Radisys and AccelerComm have broadened their satellite 5G partnership to add support for narrowband IoT, enabling satellite operators to offer low-power device connectivity alongside broadband services using the same spectrum.
The expanded collaboration combines NB-IoT NTN with the partners' existing NR-NTN radio access network stack. It targets non-terrestrial network deployments based on 3GPP standards for satellite and airborne connectivity.
Satellite operators are building business cases that combine consumer and enterprise broadband with machine connectivity for remote assets. NB-IoT is designed for small, infrequent data transmissions and long battery life, and complements higher-data-rate 5G services that use wider channels.
Radisys and AccelerComm positioned the update as a way for satellite network operators and other NTN solution providers to extend coverage to low-power devices without needing additional spectrum beyond existing 5G NR-NTN allocations. The approach aligns with industry efforts to maximise utilisation of scarce satellite spectrum resources.
Broader footprint
The pre-integrated software supports both transparent and regenerative payloads. Transparent payloads relay signals between user terminals and ground infrastructure, while regenerative payloads perform more processing on board the satellite. The two models differ in where processing occurs and how they manage latency and capacity.
The software can also be deployed across multiple orbits and platforms, including low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit satellites, as well as high altitude platform systems operating in the stratosphere between terrestrial and space-based networks.
NB-IoT NTN is aimed at use cases that do not require high throughput. The partners pointed to infrastructure monitoring, disaster and emergency communications, maritime operations and logistics. These scenarios often involve hard-to-reach locations and intermittent connectivity needs.
Standards support
The release supports 3GPP Release 18 for NB-IoT and Release 19 for NR-NTN features, and covers both transparent and regenerative modes.
The technical scope includes IoT-focused features such as extended discontinuous reception for battery-powered devices. It also includes mobility features such as service link switchover and conditional handover, which are important for satellites moving relative to users on the ground.
On spectrum, NB-IoT support covers S-band and N-band with a 180 kHz bandwidth. NR-NTN support covers S-band, K-band, Ku-band and Ka-band, with bandwidth options from 3 MHz to 400 MHz. These bands are commonly used for different satellite coverage and capacity profiles.
Physical layer focus
AccelerComm said adding NB-IoT in satellite environments requires a focus on physical-layer efficiency. Satellite systems face strict power and spectrum limits, as well as latency challenges that vary by orbit and payload design.
Radisys framed the expansion as part of a broader portfolio that includes terrestrial and private 5G products, and said the combined NTN approach provides a single software baseline for different satellite deployment options.
"By expanding Radisys' NB-IoT NTN RAN software capabilities to complement our proven NR-NTN solution, we now offer a unified NTN solution that supports both transparent and regenerative deployment modes," said Munish Chhabra, SVP and General Manager, Software and Services at Radisys.
"This unified NTN solution, combined with our advanced 5G solutions for terrestrial, private 5G, and AI-integrated networks, enables our customers to deliver differentiated 5G services to SNOs, MNOs, enterprises, and industries," Chhabra said.
AccelerComm CEO David Helfgott said satellite operators face constraints that make the radio layer critical when adding services within the same spectrum allocation.
"Delivering NB-IoT alongside broadband over satellite isn't simply a software extension; it demands extreme efficiency at the physical layer," Helfgott said.
"Satellites operate under strict power, spectrum and latency constraints, so every bit must be transmitted with maximum efficiency," he said.
"By combining our flight-proven 5G physical layer technology with Radisys' RAN software, we're enabling satellite operators to support both massive IoT and high-throughput services within the same 3GPP-compliant framework," Helfgott said.
The expanded NB-IoT NTN and NR-NTN integration is aimed at satellite operators and NTN solution providers building combined IoT and broadband service portfolios across multiple satellite architectures.