Fraunhofer IIS Tests High Bandwidths for NTN

Why It Matters

The result validates GEO satellites as high‑capacity, low‑latency backbones for 5G, enabling reliable global coverage and mobile handovers for aviation, maritime and disaster‑response applications.

Key Takeaways

• 5G Ka‑band test reached 137 Mbps using 100 MHz bandwidth
• Seamless handover demonstrated between north and south satellite beams
• OpenAirInterface software‑defined gNB and UE enabled high‑bandwidth operation
• GEO satellite can act as high‑capacity overlay in 3D networks
• Fraunhofer’s equipment fills gap where commercial gateways lack

Pulse Analysis

The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) has taken a decisive step toward commercializing non‑terrestrial 5G by completing an end‑to‑end Ka‑band transmission over the German GEO satellite Heinrich Hertz. Using 50‑100 MHz of spectrum, the experiment delivered up to 137 Mbit/s, confirming that the high‑frequency Ka band—traditionally reserved for satellite broadband—can support 5G waveforms defined in 3GPP Release 18. By situating the test equipment at Fraunhofer’s Erlangen campus, the researchers demonstrated that existing ground infrastructure can be upgraded to handle broadband satellite links without waiting for off‑the‑shelf gateways.

A standout feature of the trial was the seamless handover between the satellite’s north and south beams, a capability essential for mobile platforms such as aircraft and vessels. The handover was orchestrated by a fully software‑defined gNodeB and user equipment built on the OpenAirInterface open‑source stack, which the team optimized for wide channel bandwidths and rapid beam switching. This approach sidesteps the lengthy certification cycles of proprietary hardware, offering operators a flexible path to integrate GEO assets into 5G core networks while maintaining low latency and high reliability.

The successful demonstration positions GEO satellites as a high‑capacity backbone for emerging 3‑dimensional network architectures that blend terrestrial cells, low‑Earth‑orbit constellations, and geostationary platforms. For telecom operators, the ability to deliver multi‑hundred‑megabit speeds from orbit opens new revenue streams in in‑flight Wi‑Fi, maritime broadband, and disaster‑recovery services. Moreover, the proof‑of‑concept reduces the perceived risk for standard‑setting bodies and regulators, accelerating the rollout of 5G NTN services worldwide. As the market anticipates a surge in satellite‑enabled IoT and edge computing, Fraunhofer’s prototype could become a reference design for future commercial deployments.