http://vitorr.com/post-details.php?postid=2615
The cellular wireless Generation (G) generally refers to a change in the nature of the system, speed, technology and frequency. Each generation have some standards, capacities, techniques and new features which differentiate it from the previous one.
Now 5G is hot technology at the top of the hype cycle. But that’s not the end of story, because when we will see that 5G does not fullfill all the promises, we start looking for to implement next version after it: 6G.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Kaikkein nopeimpien langattomien signaalien testaaminen onnistuu nyt tabletilla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/17636-kaikkein-nopeimpien-langattomien-signaalien-testaaminen-onnistuu-nyt-tabletilla
Saksalainen Aaronia esittelee San Franciscon IMS 2025 -messuilla maailman nopeimmat kannettavat reaaliaikaiset spektrianalysaattorit, jotka mahdollistavat jopa yli 3 000 GHz/s pyyhkäisyn – ja kaiken tämän voi tehdä kentällä suoraan tabletilla.
Uusi SPECTRAN V6 MOBILE on maailman ensimmäinen reaaliaikainen spektrianalysaattori, jossa yhdistyvät 490 MHz reaaliaikainen kaistanleveys, 9 kHz – 140 GHz taajuusalue ja kenttäkäyttöön suunniteltu tablettimuotoilu. Laitteisto on varustettu AMD Ryzen 7949 HF -prosessorilla ja 64 Gt LPDDR5x-muistilla, ja siihen mahtuu jopa 16 Tt SSD-tallennustilaa. Käyttöaikaa varmistavat kaksi kuumana vaihdettavaa akkua.
Uutuus mahdollistaa esimerkiksi uusien IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E/7) -verkkojen 320 MHz kanavien täyden reaaliaikaisen tallennuksen sekä millimetriaaltotutkien (mmWave) testauksen – myös auto- ja ilmailuteollisuuden tarpeisiin.
Samassa yhteydessä Aaronia lanseeraa SPECTRAN V6 XPR -sarjan USB-liitäntäiset spektrianalysaattorit, joissa yhdistyvät yli 3 THz/s pyyhkäisynopeus ja kehittynyt waveguide-tekniikka. Erityisesti malli V6 PLUS XPR 250XB-WR12 on suunniteltu 76–81 GHz tutkasignaalien tarkkaan analysointiin – esimerkiksi itseajavien ajoneuvojen tutkajärjestelmissä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/17650-uusi-gan-transistori-voi-mullistaa-6g-verkkojen-radiotaajuuspiirit
Tomi Engdahl says:
Researchers claim the new 6G system can jam US F-35 stealth fighter jet radars. https://bit.ly/4jRqa3R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kansallinen 6G-verkkojen tiekartta tulossa
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2025/06/18/kansallinen-6g-verkkojen-tiekartta-tulossa/
iikenne- ja viestintäministeriö tietoliikenteen uuden työryhmän valmisteleman kansallisen 6G-tiekartan toteuttamista. Tulossa on suunnitelma, jossa esitetään tärkeimmät askelmerkit 2030-luvulla tulevaan seuraavan sukupolven matkaviestinteknologioiden kehittämiseen ja käyttöönottoon.
Tulevassa Suomen 6G-tiekartassa on nimetty neljä painopistettä tavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi ja jokaiselle painopisteelle on tunnistettu keskeisimmät askelmerkit vuosille 2025–2030. EU:ssa ja kansainvälisillä foorumeilla vaikuttaminen korostuvat kaikissa painopisteissä.
’’Tiekartan avulla varmistamme, että pysymme kehityksen kärjessä ja luomme edellytyksiä kasvulle, sanoo liikenne- ja viestintäministeri Lulu Ranne. Suomi julkaiseen hänen mukaansa 6G-tiekartan ensimmäisten maiden joukossa. Tiekartan painopisteet ovat sääntely- ja taajuustyö, jossa kansainvälisten päätösten ja kansallisen taajuuksien saatavuuden tulee tukea sekä teknologian kehitystä että investointien suunnittelua.
