ST Engineering's iDirect unit attains groundbreaking achievement in 5G-satellite compatibility

ST Engineering iDirect Achieves Key Milestone in Uniting Satellite and Terrestrial Networks

ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, has announced a significant milestone in achieving interoperability between its ground system and the 5G Core. This development paves the way for a seamless integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, offering unprecedented global scalability and coverage.

The key advancement was demonstrated through a Proof of Concept (PoC), which showcased the ability for a non-3GPP satellite network to connect seamlessly with the 5G ecosystem while appearing fully 3GPP-compliant. This interoperability is expected to revolutionize global connectivity, providing end users with uninterrupted, secure connectivity and high-quality application performance, even during inter-provider roaming.

The PoC also validated ST Engineering iDirect's capability to leverage the operational efficiencies of the 5G Core. Operators can accelerate time-to-market and capture new revenue streams with this integration, without the need for overhauling their existing infrastructure. Moreover, operators can extend coverage to new regions and orbits with the demonstrated inter-provider roaming, offering differentiated services and unlocking new interoperability capabilities with planned future enhancements.

Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Technology Officer at ST Engineering iDirect, stated, "Our goal is to create a unified, interoperable satcom network that will provide operators with the flexibility to extend their coverage to new regions and orbits, and to offer their customers a seamless experience as they roam between terrestrial and non-terrestrial systems."

ST Engineering iDirect's hybrid strategy is designed to unite satellites and terrestrial networks for this purpose. The strategy allows operators to continue utilizing satellite-specific waveforms such as DVB-S2X and Mx-DMA MRC, while benefiting from advanced 5G core capabilities that enable seamless interoperability of networks across multiple providers. This integration is expected to improve operators' return on investment (ROI) and offer enhanced operational flexibility.

Rob Peglar, the Chief Technology Officer of ST Engineering iDirect, added, "Our innovative Interworking Gateway Function played a crucial role in this milestone. It's a significant step towards our vision of paving the way toward a fully standardized 5G-6G future."

This milestone underscores ST Engineering iDirect's progress in its hybrid strategy for 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). The PoC highlights the potential for satellite operators to unlock new opportunities in the 5G era, offering scalable and efficient global connectivity solutions.