5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) integrates satellite communications into the global 5G standard. By moving base stations from cell towers to space, NTN enables standard smartphones and IoT devices to connect directly to satellites in remote areas, over oceans, or during terrestrial network outages.
Device Directivity: It allows unmodified 5G smartphones to communicate directly with satellites, bypassing the need for bulky, proprietary satellite phones.
3GPP Standardization: Governed by the 3GPP (beginning in Release 17 and expanding in Release 18), NTN allows satellites to act as part of the same 5G Core network, ensuring seamless handovers between terrestrial cell towers and space.