6G:n käyttöönotto edellyttää oikein ajoitettuja linjauksia tulevista verkkotoimilupaehdoista. Taajuuksien toimiva jakaminen edellyttää tutkimuksia sekä uusia sääntely-, teknologia- ja standardointiratkaisuja. 6G:ssä turvallisuusvaatimusten tulee olla myös standardeihin sisäänrakennettuja suunnitteluvaiheesta lähtien (ns. secure-by-design-periaate). 6G:n strategisiin turvallisuusriskeihin vastataan ajantasaisella ja teknologisen kehityksen huomioivalla sääntelyllä. Riskienhallinnan tulisi olla ennakoivaa, jotta siihen liittyvät toimet eivät hidasta 6G:n käyttöönottoa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eurobites: 6G must learn from ‘mistakes of 5G,’ telcos tell 3GPP
Also in today’s EMEA regional roundup: Vodafone and friends test 1024 QAM; cablecos sign agreement on AAE-2 subsea link; telcos can’t get enough of GenAI.
https://www.lightreading.com/6g/eurobites-6g-must-learn-from-mistakes-of-5g-telcos-tell-3gpp
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN), which counts BT, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Orange among its list of members, has issued a joint statement to standards-setting body 3GPP telling it that 6G can’t be just “another generational shift” and that lessons must be learned from “the mistakes of 5G.” The introduction of 6G should also not, they insist, cost operators more than it needs to: “The introduction of 6G should not necessitate a forced hardware refresh,” says the statement. “While new radio equipment is required for deployment in new frequency bands, the evolution toward 6G in existing bands should primarily occur through software upgrades, ensuring a smooth transition.” (See 6G apathy outside China is rife and Sensing a new 6G use case.)
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vodafone and friends test 1024 QAM for faster download
Vodafone, Nokia, Qualcomm and Xiaomi have been carrying out more tests of a technique called 1024 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) to increase data throughput on 5G transmission, claiming a data boost of almost 25% this time around. The currently used transmission system is based on 256 QAM. Boffins from the quartet of companies achieved download speeds of 1.7 Gbit/s on 3.5GHz spectrum using a Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform and Nokia’s Habrok 64 massive MIMO radios. The 1024 QAM technique will, it is claimed, help save energy by increasing data throughput without the need for additional hardware at the mobile basestation.
https://www.lightreading.com/6g/eurobites-6g-must-learn-from-mistakes-of-5g-telcos-tell-3gpp
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ericsson and Samsung clash over open RAN in 6G
Reintegrating central and distributed unit functions in a single box makes economic and technical sense in 6G, according to Ericsson. But Samsung disagrees.
https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/ericsson-and-samsung-clash-over-open-ran-in-6g
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eurobites: Ericsson claims network-autonomy breakthrough with TDC Net
Also in today’s EMEA regional roundup: APIs venture attracts more big names; BBC threatens legal action against Perplexity; UK heatwave has chilling effect on broadband speeds.
https://www.lightreading.com/network-automation/eurobites-ericsson-claims-network-autonomy-breakthrough-with-tdc-net
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple joins forces with SpaceX for iOS 18.3, introducing Starlink to iPhones
This development introduces a new alternative to Apple’s existing satellite communication service.
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/apple-spacex-ios-18-starlink
In an unexpected collaboration, Apple has partnered with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and T-Mobile US to integrate support for the Starlink satellite network into its latest iPhone operating system.
This development introduces a new alternative to Apple’s existing satellite communication service, marking a significant shift in the tech landscape.
Quoting insiders familiar with the situation, Bloomberg reported that the tech giants have been conducting tests on iPhones using the Starlink service developed by Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A team of researchers from China and Singapore has demonstrated a method where data is not just transmitted wirelessly, but also processed in mid-air.
https://buff.ly/kQO58wU
Tomi Engdahl says:
Testaus vie kohti globaaleja 5G-verkkoja
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/17695-testaus-vie-kohti-globaaleja-5g-verkkoja
Mittauslaitevalmistaja Anritsu on vahvistanut 3GPP Release 17 -standardin mukaiset NR NTN -testitapaukset 5G NR -mobiililaitteiden testausalustallaan ME7834NR. Testit on hyväksytty 3GPP:n RAN5-työryhmässä, joka vastaa radioteknologioiden testausmäärityksistä.
Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) eli ei-maapohjaiset verkot ovat keskeinen osa 5G-standardin uusinta kehitysvaihetta, 3GPP Release 17:ää. NTN mahdollistaa mobiiliyhteyksien laajentamisen satelliittien ja muiden ilmakehän yläpuolella toimivien alustojen avulla alueille, joille perinteinen maa-asemaverkko ei yllä. Verkot voivat hyödyntää LEO-, MEO- ja GEO-satelliitteja tarjotakseen yhteyksiä syrjäseuduille, merialueille ja kriittisiin infrastruktuureihin.
Uusi NR NTN -standardi integroi satelliittiyhteydet saumattomasti 5G NR -protokolliin, jolloin laitteet voivat muodostaa yhteyden satelliitteihin samalla tavoin kuin maanpäällisiin tukiasemiin. Tämä kehitys vie kohti aidosti globaalia 5G-peittoa.
