What Role for Satellite in a 5G World?

Core networks already are affecting, and affected by, the expected requirements of 5G networks, which require virtualization end to end, of core and access. Likewise, 5G is going to affect the supplier base, leading to winners and losers.

The fixed network simultaneously acquires new value for backhaul, and also faces new competition from gigabit 5G  that could become a full substitute for fixed access.

Satellite industry executives also have been pondering the impact of 5G and internet of things on satellite networks as well. The optimistic view (and it is fair to say there are only heard optimistic views from within the satellite industry) is that satellite will continue to play the same role it has over recent decades.

The satellite working group of NETWORLD2020 argues that satellites will integrate with other networks rather than be a stand alone network to provide 5G and it is this integration that forms the core of the vision.

In other words, the satellite role in 5G is very similar to the role played by satellites in other scenarios, providing trunking, backhaul, content delivery and service in remote and shipboard use cases.

source: SES

With the growing role of video and other content delivery to mobile devices, and as more content shifts to o-demand modes, there will be more need for content delivery and caching of content at the network edge.

For 5G, as with earlier networks, satellite will be used to deliver multimedia closer to the edge to improve latency and QoE.  Satellites also will be used for backhaul or possibly carrying user control traffic for content on demand services.  

An area where satellite also will have a role is in extending the coverage of 5G networks, as satellite now augments 4G and 3G by connecting remote areas.

Satellites might also be used to provide resilience for 5G networks.

source: Northern Sky Research

“Satellites--both geostationary and non-geostationary--can and will play important roles in supporting the key 5G usage scenarios, including emerging 5G applications, just as satellites support 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE networks today,” says consultant Bob Horton.

“Efficient multicast distribution of commonly accessed content to data caches located at each cell and small cell is going to be essential if terrestrial 5G networks are to support applications that require very low (sub-1ms) latency.”

“Fortunately, point-to-multipoint distribution of common content is something at which satellites excels,” says Horton.