The fusion of 5G and satellite networks is transforming communication, from remote villages to skies above. By merging 5G’s speed with satellites’ reach, engineers are creating a seamless global web that erases ‘no signal’ zones. This convergence is bridging the digital divide and redefining connectivity as a universal promise, not a privilege.
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The twenty-first century is built on communication. Yet, even as we celebrate the marvels of 5G, high-speed fibre and IoT ecosystems, one reality persists: billions of people remain unconnected. Step outside urban clusters, and you will find the world still dotted with ‘no signal’ zones. From Himalayan villages where people climb rooftops to make a phone call to trains zipping through rural plains and losing network mid-journey, the dream of seamless connectivity remains incomplete. In many parts of India, and across the world, digital deserts persist, leaving entire regions striving for basic connectivity.
The next revolution aims to change that. And it is not coming from a new phone or tower, but from the skies above. By combining the vast reach of satellite communication (SATCOM) with the ultra-fast capabilities of 5G networks, engineers and researchers are crafting a unified communication fabric capable of truly connecting the unconnected.
Why do we still struggle to stay connected
Even the most optimistic coverage reports admit that vast stretches of rural India, particularly hilly regions, forests, and farmlands, remain underserved. Towers exist, but capacity is limited, and fibre backhaul often stops far short of remote habitations.
Consider this: a farmer in Ladakh walks several hundred metres each morning just to find a signal strong enough to call his supplier. In certain border villages, people still queue at the one spot where a satellite phone catches reception. This ‘last-mile challenge’ is not purely a rural issue. Connectivity blackspots exist on highways, railways, air routes, and even industrial sites.
As India’s infrastructure modernises, so does its connectivity demands. High-speed trains such as the Vande Bharat Express run at 160-200km/hr, speeds at which traditional mobile handovers become tricky. Aircraft require reliable in-flight communication; ships crossing oceans, need stable data links; factories and mines demand secure IoT networks spread over vast or shifting terrain.
These use cases expose the limits of conventional terrestrial networks. Even with dense tower deployment, fibre-optic backhaul, and advanced 5G architectures, physical and economic boundaries persist: and that is where the sky comes in.
The rise of the sky network
Satellite communication is not new; it has quietly powered television broadcasts, GPS, defence communication, and weather monitoring for decades. What is new is its reinvention for the modern data era. Traditionally, satellites orbiting high above Earth (around 36,000km in geostationary orbit) provided broad coverage but suffered from high latency. Sending a signal to space and back could take half a second, acceptable for television but not for real-time internet.
Then came the era of low earth orbit (LEO) constellations, satellites placed just a few hundred to a couple of thousand kilometres above the surface. By slashing latency to 20-40 milliseconds, they made broadband from space feasible. Companies like SpaceX’s Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper have launched thousands of LEO satellites, creating constellations that blanket the globe. These systems deliver broadband speeds comparable to terrestrial networks, even across deserts, oceans, and mountains.
Meanwhile, ISRO and several Indian startups are developing indigenous small-satellite constellations, ensuring the nation is not left behind in this new communications race. As launch costs drop, thanks to reusable rockets and miniaturised satellites, space-based connectivity is becoming economically viable.
| India’s quiet SATCOM revolution |
| While much of the public conversation revolves around fibre and 5G towers, satellite communication is already embedded in India’s digital fabric. • Over 125,000 ATMs rely on satellite links to securely process transactions in remote regions. Around 50,000 petrol pumps use SATCOM for payment authorisation and monitoring. • Disaster management agencies, defence units, and remote schools use VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks daily. Now, with the integration of 5G, this foundation is expanding. Telecom operators such as Airtel and Jio are exploring partnerships with satellite firms, while startups are developing indigenous satellite broadband systems aligned with ISRO’s vision of an Indian LEO constellation. As 3GPP’s Release 19 (currently in publication) introduces more specialised provisions for non-terrestrial networks, India’s policy ecosystem is preparing for commercial deployment. |
5G and SATCOM: A match made in technology heaven
While satellites extend reach, 5G brings intelligence, speed, and flexibility. For the first time in telecom history, 5G has been designed around use cases, smart cities, healthcare, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and not just voice and data. 5G networks are modular, software-defined, and scalable. They can slice bandwidth, prioritise latency-sensitive applications, and deliver customised services for different users.