- Anritsun tuki NR NTN -testaukselle edistää katkeamatonta yhteyttä kaikkialla maailmassa. Se palvelee niin yksittäisiä käyttäjiä kuin yrityksiä ja yhteiskunnan kriittisiä toimijoita, kommentoi Anritsun mobiiliratkaisuyksikön johtaja Yokoo Daizaburo.
Testitapaukset perustuvat 3GPP:n määritelmiin dokumenteissa TS 38.523-1 ja TS 38.331, ja ne ovat nyt saatavilla 3GPP:n RAN5-portaalissa.
Anritsun ME7834NR-testialusta tukee 5G NR -tekniikoita sekä Standalone- että Non-Standalone-tiloissa ja kattaa myös LTE-, W-CDMA- ja nyt NTN-verkot. Yhdessä MA8171A OTA RF -kammion ja RF-muuntimien kanssa järjestelmä mahdollistaa testauksen sekä sub-6 GHz että mmWave-taajuuksilla.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yksi verkko löytää laitteet kaikkialla maailmassa
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/17706-yksi-verkko-loeytaeae-laitteet-kaikkialla-maailmassa
Yhdysvaltalainen startup-yritys Hubble Network on ottanut merkittävän harppauksen laitteiden paikannuksessa: se on käynnistänyt maailman ensimmäisen satelliittipohjaisen Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) -seurantaverkon. Uuden verkon ansiosta Bluetooth-laitteet voidaan jäljittää lähes missä tahansa maailmassa. Mobiiliverkkoja ei tarvita.
Yrityksen taustalla on nimekkäitä paikannusteknologian pioneereja, kuten Life360:n ja Ioteran perustajat. Hubble Networkin ratkaisu yhdistää maanpäälliset Bluetooth-skannerit (joita on jo yli 88 miljoonaa) ja satelliitit, jotka vastaanottavat laitteiden sijaintitiedot suoraan avaruudesta.
Hubble on tähän mennessä lähettänyt kiertoradalle seitsemän satelliittia, joista neljä nousi juuri SpaceX:n Transporter-14 -lennolla. Tavoitteena on kasvattaa verkko 60 satelliittiin vuoteen 2028 mennessä, jolloin se tarjoaisi lähes reaaliaikaisen seurannan maailmanlaajuisesti.
- Nykyiset mobiili- ja satelliittiverkot eivät ole suunniteltu energiatehokkaaseen ja kattavaan laitteiden seurantaan. Me näimme mahdollisuuden rakentaa verkon, joka kuulee Bluetooth-signaalit suoraan avaruudesta – ja toimii kaikkialla, sanoo toimitusjohtaja Alex Haro.
Teknologian ytimessä on patentoitu satelliittiantennijärjestelmä, joka pystyy havaitsemaan heikot Bluetooth-signaalit jopa 600 kilometrin korkeudesta. Jatkossa satelliittien antennimäärää aiotaan kasvattaa tuhansiin, mikä lisää verkon kapasiteettia entisestään.
Koska lähes kaikissa moderneissa laitteissa on Bluetooth, Hubble mahdollistaa laajan skaalautuvuuden ilman uusia laitteita – pelkkä ohjelmistopäivitys riittää. Potentiaalisia hyödyntäjiä ovat muun muassa logistiikka-alan yritykset, jotka voivat seurata rahtia merillä ja varastoissa reaaliaikaisesti.
Vaikka Hubble on kerännyt jo 20 miljoonan dollarin rahoituksen, koko verkon rakentaminen vaatii arviolta 100 miljoonaa dollaria.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Track and transmit with confidence. Powered by space-grade coverage.
Unlock low-cost global transmission and visibility for any device with a Bluetooth chip. No modems, no infrastructure, no custom hardware required.
https://hubble.com/
Two networks.
One chip.
Zero friction.
The Hubble platform makes it easy to transmit low-bandwidth data from any Bluetooth-enabled device, with no infrastructure required. Our global BLE network is live and expanding rapidly, delivering real-time visibility across supply chains, fleets, and facilities.
Satellite connectivity is coming soon, extending coverage to truly remote areas—all with the same chip and no changes to your hardware.
Global coverage at scale
BLE signals are transmitted over a network of 88M+ access points, delivering indoor, urban, and in-transit visibility across continents.
change needed
Use your existing off-the-shelf Bluetooth chips with a firmware update. Hubble works across devices, OEMs, and vendors with no lock-in.
Enterprise-grade reliability
Built for large-scale operations, with data streamed directly where it’s needed and fully integrable into your existing platforms and workflows.
Secure by default
All data is end-to-end encrypted using industry-standard AES encryption, from device to destination.
