Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor announced that they have successfully demonstrated 5G narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) capability over an Omnispace S-band non-geostationary satellite — a first-of-its-kind proof of IoT service that integrates existing 5G mobile cellular networks with NGSO satellite solutions.
The milestone confirms the viability of using NGSO satellites and transparent payload architectures to deliver global, seamless 5G IoT coverage — supporting use cases in remote monitoring, asset tracking, environmental sensing and more.
Omnispace, Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor demonstrated the successful 5G narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) system over an Omnispace S-band non-geostationary orbit satellite.
This milestone proves the viability of satellite-based 5G NB-IoT communications using NGSO satellites and transparent payload architectures.
As part of the demonstration, a 5G NB-IoT signal was successfully transmitted over the Omnispace F2 NGSO satellite. The trial demonstrated the successful transmission and reception of data by five terminals served by the Omnispace satellite.
The project builds upon the groundwork laid during Omnispace and Gatehouse Satcom’s initial feasibility study, and represents a significant advancement in enabling standards-based 5G IoT services over Non-Geostationary satellite based non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).
The demonstration utilized Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF9151 low-power SiP module – the smallest cellular IoT solution with industry-leading battery lifetime performance. The nRF9151 module features an integrated LTE-M/NB-IoT modem, and is designed for enhanced connectivity over satellite, or non-terrestrial networks (NTN). The solution from Nordic will support a wide range of 5G NB-IoT use cases, ensuring compatibility with emerging 3GPP standards for current and future satellite-integrated networks.
Ram Viswanathan, President and CEO at Omnispace
This demonstration marks a key step in making global, seamless 5G IoT connectivity a reality Working with Gatehouse Satcom and Nordic Semiconductor, we are demonstrating what’s possible for the future of global communications including powerful NGSO satellite solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing 5G terrestrial cellular networks.
Jesper Noer, VP Commercial at Gatehouse Satcom
We’ve engineered our 5G NTN NB-IoT NodeB to operate across GEO, MEO and LEO – and this demo with Omnispace proves its adaptability under real NGSO conditions It’s especially exciting to see the software perform in S-band, where transparent payload architectures introduce new technical dynamics Omnispace brings a strong vision for interoperable, global coverage, and we’re proud to help turn that vision into practical, standards-based progress.
Kristian Sæther, Product Director, Long-Range at Nordic Semiconductor
Nordic is pleased to collaborate with Omnispace on integrating our nRF9151 module into a pioneering achievement for NB-IoT connectivity over MEO and S-band This breakthrough enables low-power IoT devices to connect via satellite in remote or infrastructure-limited areas, supporting use cases such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, and industrial IoT We are excited about the potential of this solution to accelerate global IoT adoption across industries that rely on resilient and true global coverage.