5G Americas has released a white paper examining the integration of Non-terrestrial network (NTN) with existing 5G infrastructure. The paper discusses advancements, opportunities, and challenges associated with NTN, which can enhance mobile broadband services in remote areas, facilitate emergency communications, and support new commercial applications.

Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas, emphasized the importance of combining satellite and terrestrial networks to enable seamless global connectivity. NTN is shifting from trials to commercial services, with forecasts predicting growth to $28 billion by 2030, indicating a notable role in bridging the digital divide. Initial satellite tests have already begun to facilitate emergency services such as E911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts.

The white paper highlights NTN's versatility in several areas, including:

  • Remote and Rural Connectivity – Extending internet access to locations lacking terrestrial coverage.
  • Maritime and Aviation Communications – Improving connectivity for vessels and aircraft.
  • Disaster Recovery and Emergency Response – Supporting critical communications during crises.
  • Internet of Things (IoT) and Asset Tracking – Enhancing applications in sectors like agriculture and logistics.

Successful NTN integration requires collaboration among device manufacturers, network operators, and satellite companies. Direct-to-device services utilizing LTE and 5G will allow standard smartphones to connect via satellite.

Close cooperation with governments and regulatory bodies is essential, particularly regarding spectrum allocation, as the FCC and international regulators develop policies for satellite services. Spectrum-sharing methods such as carrier aggregation are being evaluated to enable coexistence between terrestrial and NTN. Additionally, standardization efforts are progressing with upcoming advancements in 3GPP Release 19 to enhance NTN efficiency and scalability.

Brian Olsen, a Working Group Leader for the paper and T-Mobile Senior Manager, stated that regulatory support and technological progress are critical to NTN's future success in improving global connectivity and digital inclusion.

For more information and to view the full white paper, visit the 5G Americas website.