Global team unveils 5G satellite tech to boost remote connectivity

A global research team, involving five organisations: the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), SKY Perfect JSAT (JSAT), TMY Technology (TMYTEK), Rohde & Schwarz, and VIAVI Solutions, has successfully demonstrated a new 5G satellite technology that could soon allow regular mobile phones to connect in remote areas like Antarctica, where only satellite phones currently work.

The live demonstration took place at the World Expo 2025 Singapore Pavilion in Osaka, Japan. It marked the first-ever end-to-end cross-country 5G New Radio (NR) non-terrestrial network (NTN) signal transmission between Singapore and Japan.

Together, they showcased how a 5G signal sent from Singapore through a user device was transmitted via a geostationary (GEO) satellite operated by JSAT, then received at a ground station in Japan and connected to a 5G base station and core network emulator.

This demonstration proved that existing GEO satellites can support 5G NR standards defined by the global telecom body 3GPP. The development marks a major step toward integrating satellite and terrestrial networks for widespread, reliable mobile communication.

The project also featured the integration of an electronically steered antenna (ESA) for 5G satellite communication, one of the first such uses globally. ESA technology enables dynamic tracking of moving satellites, making it suitable for industries such as maritime, autonomous vehicles, and high-speed travel.

Technology providers Rohde & Schwarz and VIAVI contributed a digital twin testbed simulating different satellite orbits, low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), and GEO, to validate performance under various conditions.

This breakthrough is expected to influence future 6G networks, which aim to combine terrestrial and satellite systems to deliver seamless, borderless global connectivity.