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The Interview



       Take  another  example  from  the    terrestrial   network   components   energy  needed  to  provide  service
       aeronautical industry, where aircraft   operate   independently,   but    in  a  certain  coverage  area  when
       need  to  carry  different  antennas,   supporting mobility between the two   there’s little or no traffic. In the first
       different  modems  and  so  on  to   components.  With  6G,  in  contrast,   case,  smart  routing  techniques  may
       switch between one satellite system   integrated  operation  of  both  NTN   be  developed  taking  into  account
       to  another.  That’s  a  lot  of  extra   and  TN  (terrestrial  networks)  could   energy  cost  associated  to  the
       weight for the plane at the expense   enable optimized resource usage.    transport  of  bits.  And  secondly  one
       of passenger seating. And each time                                       may consider turning off cells at the
       you  need  to  install  new  terminal                                     expense  of  others,  considering  the
       equipment, that aircraft is grounded   “   6G should be                   energy/coverage ratio.
       for  some  time  at  considerable  cost.   seen as an evolution
       So all these industries are calling out
       for standards and for interoperability.   of 5G rather than               “     For the past
                                             a disruptive
       What’s the distinction between        technology.                           seven years my
       the way NTN is implemented in                                               role has been to
       5G and 6G?                                                                  define new satellite

       Ubiquitous  coverage  is  one  of  the   Putting it another way, NTN in 5G is   network solutions.
       key  IMT-2030  (6G)  requirements,   really about service and terminal level
       whereas  service  extension  was  just   integration, with the same user device
       a  ‘nice  to  have’  feature  in  5G.  It   supporting  NTN  and  TN  capabilities.   What is your own company’s
       has taken some time for the mobile   6G  takes  this  a  stage  further:  it’s   involvement in NTN?
       industry  to  fully  appreciate  that   about  deep  operational  integration
       satellite  is  not  a  competitor,  but  an   between NTN and TN at the network   Thales Alenia Space is a global space
       important complement.                infrastructure  level.  However  it’s   manufacturer,  delivering  solutions
                                            important to note that 6G should be
       “     With 6G, in                    seen as an evolution of 5G rather than   Earth  Observation,  environmental
                                                                                 for  telecommunications,  navigation,
                                            a disruptive technology.
                                                                                 management, exploration, science and
        contrast, integrated
                                                                                 orbital  infrastructures.  For  the  past
                                            Sustainability is a central
        operation of both
                                                                                 new satellite network solutions.
        NTN and TN could                    part of the 6G story. What           seven years my role has been to define
                                            contribution can NTN make?
        enable optimized                    Energy  efficiency  is  becoming  a  big   We’ve been instrumental in creating
                                                                                 this  standard  because  we  want  to
        resource usage.                     design  consideration  for  satellite   open  up  new  market  opportunities
                                            systems,  as  it  is  for  6G  and  indeed   for  the  integration  of  satellite  with
                                            for  all  industries.  There’s  a  lot  of   terrestrial networks. We also believe
       Right from the start in 3GPP, there’s   investigation  going  on  in  this  area,   that  this  can  help  defragment
       been  an  opportunity  to  design    and  we  believe  that  satellite  may   broadband  and  mobile  satellite
       the  radio  interface  and  the  system   also  contribute  to  a  certain  extent   market niches.
       architecture  to  take  into  account   optimizing energy consumption with
       the  requirements  and  constraints   6G in specific cases.               Furthermore, we see more intelligence
       associated with NTN and related use                                       coming  on  board  the  satellite,  and
       cases.  NTN  has  been  added  on  top   There  are  two  different  aspects  of   that’s where standards are beneficial.
       of the existing 5G system, whereas it   sustainability.  There’s  the  energy   If you’re designing equipment for on-
       could be a native network component   required  to  transport  a  bitstream   board  processing  that’s  compatible
       of  6G.  In  5G,  terrestrial  and  non-  of  information.  Then  a  further   with  a  standard,  then  you  can  drive
                                            consideration  is  minimizing  the   down the cost of that satellite.




        6      Enjoy! The ETSI Mag – August 2024
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