Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom, and Nordic Semiconductor have announced the successful demonstration of a 5G narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) system over an Omnispace S-band non-geostationary orbit satellite.
This step proves the viability of satellite-based 5G NB-IoT communications using NGSO satellites and transparent payload architectures.
As part of the demonstration, a 5G NB-IoT signal was successfully transmitted over the Omnispace F2 NGSO satellite. The trial demonstrated the successful transmission and reception of data by five terminals served by the Omnispace satellite.
The project builds upon the groundwork laid during Omnispace and Gatehouse Satcom’s initial feasibility study, and represents a major leap in enabling standards-based 5G IoT services over a non-geostationary satellite based on non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).
The demonstration used Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF9151 low-power SiP module. The nRF9151 module features an integrated LTE-M/NB-IoT modem, and is designed for enhanced connectivity over satellite, or non-terrestrial networks (NTN). The solution from Nordic will support a wide range of 5G NB-IoT use cases, ensuring compatibility with emerging 3GPP standards for current and future satellite-integrated networks.
“This demonstration marks a key step in making global, seamless 5G IoT connectivity a reality,” said Ram Viswanathan, President and CEO of Omnispace. “Working with Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor, we are demonstrating what’s possible for the future of global communications including powerful NGSO satellite solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing 5G terrestrial cellular networks.”
“We’ve engineered our 5G NTN NB-IoT NodeB to operate across GEO, MEO and LEO – and this demo with Omnispace proves its adaptability under real NGSO conditions,” said Jesper Noer, VP Commercial, Gatehouse Satcom. “It’s especially exciting to see the software perform in S-band, where transparent payload architectures introduce new technical dynamics. Omnispace brings a strong vision for interoperable, global coverage, and we’re proud to help turn that vision into practical, standards-based progress.”
“Nordic is pleased to collaborate with Omnispace on integrating our nRF9151 module into a pioneering achievement for NB-IoT connectivity over MEO and S-band,” said Kristian Sæther, Product Director, Long-Range, Nordic Semiconductor. “This breakthrough enables low-power IoT devices to connect via satellite in remote or infrastructure-limited areas, supporting use cases such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, and industrial IoT. We are excited about the potential of this solution to accelerate global IoT adoption across industries that rely on resilient and true global coverage.”
Satellite enabled NB-IoT solutions are expected to unlock a host of reliable, cost-effective IoT solutions across sectors including smart agriculture, utility metering, environmental monitoring, asset tracking and remote infrastructure and logistics.
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