Ericsson, Qualcomm and Thales join forces to bring 5G to space

A network of satellites in Earth orbit will allow Ericsson, Qualcomm y Thales bring 5G to space to provide a satellite telephone service with next-generation internet access.

After having carried out a detailed investigation, which has included multiple studies and simulations, Ericsson, Qualcomm y Thales They are in a phase close to being able to offer a global 5G coverage. Thanks to this initiative, a “future 5G smartphone” could use the 5G connectivity from “anywhere on earth,” including places normally only covered by satellite phone systems such as zonas con geografías extremas, mares u océanos.

Esta conectividad generalizada impulsaría las capacidades de servicio de itinerancia de los suscriptores de teléfonos inteligentes 5G, además de permitir la conectividad global para los casos de uso 5G en los sectores del transporte, la energía y la salud. Del mismo modo, esta red espacial podría utilizarse como apoyo a las redes terrestres en caso de grandes cortes de red o desastres.

Las próximas pruebas por parte de Ericsson, Thales y Qualcomm Technologies, las cuales cuentan con el visto bueno de 3GPP, will aim to validate various technological components necessary to make 5G non-terrestrial networks possible, including a 5G smartphone, the satellite payload and the pieces of the 5G network on the ground.

To this end, Ericsson plans to verify a 5G virtual RAN stack, modified to handle radio signals propagating through fast-moving LEO satellites; Thales plan to verify a 5G satellite radio payload for deployment on LEO satellites, and finally Qualcomm Technologies will serve test phones to verify that future 5G smartphones can access this telecommunications network.