Designed for developers
Easy-to-integrate open API and modular SDKs streamline device and cloud backend integration, enabling you to get to market quickly.
Seamless path to satellite
Unlock remote and global visibility without any hardware modifications.
* Satellite network coming soon.
Metrics:
Live in ~ 2500+ cities
~ 3M+ sq miles covered
88M+ access points
https://network.hubblenetwork.com/
Tomi Engdahl says:
They said it couldn’t be done, but we created the world’s first-ever Bluetooth connection to space. This milestone is a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to build the world’s first truly global, battery efficient, and cost-effective network.
https://hubble.com/#solutions
Tomi Engdahl says:
Emma Roth / The Verge:
T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered satellite service T-Satellite is now generally available as a standalone subscription for US users, not just T-Mobile customers — The service only supports texts and location sharing over satellite for now, but more features are on the way.
Starlink-powered ‘T-Satellite’ service is now live on T-Mobile
https://www.theverge.com/news/712546/starlink-powered-t-satellite-service-is-now-live-on-t-mobile
The service only supports texts and location sharing over satellite for now, but more features are on the way.
T-Mobile’s satellite service is now available to people across the US — and not just T-Mobile customers. On Wednesday, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert announced that the Starlink-powered service is officially out of beta, though it only supports text messaging and location-sharing for now.
The new satellite coverage option is called “T-Satellite,” and it’s currently available as a standalone subscription. It’s being offered at $10 per month for a “limited time,” before increasing to $15 per month. It also comes included for customers on the carrier’s $100 per month Experience Beyond or older Go5G plans.
Your device will automatically connect to T-Satellite if you’re in an area with no cellular coverage. As long as there isn’t a heavy amount of cloud coverage or trees blocking your view of the sky, you should be able to send and receive text messages, including to 911, as well as share a link that temporarily tracks your location. T-Mobile’s support page says the ability to send pictures is available on “most” Android phones, and the company plans on adding support for more devices soon.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ling Xin / South China Morning Post:
China’s Qianfan, the third largest satellite broadband constellation with 90 operational satellites, remains far short of its goal of 648 by the end of 2025
Exclusive | Has the Qianfan satellite network – China’s Starlink rival – run into trouble?
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319163/has-qianfan-satellite-network-chinas-starlink-rival-run-trouble
A shortage of rockets and competition for launch resources appear to be putting the mega-constellation’s targets in doubt
Tomi Engdahl says:
Anritsu Validates 3GPP Rel-17 NR NTN Test Cases
https://www.anritsu.com/en-gb/test-measurement/news/news-releases/2025/2025-07-10-gb01
Vienna, Austria – 10 July 2025 – Anritsu Corporation is proud to announce the successful verification and support of 3GPP RAN5 Rel-17 NR NTN test cases on its 5G NR Mobile Device Test Platform ME7834NR.
Non-terrestrial Networks (NTNs) are wireless communication systems that operate above the Earth’s surface, utilizing platforms in the air and in Earth’s orbit. These platforms include satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
3GPP Release 17 introduces “NR NTN” – the inclusion of Non-Terrestrial Networks into the 5G New Radio (NR) standards. This advancement enables 5G devices to connect to satellites using the same protocols as terrestrial base stations, paving the way for global 5G coverage beyond traditional infrastructure.
“Anritsu support for NR NTN test cases will enable ubiquitous connectivity for uninterrupted mobile data, voice and messaging—anywhere on Earth empowering individual users, businesses and industries that need to be connected with always-on access,” said Yokoo Daizaburo, General Manager of Mobile Solutions Division at Anritsu Corporation.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile industry charts course to smartphone satellite broadband
First services go live, but full-featured coverage depends on new chips, standards, and constellations
https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/06/mobile_satellite_broadband_roadmap/?td=keepreading
Satellite comms services to standard phones are officially here, but customers expecting a full voice and data experience may have to wait a while longer and make sure their current devices meet the right level of telecoms standard.
T-Mobile announced this month that its T-Satellite service is now out of beta and available to users in most outdoor areas in the US, making it one of the first networks to have a commercial product that can reach subscribers who are out of range of a cell tower using their standard handset.
It was beaten to first place by New Zealand’s One NZ, which started offering a satellite texting service late last year, and claimed in July to have delivered 2 million text messages this way.
Like One NZ, T-Mobile has a deal with satellite biz Starlink, which was granted a license to deliver services using spectrum allocated to T-Mobile in areas not covered by the telco’s cell towers, effectively making Starlink a kind of network roaming service. This arrangement is also known as supplementary coverage from space (SCS).
