The GSMA Foundry has embarked on an exciting initiative to showcase innovation in the telecommunications sector, aiming to counter the perception that the sector lacks rapid innovation.

Through a series of Innovation Spotlight interviews, the GSMA Foundry aims to highlight groundbreaking developments and investment opportunities, with over 700 mobile operators globally seeking new innovations. This initiative serves as a pipeline to demonstrate that the telco sector is indeed innovative and vibrant.

In the recent Innovation Spotlight #4 session, the European Space Agency (ESA) shared insights into the future of space innovation and global telecommunications. Antonio Franchi, a leading expert in telecommunications and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), highlighted ESA’s mission to drive connectivity and innovation. Learn more about our parternship with ESA here.

ESA’s Vision for Telecommunications and Space

ESA, funded by 22 European nations, plays a vital role in advancing space R&D, from satellite telecommunications to planetary exploration. Antonio highlighted ESA’s commitment to enhancing European space competitiveness with a budget of €7 billion and partnerships with global entities like NASA.

NTNs represent a paradigm shift, extending terrestrial networks using satellites to provide connectivity in underserved regions. Antonio discussed the emergence of “mega-constellations” of low-Earth orbit satellites, which have reduced latency and costs, making NTNs accessible and essential in the global telecom landscape.

Key Technological Advancements and Challenges

Direct-to-Device Connectivity
Antonio outlined the transformative potential of direct-to-device connectivity, where mobile devices connect directly to satellites, removing reliance on ground infrastructure. This innovation, seen at events like MWC, requires collaboration between mobile operators and satellite providers and adherence to standards like 3GPP for integration.

Geographic vs. Population Coverage
Satellite and terrestrial industries define “coverage” differently, with satellite networks emphasising geographic coverage—vital for maritime, autonomous shipping, and remote applications.

Steps Toward Unified Global Connectivity

Antonio emphasised the need for unified standards and business models. ESA supports collaboration via the Global Satellite Alliance, fostering shared frameworks for integrating terrestrial and satellite networks.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has pioneered standards to integrate NTNs with terrestrial networks, enabling broader compatibility and advancing interoperability across the telecom landscape.

Supporting Innovation Through Community and Partnerships

The GSMA has launched an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) community to foster collaboration between terrestrial and satellite operators, aiming to define standards and create innovative solutions. ESA is supporting this initiative through funding and technical support for projects integrating terrestrial and satellite networks.

Through the GSMA’s NTN community, ESA supports projects that integrate satellite and terrestrial networks, particularly for user device solutions in mobile and maritime applications.

Earlier this year, during MWC 2024 the GSMA Foundry and ESA launched two key challenges to accelerate NTN integration:

• NTN Open Gateway Challenge: Building on GSMA’s Open Gateway program, this challenge encourages the development of APIs for seamless connectivity between terrestrial and satellite networks, allowing users to access consistent services across networks.

• 5G Mobility Makerspace Challenge: This challenge focuses on mobility applications (e.g., connected cars, maritime vessels) and aims to create user devices that seamlessly switch between terrestrial and satellite networks, ensuring global coverage for safety, navigation, and entertainment.

Future Prospects: 5G, 6G, and Sustainability

The proliferation of satellite constellations has redefined connectivity, promising extensive global coverage. ESA is preparing for 5G and 6G networks, which will deliver seamless global coverage and enable new applications across industries.

ESA is committed to sustainable practices in space, designing satellites to deorbit safely and monitoring Earth to address environmental challenges. Satellite data helps track climate change, manage resources, and reduce emissions.

Ethics and the Role of AI

Antonio emphasised ethical considerations around “mass sensing” capabilities, urging for balanced regulation to safeguard privacy and security in satellite technology.

AI and augmented reality applications in space technology will support both connectivity and earth’s sustainability, showcased at future events like MWC 2025.

Conclusion

ESA’s work focuses on a connected and sustainable world, using space technology to bridge gaps in global connectivity. With an emphasis on ethical practices and collaboration, ESA is shaping the future of telecommunications, with advancements in NTNs, 5G, and satellite applications that are pivotal to achieving universal connectivity.

Antonio’s insights highlight a promising future for space technology that serves both human progress and planetary well-being.

Watch the full interview here https://www.linkedin.com/events/7241736370153566212/

At the GSMA Foundry, we’re dedicated to fostering innovation and collaboration within the NTN ecosystem. Our NTN Hub provides a wealth of insights, resources, collaborations, articles, whitepapers, case studies, interviews.

Join us on this thrilling adventure towards a more connected and resilient future. Let’s bridge the gap between satellite and terrestrial networks together! Explore the NTN Hub now.

Stay tuned for further developments from the GSMA Foundry. If you have any questions or want to join this exciting journey, feel free to reach out.