ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, has demonstrated a pilot version of the INT3000 modem, its multi-waveform 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network (NR-NTN) User Equipment (UE) modem, at the European Space Agency (ESA) 5G NTN Forum. The INT3000 modem is being developed to support both 5G NR NTN and DVB-S2X/MRC waveforms in a single device, enabling operators to deploy native 5G NR-NTN services while also supporting DVB and hybrid network architectures during migration and modernisation.
The INT3000 modem pilot provided the ESA 5G NTN community with a look at ST Engineering iDirect’s progress in advancing 5G NR-NTN UE, with the demonstration conducted over a satellite simulator. On the network side, the pilot connected through the Intuition ground system, which implements native 5G NR-NTN gNodeB capabilities.
Shravan Gaddam, Vice President of the CTO Office at ST Engineering iDirect, stated:
“This pilot demonstration is another important step in our multi-waveform, multi-orbit user equipment roadmap. The industry is moving toward standards-based 5G NTN connectivity, but at the same time, operators must support existing satellite networks. Our vision for the INT3000 modem is to bring these worlds together in a single user equipment, providing a practical path for operators to evolve their networks while leveraging existing investments.”
The INT3000 modem pilot provides the foundation for extending ST Engineering iDirect’s satellite networking capabilities into the broader 5G ecosystem, bringing together the technology, ecosystem partnerships, and product framework required to support future interoperability between satellite and terrestrial communications networks.
As part of its broader 5G NTN strategy, ST Engineering iDirect is also advancing 5G NR waveform innovations designed to reduce reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and satellite position data for timing and synchronisation. These enhancements are intended to improve resiliency and operational flexibility across multi-orbit satellite environments while supporting the continued evolution of 5G NTN technologies.
Built on the cloud-native, multi-orbit Intuition ground system, the developments in the INT3000 modem pilot support the industry’s evolution toward globally interoperable 5G NTN satellite connectivity and future 6G networks.