For now, this is limited to text messages and location information. It is known to be compatible with about 60 smartphone models – most of which are sold by Samsung, Motorola, or Google.
At least one analyst has already tried out T-Mobile’s satellite service and reports that it worked seamlessly on a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra when he was moving in and out of cell tower coverage, and also didn’t require an unobstructed view of the sky, working even indoors.
We should point out, of course, that Apple popularized satellite messaging with the Emergency SOS feature it debuted with the iPhone 14 in 2022. This uses special hardware to link to a constellation of orbiting relays operated by Globalstar, while T-Mobile’s service should, in theory, work with any smartphone that is compliant with Release 17 of the 3GPP standards.
The latter supports non-terrestrial networks (NTN) for narrowband applications (up to 400 Kbps), which should be ample to enable voice calls as well as messaging. But users will soon expect to be able to use their mobile device for the full spectrum of applications that they currently enjoy via terrestrial networks.
Sadly, it seems that anyone expecting broadband NTN services greater than 10 Mbps is going to have to wait for devices compliant with 3GPP Release 18 and for the satellite operators to upgrade their networks with newer hardware.
“The types of use cases being offered for now are narrowband services, things like texting or emergency SOS,” said Luke Pearce, principal analyst at research biz CCS Insight.
“Using this approach, wideband speed of up to 10 Mbps is technically possible, but the barriers here are about scaling satellite coverage, as these are brand new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations,” he added.
Release 18, which was finalized last year, “aims to bring truly available broadband by satellites, enabling rich data services and higher throughput,” Pearce said. “However, the rollout of upgraded LEO satellite infrastructure is necessary, as well as phased array and antenna miniaturization, so this is a medium-term opportunity.”
So when might that be? Sometime around 2030, according to CCS.
“In terms of timeline, we’re already in the narrowband era of satellite-directed devices today, with services launched last year, but around 2027 is when we might expect to see the first wave of wideband satellite connectivity,” Pearce said.
Wideband requires more capable infrastructure, possibly including upgraded LEO constellations, plus ground-based networking enhancements and mass adoption of compatible chipsets and devices.
“Finally, looking ahead to 2030, is when we anticipate the arrival of broadband direct-to-device satellite services. And this will mark the point where truly high data rate satellite links are able to reach smartphones, laptops and vehicles,” he added.
T-Mobile’s satellite service lifts off, and it’s open season on rivals
Satellite phone tech coming to your mobe this year – but who pays for it?
UK satellite smartphone services could get green light this year
Telco to open lab to test cell network interoperability with satellites
The first example of Release 18-compliant hardware is Qualcomm’s X85 modem chipset silicon, introduced in March, which is expected to appear in devices coming to market later this year or next.
Professor Rob Maunder, founder & CTO of wireless technology biz AccelerComm, said that this step-by-step evolution of satellite phone support is due to the technical complexity of making it all work.
“Moving from the ground into space presents a number of different challenges,” he said. “The satellites are at high altitudes, and this presents challenges in terms of the link delay, the link loss, causing throughput challenges. The beams that the satellites are casting onto the surface of the Earth are very large and encompass a high number of user devices, creating a capacity challenge. These satellites are travelling at high speed across the sky, so this creates a Doppler challenge. The satellites are moving out of view frequently, and new satellites are coming into view, which means that there’s a lot of handovers for user devices to navigate.”
To address all these difficulties, 3GPP adopted a phased approach, rather than trying to solve all the problems in a single release. This started with initial NTN support in Release 17, through Release 18, and into Release 19, which is in development.
One of the changes in Release 19 will be to move the 5G base station functions from the ground station into the satellite, bringing it closer to the user devices and reducing the latency, which improves quality of service, Maunder said.
However, a common thread has been backward compatibility, so that newer satellites and infrastructure will continue to support handsets built around Release 17 specifications.
Meanwhile, other satellite operators are following Starlink’s lead, such as AST SpaceMobile, which has signed up Vodafone to offer a commercial direct-to-phone satellite service in Europe, due to start sometime this year.
Britain’s telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has also been consulting on authorizing satellite-to-smartphone services in the UK, which could see services such as Vodafone’s become available here in the near future.
However, Britain is not really the ideal market, as it is a densely populated region, largely well-served by terrestrial network coverage (although those living in rural areas may dispute this).
A survey by CCS Insight also found that only half of people in the UK would be prepared to pay extra for satellite connectivity. Perhaps people might change their minds if it means the end of coverage not-spots and they can watch their TikTok dance videos from anywhere. ®
Starlink gets FCC nod for space calls, but can’t dial up full power
Authorization conditional on operations not causing harmful interference
https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/27/starlink_fcc_direct_to_cell/