Dr. Corici, what are the advantages of a network that combines the conventional network with satellite communications?

Integrating satellite communications extends coverage and resilience across the unified communications network. It enables reliable connectivity in remote regions and for mobile objects – like ships, trucks, aircraft, and drones. In the event of disasters that damage undersea cables, for example, long-distance connectivity is maintained, extending the dedicated network of an operator or a private network globally across country borders, enabling fast response from emergency services worldwide in the affected region. With digitally repurposable satellites, communications can be combined with Earth observation for advanced use cases such as search and rescue.

Beyond the technical benefits, such a network strengthens digital sovereignty. Politicians recognize that a robust German and European communications infrastructure is essential in today’s global situation to ensure resilience and security against emerging threats, and to enable trusted, accelerated digitalization – key issues for an efficient economy.

What are the main topics of the workshop?

The workshop addresses the technical unification required for a convergent TN-NTN system. The task is substantial: frequency bands must be coordinated and shared; radio access must be controlled via the core network at local and global levels; and, most importantly, the end-to-end system must operate across multiple administrative domains and operators. The latter is a key research focus of my department. With our software-based, flexible core networks Open5GCore and Open6GCore, we interconnect these heterogeneous components. Our cores can be deployed in a distributed fashion, tailored to TN and NTN, and used to jointly manage both networks. For proofs of concept, we provide an end-to-end setup – from base station and radio link to end device and application. Integration, however, is only one facet of our work.

What other areas of expertise does Fraunhofer FOKUS have in this field?

We conduct research on NTN handovers and their impact on the core network, inter-system handovers between TN and NTN, unified authentication, and Quality of Service assurance mechanisms. Switching from NTN to TN is often necessary under heavy cloud cover or in forested areas where satellite connectivity is constrained. We also work on end-to-end transport over optical space networks to enable large, long-distance backhaul.

What else is important for implementation?

Alongside our core networks, Open5GCore and Open6GCore, we offer as licensable software also OpenLANES. This is a digital twin for NTN, TN, and convergent TN-NTN systems. It enables a “fast-forward” emulation of diverse network scenarios and topologies to generate data and validate the impact of parameter changes – for example, a satellite outage – on the overall network, and serves as key toolkit for AI related research in networks.

When will this TN-NTN integrated network be available?

Integration needs to be completed within the next five years. There is strong interest from terrestrial operators, private network owners, and use-case providers, but without practical end-to-end validation, this momentum could quickly fade. If we do not act now – including use-case integration – satellite may miss the big convergence boat, as many technologies have done in the past.

Global developments are highly dynamic. Europe is well-positioned and must not lose ground. We expect the workshop to offer a clear picture of current TN-NTN integration efforts and future directions, ideally culminating in a coordinated roadmap towards 5G-NTN.