Telefónica España, a private 5G mobile network services operator, has signed a collaboration agreement with Sateliot, a 5G NTN IoT satellite telecommunications operator, to apply 5G New Radio (NR) technology in the space domain. This will expand coverage to remote, maritime and unconnected areas while also supporting the deployment of critical services for security and defense applications.
This collaboration focuses on the development of solutions based on the 5G NR-Non-Terrestrial Networks (NR-NTN) standard, enhancing current 5G NB-IoT capabilities. Thanks to this partnership, a new hybrid architecture is being created that combines terrestrial mobile networks with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This approach will extend existing terrestrial networks and 5G tactical bubbles and introduce new capabilities in strategic sectors.
The agreement also includes the joint development of technological pilots and advanced 5G NR satellite connectivity functionalities aimed at critical communications, in order to validate interoperability between different types of networks and strengthen resilience and global coverage in complex scenarios.
Within this framework, Sateliot will contribute its satellite connectivity platform based on LEO satellites for its 5G NTN IoT telecommunications capabilities and services, while Telefónica will contribute to the adaptation of 5G NR for the defense and security sector, including integration capabilities with terrestrial 5G networks and the interoperability required for military applications.
According to Javier López Gutiérrez, Director of Defense and Security at Telefónica España, “the combination of Sateliot’s satellite capabilities and our 5G SA bubble deployments will allow us to extend terrestrial connectivity into the space domain, strengthening coverage and resilience in critical environments. This approach also lays the groundwork for future ‘Direct to Device’ capabilities, expanding connectivity beyond traditional environments.”
For Jaume Sanpera, CEO and founder of Sateliot, “this alliance is a strategic step to expand 5G connectivity from space. Integrating our 5G NTN with Telefónica’s terrestrial infrastructure will enable coverage expansion into remote environments and support critical use cases, such as industrial IoT and infrastructure monitoring, as well as logistics, energy, maritime and security services. We believe this agreement will serve as a benchmark for other operators to drive convergence between satellite and terrestrial networks.”
This collaboration is not the first between the two companies. In July 2023, they jointly demonstrated the feasibility of convergence between mobile and satellite networks with an end-to-end test, supervised by ESA, which validated standard roaming between Telefónica’s network and Sateliot’s LEO network using a conventional SIM card, paving the way for IoT services with seamless continuity between terrestrial and satellite connectivity.