Space-Based 5G Receives Strong Boost in France

5G telecommunications is heading into space, as France just received a big push to place 5G into orbit. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), formerly Constellation Technologies & Operations, has awarded a €31 million contract to UNIVITY (see image above). The funding is part of France 2030, a French program aimed at advanced technology projects, including satellite-based 5G.

CNES will work with French infrastructure operator TDF to ready several demonstrations of how orbiting satellites can be linked with terrestrial ground stations to provide high-performance, reliable 5G wireless communications service. TDF will manage the hosting, installation, operation, and maintenance of three gateway stations, two of which will be in France and one overseas. 

With additional industrial co-financing from UNIVITY, the €31 million award is part of a full contract totaling €44 million. The contract supports 5G-non-terrestrial-network (NTN) connectivity of providing satellite-based 5G service for terrestrial users. The integrated 5G NTN solution will combine very-low-Earth-orbit (VLEO) satellites with terrestrial infrastructure.

Caroline Laurent, Director of Orbital Systems and Applications at CNES, explained, “Thanks to France 2030 funding, CNES is supporting UNIVITY in preparing, through the in-orbit demonstration ‘uniShape,’ a satellite-based 5G-NTN service designed to meet the needs of terrestrial operators.”

Laurent (see image, right; shown with Charles Delfieux, CEO of UNIVITY) added that “UNIVITY’s ‘uniSky’ constellation aims to deliver a distinctive French solution for high-speed space-based 5G-NTN connectivity, serving both consumer and professional users.”