequent mobility Doppler shift before accessing the network. To this
events, such as handover between cells, even for end, the satellite broadcasts its ephemeris
stationary UEs (typically every few seconds). corresponding to its position and velocity. The UE is
Alternatively, a beam steering mechanism can be required to be equipped with a Global Navigation
implemented on the satellite to steer the beams Satellite System (GNSS) module, which it uses to
toward a fixed area on the Earth for as long as determine its own position before accessing the
possible. This concept, known as “Earth-fixed network.
beams,” allows a device to remain in the same beam From its own position and the satellite ephemeris,
and cell for several minutes. While both alternatives the UE calculates the distance to and relative
are supported in Rel-17, a particular benefit of the velocity of the satellite, and it determines the
Earth-fixed beam concept is that it avoids frequent required pre-compensation values and applies a
handover between cells. large frequency shift and timing advance. This
The fundamental challenge for any satellite enables the gNB to operate at its nominal frequency
communication system is how to overcome the large and with uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) timing
round-trip delays and frequency shifts due to the aligned, as in a TN.
movement of the satellite relative to Earth, also The long propagation delays necessitate further
known as Doppler shifts. For GEO satellites, the changes. Scheduling timing relationships, which are
round-trip delay can be longer than 500ms, and even designed to cater for round-trip times (RTTs) below

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1ms in a TN, have been redesigned to cope with the

longer delays as well.
MOBILITY IS ANOTHER
Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) AREA IN WHICH NON-
operation, which guarantees reliable data
transmission, is also affected. HARQ is a “stop-and-
TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS
wait” protocol, meaning that a HARQ process ID DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM
can be reused only after the corresponding feedback
has been received. In legacy NR, there are 16 HARQ
TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS
process IDs, which in NTNs would lead to a
situation where no new data can be transmitted Other enhancements include support for DL
simply because there are no free HARQ process IDs transmission polarization signaling, extension or
available. offset start of various timers, enhancements for cell
To avoid this effect, known as “HARQ stalling,” selection/reselection, reporting of the applied timing
the number of HARQ processes has been increased advance during random access, and UE location
to 32. For GEO scenarios with their extremely long reporting to facilitate procedures like selection of a
round-trip delays of several hundreds of core network in the correct country and lawful
milliseconds, an unfeasible number of HARQ intercept.
process IDs would be needed. The option to disable
HARQ feedback (per HARQ process ID) was Rel-17 IoT non-terrestrial networks
therefore also added. In this case, retransmissions Rel-17 also includes adaptations to NB-IoT and
are handled by the slower feedback loop that is LTE-M that will enable them to support NTNs. This
supported by the Radio Link Control layer. 3GPP track is known as IoT NTN. The work item
Mobility is another area in which NTNs differ (WI) was started very late in Rel-17 with minimal
significantly from TNs, most obviously in LEO scope, focusing on essential functionalities. The
constellations, where even stationary UEs will general approach in IoT NTN is to follow the NR
experience frequent handovers because of the NTN work as closely as possible and adapt its
orbital movement of the satellites. In TNs, UEs solutions. For example, the basic solution for pre-
experience a clear difference in measured signal compensation of delay and Doppler shift is the same,
strength depending on the distance between the UE requiring IoT NTN UEs to have GNSS support. The
and the base station, whereas in NTNs all UEs have NR NTN enhancements to scheduling timing
approximately the same distance to the satellite, with relationships have also been adopted for IoT NTN.
only a small difference in signal strength between No mobility enhancements (such as CHO) have been
cell center and cell edge. considered, however.
This difference is utilized in legacy mobility Discontinuous coverage is a topic that is specific to
procedures such as cell selection, which is based on IoT NTN. In contrast to NR NTN, the UEs in many
received DL signal strength. In NTNs, the primary IoT NTN use cases may not need continuous
solution for connected mode mobility is expected to coverage. For example, it may be sufficient if they can
be conditional handover (CHO). To support NTN, transmit their data once every few hours. These
CHO has been upgraded to include a time-based types of use cases could make it feasible for some
trigger condition and a UE-location-based trigger satellite operators to deploy sparse constellations
condition. The former allows the UE to execute the with fewer satellites. To support such operation,
handover during a certain time period, while the information – such as the satellite ephemeris of
latter takes the device location relative to the target neighboring cells along with coverage info of the
and source cells into consideration for the handover cells – will be signaled to enable the UEs to predict
decision. the times when they will have coverage.

