Earlier this week iDirect and a team of partners from the SaT5G consortium successfully hit a major milestone in the integration of satellite with 5G architecture at EuCNC2018 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The SaT5G team took the opportunity at EuCNC2018 to demonstrate the research, development and validation of key principles in a live, first-of-its-kind test that marked a significant step forward in the massive transformation of the global communications industry.
Together with SES, Broadpeak, i2CAT and the University of Surrey, iDirect helped demonstrate 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 demo team was made up of members of the SaT5G consortium, a project funded by the European Commission[1] that brings together industry leaders across the ecosystem to promote the cost-effective “plug and play” integration of satellite technology into 5G networks. The work of iDirect and its SaT5G partners is fundamentally changing how satellite is deployed so 5G networks can ensure security, bring ubiquitous connectivity and mobility, and increase broadcast capabilities in the future.
Each team member played an important role in making the demo a success.
- VT iDirect provided a pre-5G enabled satellite hub platform and satellite terminal that incorporates SDN, NFV and MEC capabilities, and enables the satellite integration to a 3GPP network architecture.
- SES provided end-to-end connectivity between the remote node and the core network via its geostationary ASTRA 2F satellite and its teleport in Betzdorf.
- The University of Surrey provided its 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) testbed element, located at Surrey in the United Kingdom.
- Broadpeak supplied an MEC-enabled platform for Content Delivery Network (CDN) caching and Multicast Average Bit Rate (ABR) to optimize Satellite bandwidth usage, in order to demonstrate content delivery to demo attendees, via tablets and smart phones.
- i2CAT provided input into the orchestration at SES Design Support Services through the Management and Orchestrator (MANO) system.
iDirect is continuing to lead the way into the satellite-integrated 5G future. Already, iDirect has presented on the opportunities, challenges and changes 5G will bring over the next few years at GVF-EMP Cell Backhaul 2018 Program at 5G & IoT World in London and EuCNC2018 in Slovenia, and participated in 5G conferences such as ISNCC in Rome. Next week, join us in Singapore at:
CommunicAsia, June 26-28, at iDirect Stand 1P3-01
Don’t miss Sean Yarborough, Vice President of Product Management, at the Xperience Zone. Come by 26 June at 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. to see his presentation, Open Access to Opportunity – 5G and Beyond.
CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum, June 25
You can also catch Yarborough on June 25 at 2:40 – 3: 20 p.m. as he participates on The 5G Challenge – or Opportunity? panel.
Learn more about the 5G future and satellite’s role at IntelligentPathForward.com/satellite-5g.
[1] This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 761413.