Connectivity Technology Blog

On April 1, 2024, two of Japan's leading connectivity organizations—the 5G Mobile Promotion Forum (5GMF) and the Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium (B5GPC)—joined forces to create the XG Mobile Promotion Forum ( XGMF ). This merger symbolizes a pivotal step in accelerating the adoption of next-generation wireless technologies. In May 2024, XGMF's Millimeter Wave Promotion Ad Hoc (Millimeter Wave AH) hosted the International Workshop on Millimeter Wave Dissemination for 5G. This event aimed to foster the adoption of millimeter wave (mmWave) technology in Japan and beyond, drawing an audience of approximately 200 attendees and broadcasting in both English and Japanese. The workshop featured opening remarks by Mr. Naohiko Ogiwara, Director of the Radio Department, Telecommunications Infrastructure Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). Key speakers included: Mr. Takanori Mashiko (MIC, slides ) Mr. Sam Gielges (Qualcomm, online - no slides) Mr. Christopher Pric...

As another year draws to a close, it's time to reflect on 2024 and celebrate the content that resonated most with our readers. Whether you're a long-time follower or a recent subscriber, your engagement drives our passion for exploring connectivity technologies. As per tradition, here are the highlights from this year. Top 5 Most Viewed Posts of the Year (Regardless of Publication Date) These timeless pieces continue to captivate readers year after year. To give you some context, I've included the month and year they were first published. Dive into these enduring favourites: Laser Inter-Satellite Links (LISLs) in a Starlink Constellation , Feb 2022 IEEE 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability (UHR), a.k.a. Wi-Fi 8 , Mar 2023 NTT Docomo's Disaster Countermeasures to Keep People Connected , Jan 2023 GSMA's DIG discusses how 5G Networks will handle UAV Layer , June 2022 CSI-RS vs SRS Beamforming , Mar 2021 Top 3 Most Viewed Posts Published in 2024 While none of our newest cont...

The 2024 Global Forum on Connecting the World from the Skies , held on November 25-26, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and technical experts to discuss the evolving landscape of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). Hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), the event highlighted NTNs' critical role in shaping the future of global connectivity. The conference featured a rich lineup of keynote speeches, panel discussions, tutorial sessions, and an award ceremony. One standout session on Day 1 was the tutorial "Satellite Communications: Current Trends and Key Challenges," delivered by Professor Riccardo De Gaudenzi of the University of Parma. This session explored the vital role satellite networks play in global communication, from video broadcasting to bridging connectivity gaps in underserved regions. Traditionally focused on broadcasting and professional applications, s...

Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) was successfully launched on Sunday August 11 (10:02 p.m. EDT). The satellites carrying several payloads will provide continuous broadband coverage to aircraft, ships, research vessels, fishing vessels, cruise ships, expeditions and troops operating in the Arctic by using a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO). The satellites will run in a TAP (Three Apogee Period) orbit with the highest orbital altitude (apogee) of 43500 km and the lowest orbital altitude of 8100 km (perigee). The satellites will run in the same orbital plane with a 63-degree inclination and 8 hours separation. Each orbit takes 16 hours, and by employing two satellites, we provide full coverage throughout the Arctic north of 65 ° N (see animation). In addition, the satellites are active for about 10 hours in each orbit. This gives the satellites up to 2 hours of overlap where both satellites are operational while covering the entire area north of 65 degrees. The Arct...

The ATIS Workshop on Synchronization and Timing Systems (WSTS) was held in May 2024.Valued for its insight into synchronization and timing fundamentals, the WSTS Tutorial has been a highly anticipated part of the conference since its inception. The videos and presentations from the tutorial sessions are all available here . For anyone unaware, timing & synchronization are critical in communication systems because they ensure data is sent and received correctly between devices. In networks like the internet, computers need to be in sync to avoid data getting scrambled or lost. For example, in wireless communications like Wi-Fi or mobile networks, both the sender and receiver must be perfectly timed to work on the same frequency, ensuring messages don’t overlap or cause interference. Without this coordination, you would have slower or interrupted connections. Timing is also important for managing how devices share network resources. In systems like time-division multiplexing (TDM), e...

The advent of 5G technology is revolutionizing the connected intelligent edge, driving digital transformation across various industries. As the number of connected smart devices continues to grow, so does the need for a robust and agile platform that ensures security and privacy at scale. In a blog post last year, Qualcomm talked about how 5G, with its advanced security features, is meeting these demands by providing end-to-end system security. This includes identity privacy protection, enhanced authentication mechanisms, and service-based interface security, all designed to protect diverse deployments beyond mobile broadband, such as IoT and private networks. A key aspect of 5G's security framework is the adoption of a zero-trust security model, which operates on the principle that no user or network function can be trusted without verification. This model shifts the focus from network perimeter security to protecting resources like data and applications through strong authentica...

We have quite a few NTN presentations and webinars embedded in our blogs (see related posts 👇). Here is another one from Telit Cinterion. Quoting from the webinar preview : We will show how existing use cases benefit from NTN because of an additional communication path that increases reliability and application robustness. This next-generation satellite technology can enhance cellular network performance in challenging environments. These include scenarios with high mobility or limited terrestrial coverage.  NTN’s phased rollout will be key to our discussion. We will navigate the standardization stages that paved the way for its implementation.   The journey began with an initial study and progressed into 3GPP Release (Rel) 17 standardization activities. During this phase, existing standards were enhanced to enable the first stage of NTN operation in which the satellite acts as a relay. It allows the utilization of adapted cellular device hardware optimized for this tech...

Kai Müller is an Expedition Leader and Medic, and former paramedic with extensive experience in polar operations. Kai worked as a paramedic in Germany, going from the ambulance to helicopters, to medical repatriations across Europe. He then joined the army, where he worked as a Medevac Sergeant, completing tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Kai left war zones behind and became a polar guide and expedition medic. He identified a need to improve telemedicine, so did so within his work in telecoms as a polar guide. Some months back, Tim Belfall shared on his LinkedIn post about how Kai Müller presented on how using portable Starlink and Telemedicine enhances the capabilities of paramedics working in extreme climates and locations. The video of the presentation is embedded below: Related Posts : Connectivity Technology Blog: Why Starlink is Already a Gamechanger Connectivity Technology Blog: KDDI Prepares for Disasters with Vehicle-Mounted Base Stations Backhauled via Starlink Connectivi...

Wi-Fi has consistently been a popular topic on this blog so it prompted me to write about Wi-Fi support in Apple iPhone and other devices. The following 802.11 technologies are supported by different Apple devices. Not all devices support all technologies and the same device may support different technologies in different regions. The following is 802.11 compatibility and frequency band:  802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E),  802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5),  802.11n (Wi-Fi 4),  802.11a,  802.11b/g  2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. Apple platforms supporting Wi-Fi 6E can join Wi-Fi 6E networks that are discoverable on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz channels, and on 6 GHz Preferred Scanning Channels, where 6 GHz is allowed by regulatory domain. Wi‑Fi 6E isn’t available in mainland China. In addition, various roaming optimisation support technologies are implemented to improve roaming performance and device battery life with features such as: Radio Measurement (802.11k): To deliver the list of neighbo...