The problem? They are still limited by geography. Towers cannot cover oceans or high mountains. SATCOM faces the opposite challenge: limitless reach but historically limited capacity. The logical step is to combine both—leveraging the strengths of each.
That is precisely what the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP), the global body governing mobile standards, has done. With Release 17, it formally introduced non-terrestrial networks (NTN), a standardised framework for integrating satellite systems with terrestrial 5G networks. This means a 5G device could one day switch effortlessly from a cell tower to a satellite link, without the user even noticing.
Also Read: Satellite Communication (SATCOM): What’s In Store For The Indian Market.
Inside the architecture: How the hybrid network works
In simple terms, the integration happens at two levels: direct access and indirect access (backhaul).
• Direct-to-satellite access
Devices (phones, IoT terminals, or gateways) equipped with satellite-compatible radios connect directly to orbiting satellites. The satellites then route traffic to the ground station and onward to the 5G core network. This model is ideal for remote or mobile users, such as aircraft, ships, or emergency responders, who operate outside terrestrial coverage zones.
• Satellite backhaul (indirect access)
Standard 5G phones connect to local towers or base stations (gNodeBs). Those stations, instead of relying on fibre, use satellite links for backhaul connectivity. This is how Vodafone recently made a 5G satellite call using a regular smartphone; the phone communicated with a tower, and the tower relayed data via satellite.
Both models rely on gateways, modems, and software interfaces standardised by 3GPP, such as N6, N3, and NR-U interfaces, to ensure interoperability between terrestrial and space-based nodes.
Technically, when a 5G network collaborates with satellites, it becomes part of what’s known as an NTN (non-terrestrial network) ecosystem. The traditional ground-based radio unit is replaced or supplemented by a satellite-capable gateway, while the 5G core remains unchanged—showcasing how flexible and future-ready 5G truly is.
| From the ground to the sky: Real-world examples |
| From skies to seas and remote industries, the fusion of 5G and satellite networks is unlocking uninterrupted connectivity everywhere. This powerful partnership extends reliable, high-speed communication to places once beyond reach—transforming how people travel, work, and respond to emergencies. • Starlink’s India debut: Maharashtra becomes the first state to partner with Elon Musk’s SATCOM firm. • Aviation connectivity: Air India’s new in-flight Wi-Fi uses LEO satellites for true internet access. Aircraft antennas connect to satellites, which relay data to ground gateways, delivering broadband at 10,668 metres (35,000 feet). • Maritime communication: Ships now use compact LEO terminals instead of costly geostationary links, ensuring constant broadband for navigation, safety, and crew welfare. • Industrial IoT and smart mines. Portable 5G gateways with satellite links keep factories and mobile mines connected, enabling seamless machine-to-machine communication. • Disaster recovery and events: When terrestrial networks fail, drones or high-altitude balloons linked to satellites restore emergency connectivity instantly. Connected mobility: Satellite-backed 5G enables vehicle-to-vehicle and infrastructure communication beyond cities, powering safer, smarter autonomous travel. As terrestrial and satellite systems converge, connectivity becomes truly universal. Whether in the air, at sea, underground, or on the move, this new era of 5G-SATCOM integration ensures that no location is ever out of reach. |
The invisible backbone: Spectrum, standards, and interfaces
The secret behind seamless communication lies in harmonised spectrum and standardised interfaces. The 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP)has earmarked specific frequency bands for satellite operations under the NTN framework. These range from traditional Ku and Ka bands to newer S and X bands optimised for low-latency links.
