Hellas Sat completed a live demonstration of a 5G network for remote areas with backhaul from the 5G core network and gNB through Hellas Sat 3, its geostationary telecommunication satellite. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus 4000 C4 platform.
The demonstration took place during an event that marked Hellas Sat 20th anniversary, organised in partnership with KT-SAT, ST Engineering iDirect, Thales Alenia Space, and Vodafone Greece to showcase the satellite's role in the 5G ecosystem to broaden coverage.
Using satellite communication backhaul links, the satellite was fully integrated into the 5G network and received 5G transmissions from the Earth and then delivered these to remote areas. This technology enables increased coverage in areas where traditional backhauling technologies (wired, fibre, microwave) are not suitable for technical and/or economic reasons.
The connection of the Hellas Sat 3 satellite to the 5G network has been enabled by the use of Thales Alenia Space and ST Engineering iDirect hub and modem equipment, as well as Vodafone’s 5G licensed spectrum in the 2100 MHz and 3600 MHz bands.
What Hellas Sat calls the world’s first router for hybrid satellite-terrestrial 5G transmission developed by KT-SAT was also showcased at the event. During the showcase, 5G terminals were connected to the router to simultaneously transmit and receive various types of data, or used separate routes, to and from a 5G network and a satellite.
The terminals successfully maintained normal service operations with the Hellas Sat satellite connectivity, even after the 5G network was intentionally disconnected. The successful hybrid-terrestrial-satellite 5G transmission showed how this technology can enable 5G-based automated machinery or moving vehicles to maintain its network connection when 5G coverage becomes unavailable, or a natural disaster has occurred.
