Sateliot and Telefónica have expanded the reach of their 5G network into space, in what the partners said is a first for the telecommunications industry.

The test was witnessed by the European Space Agency and leveraged Sateliot’s “Store & Forward” implementation, a two-step authentication method created to support standard roaming with a Mobile Network Operator and adapted to the Non-Terrestrial Network in low earth orbit. 

The technology is part of a Sateliot 5G network that stores data when the satellite is not in range and forwards it as entering the coverage range. According to the partners, the test’s positive results confirm that 5G IoT devices can transmit data through a standard roaming interface using the Store & Forward two-step authentication method. 

"Sateliot has achieved an important milestone by successfully demonstrating the integration of Low-Earth orbit and NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), along with two-step authentication into a 5G cellular network,” said Antonio Franchi, head of space for 5G at the European Space Agency. “This significant achievement marks a disruptive advancement in the realm of standard satellite IoT services. 

“The successful integration of these technologies paves the way for the digitalization of the world, revolutionizing how we harness satellite capabilities for the benefit of global connectivity and communication."

Sateliot said following the successful test results, it expects to enter commercial operations by 2024. 

Potential applications for the expanded network include the agricultural industry, for instance in providing crop monitoring or supporting livestock owners looking to monitor and protect their herds.

“This is the culmination of years of studies and developments of our Store & Forward two-step authentication procedure,” said Marco Guadalupi, Sateliot’s CTO. “We are in front of a game changer in future networks that will reduce costs…minimizing the impact in space and reducing time to market. It is very exciting to see where we are and what we have accomplished. The IoT industry is clearly headed toward the standard, and we are thrilled to enable it.”