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required, such as very small aperture terminals,

THE ITU-R VISION FOR which are typically mounted on buildings or vehicles.
mMTC INCLUDES SUPPORT
5G non-terrestrial network system
FOR UP TO 500 DEVICES PER performance
SQUARE KILOMETER Similar to terrestrial 5G, NTN aims to provide
services beyond MBB. The ITU-R (International
Rel-18 Telecommunication Union – Radiocommunication
Both the NR NTN and the IoT NTN work continues Sector) outlines performance requirements
in Rel-18. For NR NTN, the new objectives focus on intended to facilitate ubiquitous and resilient
coverage enhancements, further improvements to coverage for MBB, massive machine-type
the mobility procedures and methods for the communications (mMTC) and high reliability
network to independently verify the reported UE communications (HRC) [7]. The report elaborates on
location. For IoT NTN, the scope includes a method the key performance requirements for each use case
to disable HARQ feedback similar to NR NTN, in the context of a LEO 600km constellation
mobility enhancements such as CHO for LTE-M operating over a 30MHz carrier.
and further enhancements for discontinuous Notable requirements are peak data rates of
coverage. 70Mbps (DL) and 2Mbps (UL), corresponding to
spectral efficiencies of 3bps/Hz (DL) and 1.5bps/Hz
Spectrum for 3GPP non-terrestrial networks (UL). This can be translated to DL and UL area
Spectrum for satellite communications is divided traffic capacity of 8kbps/km2 and 1.5kbps/km2 for
into spectrum for providing MSS and fixed satellite this particular constellation. The ITU-R vision for
services (FSS). The S- and L-bands are examples mMTC includes support for up to 500 devices per
that belong to the MSS domain, while the Ka- and square kilometer, while the HRC use case is
Ku-bands provide FSS. associated with a reliability of 99.9 percent.
Rel-17 specified support for the L- and S-bands as Providing direct-to-handheld connectivity from a
band n255 (1,626.5MHz-1,660.5MHz and satellite constellation presents a considerable
1,525MHz-1,559MHz for UL and DL, respectively) challenge due to the propagation loss between the
and n256 (1,980MHz-2,010MHz and 2,170MHz- satellite and the handheld device on the ground. The
2,200MHz for UL and DL, respectively). Each of available link budget depends on many factors such
these frequency division duplex (FDD) bands offers as orbit height, system architecture, antenna design,
approximately 30MHz of spectrum in each link area to be served by the constellation and the
direction. elevation angle between the satellite and the UE.
In Rel-18, another MSS FDD band will be added The link budget in turn determines many
with the UL in L-band (1,610-1,626.5MHz) and the performance figures, such as the achievable
DL in S-band (2,483.5-2,500 MHz). This addition throughput. As an example, a user can expect the
makes about 80MHz of DL and 80MHz of UL highest throughput when the satellite is directly
spectrum that is suitable for providing operation overhead, at an elevation angle of 90 degrees. The
from a satellite direct to a handheld device available path loss increases when the satellite is at lower
to 5G NR NTNs [6]. elevation angles, and at elevation angles around 30
In Rel-18, 3GPP will also specify at least three degrees, the achievable throughput might be
example bands (n510-n512) in the Ka frequency reduced by a factor of 2.
range 17.7-20.2GHz (DL) and 27.5-30GHz (UL). A second effect of the distance between the
While the L/S-band targets handheld devices, in the terminal and the satellite radio is the increase in
Ka-band, devices with higher-gain antennas are latency. The overall latency that the user experiences

