Mavenir and Canadian mobile satellite operator Terrestar Solutions have announced a major breakthrough in satellite communications. They successfully completed a Voice over NB-IoT call using Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) over a 3GPP-standardized NTN S-band spectrum. This spectrum ranges from 2 to 4 GHz and is often utilized for satellite communications, Wi-Fi, and certain mobile services.
The significant call was conducted in January and involved using Sony’s Altair ALT1250 module, Mavenir Open RAN, and Mavenir Converged Packet Core. Before this, the two companies executed the first NB-IoT live data sessions using TSI’s Echostar T1 GEO satellite in Ontario under real-world conditions. Mavenir also developed a custom RAN interface, making it possible for seamless integration with TSI’s satellite ground station equipment.
This technological advancement aims to lay the groundwork for the adoption of NTN-based NB-IoT solutions. Future developments will include enhanced capabilities, voice services, and integration with 5G NR in various locations across Canada. The network design, leveraging Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, plans to maintain consistent coverage despite inherent higher latency due to GEO satellites’ distance.
Sachin Karkala, senior vice president at Mavenir, highlighted the importance of satellite services. He noted their potential to enhance existing terrestrial networks by expanding coverage, particularly in underserved regions. According to him, this project enables satellite operators to launch immediate voice services using existing GEO satellites and current user equipment with a software upgrade.
