October 23, 2018

To complete the process by which ESOA, the EMEA Satellite Operators Association, became a Market Representation Partner (MRP) in 3GPP, Aarti Holla, ESOA Secretary General, has briefed the Organizational Partners (At OP#40) on the relevance of satellite to the 5G telecoms ecosystem and on the role that satellite communications service providers play in serving a range of communities.

She spoke of how satellites already provide vital services, whether as a back-up to terrestrial communications networks, for governmental secure communications and - massively - for everyday communications that encourage education, healthcare and equality in unserved or under-connected regions. She also highlighted how satellite can contribute to ensuring that key 5G vertical segments benefit from the reach they need to be viable and sustainable solutions.

Whether by bridging the digital divide or through providing communications for high-tech industries, ESOA is committed to a cooperative approach between mobile and satellite players “to accelerate 5G objectives”. In her presentation Aarti Holla showed how Satellite Use Case Categories for 5G fall in to four main areas:

• Trunking & head-end feed: high-speed trunking of video, IoT and other data
• Backhauling and Tower Feed: high-speed backhaul connectivity to individual cells
• Communications on the Move: high-speed backhaul connectivity to in-motion terminals
• Hybrid multiplay: high-speed connectivity including backhaul to individual homes and offices

Ms. Holla concluded that the satellite network supplier ecosystem is already pro-actively working in 3GPP to enable the end-to-end integration of satellite into 5G deployments. By becoming an MRP, it is hoped that the experts from the ESOA membership will now find it easier to bring their solutions in to the 3GPP technical standards.

Notes to editors

This presentation took place at the 3GPP Organizational Partner (OP) meeting#40, Makuhari, Japan - 18 October 2018. At the meeting the 3GPP OPs approved the EMEA Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) application to be a Market Representation Partner (MRP) in 3GPP… See details about the partners and what they do at: http://www.3gpp.org/about-3gpp/partners

Shuichi INADA, TTC Secretary General, presents the signed 3GPP Partnership Agreement to Aarti Holla, ESOA Secretary General

Further Reading

• See the 3GPP article "Satellite components for the 5G system" (Nicolas Chuberre and Cyril Michel), published January 4, 2018 ...here

About ESOA

ESOA leads a coordinated and impactful response to the global challenges and opportunities the commercial satellite communications sector faces. Established as a non-profit organisation, ESOA has as its objective to serve and promote the common interests of satellite operators. Today ESOA represents the interests of EMEA satellite operators who deliver information communication services across the globe. https://gsoasatellite.com/ 

Contact for this article: Kevin FLYNN, Marketing and Communications Officer, 3GPP