Filtronic, a provider of high-power RF and mmWave solutions, will contribute its advanced feeder link technology to a low Earth orbit satellite network Viasat is developing to enable direct-to-device connectivity under the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems 4.0 program.
As one of Viasat’s European partners, Filtronics is involved in forming the network being designed to deliver 5G non-terrestrial services to mobile devices. With Filtronics’ feeder link technology, satellites and ground stations will be connected, enabling uplink and downlink transmissions.
“We are delighted to be joined by Filtronic in this important pan-European initiative with ESA to develop D2D space capabilities that are based on 3GPP and other relevant open standards, which will combine existing GEO assets with a new LEO satellite constellation that meets the needs of users in Europe and across the world,” said Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of Viasat.
The satellite operator advances the development of the D2D system following a meeting in January, when Dankberg and Laurent Jaffart, ESA director of connectivity and secure communications, agreed to accelerate the deployment of the non-terrestrial network.