KT SAT’s November 2019 satellite 5G demonstration. Photo by KT SAT

South Korean telecommunications company KT SAT conducted its first public demonstration of a satellite-5G hybrid router transmission technology at the SatelliteAsia 2020 exposition on Thursday. The company said the router is the first of its kind for the satellite industry.

The satellite / 5G router was jointly developed by KT SAT and the KT Institute of Convergence Technology in November 2019. Later that same month, KT SAT said it succeeded in testing a data transfer between its 5G network and its Koreasat 6 satellite. The operator said the November 2019 test also included HD streaming from its 5G network and satellite to multiple 5G handsets.

During the modem demonstration at SatelliteAsia 2020, KT SAT CEO Song Kyung-Min said the company was exploring the possibility of using satellites as communication backup networks and extending their use to broadcast communication. “In the years ahead, we at KT SAT will show our satellite technology prowess and enhance our status in the global market,” Kyung-Min said.

KT SAT’s global satellite fleet comprises five spacecraft, with coverage over 60% of the Earth’s total surface.