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will vary depending on the satellite’s position in Conclusion

relation to the user and the ground station. Taking a Satellite connectivity based on open 3rd Generation
terrestrial system as reference with a maximum RTT Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications offers the
of approximately 1ms, the round-trip latency for a best opportunity to create a large non-terrestrial
LEO constellation at an altitude of 600km will be network (NTN) ecosystem, enabling connectivity
between 8ms and approximately 20ms when using between terrestrial systems and satellite systems on
the transparent architecture, assuming a minimum the same mobile platform. As satellite systems will
elevation angle of about 30 degrees. not have the same capacity as terrestrial systems,
they should be viewed as complementary rather
Key benefits of a 3GPP-based non-terrestrial than competing systems. We expect to see more
network solution cooperation between satellite operators and
Regardless of the architecture, the main benefit of a terrestrial communication service providers (CSPs)
3GPP-compliant NTN solution will be immediate in the years ahead to achieve mutual benefits in this
compatibility with mass-market smartphones. In area.
comparison with the bulky and expensive terminals One of the main challenges that must be overcome
used in non-3GPP-based legacy-MSS systems, a in the work to create NTNs is the issue of the
3GPP solution will bring global data-and-voice interference that can arise if the same spectrum is
connectivity to regular-sized smartphones. used for both terrestrial and satellite systems. In
Terrestrial operators can boost their geographical many regions, there are already regulatory
coverage and close the gap of connectivity in requirements that could prevent the use of CSPs’
sparsely populated areas, including rural settings, terrestrial spectrum for satellite operations. To
while reaching new use cases such as maritime overcome the challenge of potential interference,
coverage. Ericsson’s position is that it is preferable for satellite-
A system based on 3GPP NTN accounts for the based services to use specific satellite spectrum.
Doppler shifts and delays that are inherent to
satellite systems without relying on proprietary
workarounds. It is a future-proof solution with an
evolution that follows the 3GPP releases and is both
backward-compatible with 4G LTE IoT NTNs and
forward-compatible with 6G NTNs. It is also very
flexible, with the ability to provide connectivity for
LEO, MEO and GEO during the full life cycle of a
constellation.
A 3GPP-compliant NTN solution makes it
possible to deliver a single network that comprises
both terrestrial and non-terrestrial components,
incorporating the world’s largest ICT ecosystem.
This evolution will enable satellite operators to
provide affordable satellite communication and
inherently better performance due to specified
enhancements including the improved HARQ
mechanism. And as the services that a 3GPP-
compliant NTN solution will deliver will be
deployed through NTN-specific spectrum, there is
minimal risk of interference.

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Xiaotian Fu and 5G. His current focus is

the authors

◆ joined Ericsson’s on business development

Standards & Technology around non-terrestrial
department within Business communication and
Area Networks in 2022, especially 5G and LEO
where she works as a satellites. Hellsten holds an
concepts researcher, M.Sc. in physics engineering
focusing on simulations and from Uppsala University,
research relating to satellite Sweden.
Sebastian Euler communications. She Olof Liberg
◆ joined Ericsson in 2016. received her Ph.D. in ◆ joined Ericsson in 2008
He is currently a master telecommunications and and currently leads the
researcher at Ericsson networks from HESAM company’s 3GPP RAN
Research, where he drives University in Paris, France. (radio-access network)
the standardization of NTNs standardization team. He
in 3GPP. He is also a delegate has represented Ericsson as
to the ITU-R, engaging in the a delegate in 3GPP and
standardization of the IMT- ITU-R with a focus on topics
2020 (International Mobile related to satellite
Telecommunications-2020) Christophe Kefeder communication. Liberg
satellite component. Euler ◆ joined Ericsson in 2008 as holds an M.Sc. in
has a background in particle a system architect and engineering physics from
physics and astronomy, and currently drives the NTN Uppsala University.
he holds a Ph.D. in physics RAN system architecture.
from RWTH Aachen Sven Hellsten His expertise is related to
University, Germany. ◆ joined Ericsson in 1993 System on Chip for handset
and currently serves as a and 5G mmWave radios
business development base stations. Kefeder holds
director at Business Unit an M.Sc. in electronic
Networks. He has extensive engineering from ESIEE in
experience in a range of France and an M.Sc. in
fields including product signal processing and
design, system acoustics from Aalborg Eduardo Medeiros
management and product University in Denmark. ◆ joined Ericsson in 2011
management for 2G, 3G, 4G and has worked with

