iDirect, SES, Broadpeak, i2CAT and the University of Surrey, all members of the SaT5G consortium, have demonstrated a major milestone in the research, development and validation of key principles for satellite integration with 5G architecture, the consortium announced.

Taking place at the EuCNC2018 conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the live test demonstrated the integration of satellite into a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network architecture, comprising a Software-defined Networking (SDN) / Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) / Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)-enabled pre-5G construction testbed, with a geostationary satellite. It also showcased satellite backhauling features and efficient edge delivery of multimedia content in pre-5G networks, which act as proof-of-concepts for integration of those features into a full 5G network.

The SaT5G project is funded by the European Commission and its consortium brings together industry leaders across the ecosystem to promote the cost-effective “plug-and-play” integration of satellite technology into 5G networks.