For engineers, the critical interfaces include:
- N6 – Connecting the 5G core to external data networks
- N3 – Linking the base station (gNodeB) to the 5G core
- NR-UE (new radio user equipment) – Devices capable of communicating with non-terrestrial radio links
Such modularity means the 5G core does not require re-engineering to work with satellites. Only the radio access layer changes, replaced by satellite-capable gateways or transceivers. This approach ensures that both existing infrastructure and future upgrades remain interoperable—a crucial factor for commercial deployment.
The Economics: Falling costs, rising opportunity
Historically, launching and maintaining satellites was prohibitively expensive. However, in the past two decades, the cost of putting a kilogram into orbit has dropped by over 90 per cent. Reusable launch vehicles, miniaturised electronics, and mass production have transformed the economics of space. Satellite terminals, once large and costly, are now compact, portable, and increasingly affordable.
According to industry projections, the global satellite communication market could exceed $1 trillion by 2030, with individual national markets, such as India, reaching $40 billion.
Starlink alone operates over 7000 satellites and aims to surpass 12,000 by 2027. OneWeb, partially backed by Bharti Enterprises, has launched over 600 satellites and is preparing to offer services targeting India and other developing regions.
Such scale ensures that even rural connectivity, traditionally considered unprofitable, becomes viable through hybrid business models combining telecom and space infrastructure.
Technical challenges: The road still ahead
Every innovation brings its hurdles, and 5G-SATCOM convergence is no exception.
Cost of terminals and service
While prices are falling, satellite bandwidth and hardware remain costlier than terrestrial alternatives. For rural users, affordability remains key.
Weather interference
High-frequency satellite signals, particularly in the Ka band, are susceptible to rain fade and atmospheric disturbances, requiring robust adaptive modulation and power control mechanisms.
Security and privacy
SATCOM networks are emerging targets for cyber threats. Encryption, authentication, and cross-domain security protocols are still evolving for large-scale deployment.
Regulatory coordination
Spectrum allocation, orbital coordination, and national security considerations demand tight regulatory alignment, especially as multiple commercial players launch global services.
Despite these obstacles, the direction is clear: hybrid connectivity represents the future. Beyond access, Indian engineers are exploring new applications built atop hybrid networks.
One such innovation comes from CinqueNetwork, which is developing personalised communication platforms that turn mobile devices into dynamic, on-demand service hubs. Their concept envisions voice calls, authentication, file sharing, and e-commerce interactions happening “on demand,” without needing multiple installed apps. By building these services on top of hybrid 4G/5G and satellite infrastructures, they aim to make communication smarter and more adaptable to user needs.
It offers a glimpse into how India’s tech ecosystem is not merely adopting new standards but creating new paradigms around them.
The vision is simple yet profound: a planet where connectivity is ubiquitous, intelligent, and seamless. In that world, a phone will not care whether it is connected to a tower in Delhi, a drone over a flooded region, or a satellite orbiting 1000 kilometres above; it will simply stay connected, automatically choosing the best available link.
Imagine rural healthcare centres performing live teleconsultations, ships relaying real-time weather updates, or farmers accessing IoT-driven irrigation data, all without worrying about network bars. That is the promise of 5G+SATCOM convergence, a world where digital inclusion is no longer bound by geography.
As telecom and space converge, communication is entering its most exciting phase yet. The merging of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks is not merely an engineering triumph, it is a humanitarian one. It ensures that no classroom, factory, home, or life remains disconnected from opportunity.
From Bengaluru to the high Himalayas, from aircraft cruising over oceans to deep mines beneath the earth, the network of the future is taking shape, everywhere, all at once.
As one technologist aptly summed it up: “The ground is ready. We just have to bring more use cases.” And with 5G and SATCOM working hand in hand, that readiness might soon become reality.
This article is based on a tech talk session at IEW 2025, Bengaluru, by Prasenjit Das, Co-Founder, CinqueNetwork. It was transcribed and curated by Akanksha Sondhi Gaur, Senior Technical Journalist at EFY.