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backhaul, fronthaul and Strategy organization. He is Vienna and an MBA from

the authors
indoor radio technologies. currently focusing on Main University of Vienna,
He currently works as a developing strategies in the Austria.
senior researcher at areas of NTNs, enterprise
Ericsson Research. networking and network
Medeiros holds a Ph.D. in platforms. Synnergren holds
electrical engineering from a Ph.D. in experimental
Lund University, Sweden. mechanics, Luleå University
of Technology, Sweden.
Damanjit Singh
◆ joined Ericsson in 2008 to
work within the Ericsson
testbed program focusing
on prototypes and Ioannis Xirouchakis
baseband. He currently ◆ is a research and
serves as the project simulation expert who
manager for the NTN proof joined Ericsson’s Standards
Erik Nordell of concept. Singh holds a B. & Technology department in
◆ joined Ericsson in 1998 Tech. in electronics and 2022, where he leads
and has worked on the communication from Dr B R Elmar Trojer projects related to satellite
development of 2G, 3G, 4G, Ambedkar National Institute ◆ is a research leader at communications. Prior to
5G and 6G communication of Technology in Jalandhar, Ericsson Research who joining Ericsson, he gained
systems. He currently serves India. joined the company in 2005. extensive experience
as a research leader at His research has included related to 4G/5G algorithm
Ericsson Research, where he fixed access, small cells, design. Xirouchakis holds
and his group focus on radio 4G/5G backhaul, fronthaul a B.Sc. in physics from the
spectrum regulation, 3GPP and lower-layer splits. At National and Kapodistrian
standardization on the present, he is focusing on University of Athens,
physical layer, 3GPP-based split RAN architectures and Greece, and an M.Sc. in
satellite technology for 5G fronthaul transport solutions communication systems
and 6G systems. Nordell for 5G and 6G radio and signal processing from
holds an M.Sc. in electrical networks. Trojer holds a the University of Bristol in
engineering from KTH Royal Per Synnergren Ph.D. in electrical the UK.
Institute of Technology, ◆ is a director of technology engineering from the
Stockholm, Sweden. within Ericsson’s Group Technical University of

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References
1. Frontiers, Potential for Deep Rural Broadband Coverage With Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Radio
Networks, July 5, 2021, Feltrin, L et al., available at:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcmn.2021.691625/full
2. IEEE, Communications Standards Magazine (Volume 5, Issue 4), December 2021, 5G from Space: An
Overview of 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Networks, Lin, X et al., available at:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9579443
3. GSMA, Satellite 2.0: going direct to device, March 2022, Halt, T, available at:
https://data.gsmaintelligence.com/research/research/research-2022/satellite-2-0-going-direct-to-device
4. 3GPP TR 38.821, Solutions for NR to support Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), available at:
https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/38_series/38.821/38821-g20.zip
5. 3GPP RP-230706, Introduction of the satellite L-/S-band, available at:
https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/TSG_RAN/TSGR_99/Docs/RP-230706.zip
6. ITU-R Report M.2514-0, Vision, requirements and evaluation guidelines for satellite radio interface(s) of
IMT-2020, available at: https://www.itu.int/pub/R-REP-M.2514-2022

Further reading
❭ Ericsson press release, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Thales to take 5G into space, available at:
https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/2022/7/ericsson-qualcomm-and-thales-to-take-5g-into-space
❭ Ericsson Technology Review, 5G evolution toward 5G advanced: An overview of 3GPP releases 17 and 18,
available at: https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/ericsson-technology-review/articles/5g-
evolution-toward-5g-advanced
❭ IEEE, Non-Terrestrial Networks in 5G & Beyond: A Survey, available at:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9193893
❭ IEEE, On the Path to 6G: Embracing the Next Wave of Low Earth Orbit Satellite Access, available at:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9681631
❭ IEEE, The Internet of Things from Space: Transforming LTE Machine Type Communications for
Non-Terrestrial Networks, available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9855456
❭ IEEE, Narrowband Internet of Things for Non-Terrestrial Networks, available at:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9316434

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