Samsung Electronics on Thursday announced that it has secured standardised 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) modem technology for direct communication between smartphones and satellites, especially in remote areas.
NTN is a communications technology that uses satellites and other non-terrestrial vehicles to bring connectivity to regions that were previously unreachable by terrestrial networks, whether over mountains, across deserts or in the middle of the ocean.
It will also be critical in assuring operability in disaster areas and powering future urban air mobility (UAM) such as unmanned aircraft and flying cars, according to the company.
“This milestone builds on our rich legacy in wireless communications technologies, following the introduction of the industry’s first commercial 4G LTE modem in 2009 and the industry’s first 5G modem in 2018,a Min Goo Kim, Executive Vice President of Communication Processo) Development at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.
Moreover, the company said, it plans to integrate this technology into Samsung’s Exynos modem solutions, accelerating the commercialisation of 5G satellite communications and paving the way for the 6G-driven Internet of Everything (IoE) era.
The tech giant also developed and simulated 5G NTN standard-based satellite technology for highly reliable NTN communication with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites using its Exynos Modem 5300 reference platform to accurately predict satellite locations and minimise frequency offsets caused by the Doppler shift.
Based on this technology, Samsung’s future Exynos modems will support two-way text messaging as well as high-definition image and video sharing, the company mentioned.