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Tests in Space: Ericsson, Qualcomm, Thales expand 5G horizon
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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson, French aerospace group Thales and U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm plan to work jointly to develop a satellite-driven 5G network to improve terrestrial connectivity.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson, French aerospace group Thales and U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm plan to work jointly to develop a satellite-driven 5G network to improve terrestrial connectivity.
A 5G mobile device that can connect with satellites would make communication possible from remote corners of the planet and provide a challenge to expensive satellite phones and rival broadband internet services provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The companies will first do simulations on the ground before carrying out tests in space, Hakan Djuphammar, head of Special Projects at Ericsson’s technology arm, said in an interview.
“Discussions are on for testing on the International Space Station and with a few satellites,” he said.
A space-based network could also be used to back up terrestrial networks in the event of major outages or disasters, and offer connections in places not covered by traditional service providers.
Testing would continue well into 2023 as it needs to be seen whether the technology can do this, and if it’s feasible to build a network of satellites that can connect with phones, Djuphammar said. He did not specify when the tests would begin.
“The satellites move very fast, so the link changes very rapidly. So we are going to do all those tests to validate that the technology is mature and ready to perform these things.”
(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee, writing by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Barbara Lewis)
5G is the fifth generation of mobile network technology, designed to provide faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than previous generations, enabling new applications like enhanced mobile broadband and IoT connectivity.
A satellite-driven network uses satellites to provide internet connectivity, particularly in remote areas where traditional terrestrial networks may not reach, enhancing communication capabilities globally.
Terrestrial connectivity refers to the ability to connect to the internet or communication networks via land-based infrastructure, such as cables and wireless towers, as opposed to satellite or aerial systems.
The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or habitable artificial satellite, that orbits Earth, serving as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory for scientific research.
Satellite phones are mobile devices that connect to satellites instead of terrestrial cell towers, allowing communication in remote areas where traditional mobile networks are unavailable.
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