5G/6G and Satellites: Global Connectivity Revolution

Understanding 5G/6G and Space Communications

Terrestrial vs. Non-Terrestrial Networks

We are all somewhat familiar with 5G from our mobile phones. Typically, our mobile phones are served by a base station on a tower physically connected to the ground. These towers need to be quite tall to improve coverage and connectivity. Looking ahead, there is a growing interest in the space industry in positioning base stations in the sky.

Key objectives

• Providing industrial IoT connectivity to remote locations
• Reducing investment needed to extend mobile technology to challenging regions
• Enabling seamless global communication regardless of location

The alternative?

Non-terrestrial networks are specifically designed to address these challenges. While some of these issues may be mitigated by other solutions, space-based infrastructure, such as low-Earth orbit satellites, offers a unique and effective alternative in many cases.

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)

NTN is a broad term that refers to base stations and network infrastructure that are not on the ground. This could include satellites, airborne base stations installed in aircraft, or high-altitude platforms, which involve long-term gliders operating in the stratosphere for weeks at a time.

What are the challenges?

The cost of deploying and maintaining NTNs is closely tied to these factors, which is why so many technical hurdles must be overcome to make it viable.

Direct-to-Device (D2D) Communication

D2D is a better alternative, where the actual base stations are part of the NTN, giving users direct access to the network with lower latency and greater throughput.

What are the challenges?

D2D offers many benefits, although it comes with size, weight, and power challenges.

The Complex Landscape of NTN Development

Richard Jacklin, Commercial Lead for Space & Satellite at Plextek, describes the NTN landscape as "a multi-dimensional Rubik’s cube” due to the various competing solutions and technical challenges.”

Interestingly, at present there is no clear leader in the race. There are multiple approaches, each of which can be segmented in different ways.

Navigating trade-offs

Multi-dimensional Complexity - This is still an evolving part of the mobile standards world, with many competing solutions.

Frequency Allocation - There are different approaches regarding how frequencies are used.

Infrastructure Placement - From “bent pipe” communications with higher latency to edge processing in satellites that improves user experience but increases power consumption, the industry is navigating complex trade-offs while determining the best approaches for different use cases.

The Landscape

Examining the industry landscape, we see that key players like Apple/Globalstar, Starlink, AST Mobile, OneWeb and Iridium each target specific markets.

For example, Apple/Globalstar use satellite spectrum for device communication, while Starlink focuses on standard mobile spectrums. Iridium primarily serves government and emergency-use cases.

Plextek specializes in radio technology to offer flexible and scalable solutions tailored to meet diverse industry needs. This allows us to address all market segments effectively and adapt to the evolving demands of the communication industry.

Technical Challenges and Solutions

Efficient Frequency Usage

High spectral efficiency is one of 5G’s defining features. Leveraging these technologies can lead to more efficient use of the frequency spectrum.

Plextek specialises in developing lightweight, compact, and highly efficient solutions with deep experience in filtering and spectral management.

Power Management

In all mobile 5G and 6G applications, there is a critical need for both linearity and power efficiency, and these two factors are closely linked.

Plextek are actively developing AI and machine learning to improve the performance of base station hardware, especially in terms of linearity and power consumption.

Latency Mitigation

Latency is related to the distance of these satellites. The laws of physics cannot be broken.

Plextek focuses on minimising latency’s impact through edge processing in space and developing extremely low-power communication standards.

Signal Loss

Signal loss over space is a huge problem. Transmitting over hundreds of kilometres means much higher free-space path loss than in terrestrial networks. So, every fraction of a decibel matters.

Plextek optimises front-end performance through better filters, low-noise amplifiers, and reducing system noise.

Why work with Plextek?

Our Strengths in Space Technology

At Plextek, we collaborate with a wide range of partners, drawing on our technical expertise in RF front-end design, low-loss and low-power solutions, and fundamental design principles such as scalability and testability. Our testing capabilities allow for accurate performance evaluations, covering communication technology development to space electronics.

With a history of successfully tackling challenges in space environments, we are a trusted partner for mission-critical space technologies. 

Get started now: https://www.plextek.com/contact/