04/07/2024 | News release | Archived content
Satellite Connectivity has been around for a long time. Yet, two thirds of the world is not covered by cellular service and the market for satellites has long been a wide area. Let us take a look at how the fusion of satellite and cellular networks is transforming global connectivity, providing continuous services, and closing long-standing gaps.
[Link]Mobile telecommunications standard 3GPP release 17 has brought a new set of capabilities: enabling off-the-shelf cellular devices to connect directly to satellites!
These satellites act as reflectors of cellular signals. The devices see them as Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) antennas.
The first modules on the market now connect to LEO/MEO/GEO satellites and terrestrial networks, with no need for a separate modem or antenna.
This opens opportunities for continuity of services between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, combining the ease of access of cellular with the global coverage satellites offer.
Some of them do it by merging satellite and cellular technologies using the 3GPP release 17 standard, offering a unique modem to attach both radio access types. Others integrate two types of modems in a single box to offer a seamless experience.
[Link]How many of these NTN players will be successful in the years to come? Which ones are the best bet? IoT service providers cannot be sure. Diversifying risk is the key to success. Choosing a cellular IoT connectivity provider that partners with several satellite-direct-to-cellular providers is crucial to ensuring you place your bet on the right partner.
Numerous cellular IoT connectivity providers have claimed partnership with satellite-direct-to-cellular providers, as illustrated in the table below.
[Link]Transatel was the first operator to announce multiple satellite partners for hybrid terrestrial + non terrestrial cellular connectivity service.
Each Non-Terrestrial Network provider is different and comes with implications for the service capabilities, timeline, or sometimes hardware design.
Though it comes with a strong promise, satellite-to-cellular is still in its infancy.
Release 18 and 19 are set to improve upon this new tech with 3 major advances:
[Link]With its recent partnership with OQ, Transatel has further bolstered its global connectivity initiatives. This is in addition to existing support from three other satellite partnerships; Stellar, Skylo, and Sateliot.
Click here to learn more about Transatel's IoT solutions and how those can help your business stay ahead with the new technological advancements.