Telefónica and Sateliot announced a partnership to extend 5G networks into space. According to a release, the companies stated this feat is the “first” in telecommunications history. Techradar reported that the joint test, overseen by the European Space Agency (ESA), “extended the coverage of Telefónica’s terrestrial 5G network through standard GSMA roaming, using Sateliot’s satellite network.”
The test utilized an Internet of Things (IoT) device equipped with a SIM card, which “seamlessly” picked up Sateliot’s network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Techradar reported that the attempt succeeded since a standard roaming connection was authenticated using Telefónica’s core network with a non-terrestrial network.
A key component of the achievement is Sateliot’s “Store & Forward” feature. This proprietary two-step authentication process stores data when the satellite is not in a position to connect with a ground station. Telefónica plans to release the solution commercially in 2024, providing “everywhere-in-the-planet connectivity” for IoT devices.
“Sateliot has achieved an important milestone by successfully demonstrating the integration of Low-Earth orbit and NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) with roaming capabilities in Store & Forward mode, along with two-step authentication into a 5G cellular network,” said Antonio Franchi, Head of Space for 5G and 6G Strategic Program at the ESA.
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