MWC 2023 will be held in Barcelona, Spain from February 27 to March 2. During the period, MediaTek demonstrated 3GPP 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) technology to provide two-way satellite communication application support for smartphones.
▲ Source: MediaTek
MediaTek said the first batch of smartphones using MediaTek’s satellite communication technology will also be launched, and more devices will be unveiled this year. In addition, MediaTek will also share next-generation 5G non-terrestrial network technology to meet new types of devices that support satellite communications in the future.
MediaTek’s independent chipset MT6825 based on the 3GPP NTN standard can be integrated into flagship smartphones to provide a satellite communication experience. In the next few years, MediaTek’s satellite communication product portfolio will develop IoT-NTN and NR-NTN technologies based on the 3GPP 5G R17 standard. MediaTek’s upcoming NR-NTN chipset will provide devices with higher connection speeds for applications such as navigation and real-time communications.
According to reports, the IoT-NTN solution uses an independent chipset design, making it easy for device manufacturers to integrate two-way satellite communication technology into 5G and 4G devices such as smartphones. Unlike other non-standardized solutions, MediaTek adopts the 3GPP R17 NTN open standard. For OEMs or operators, there is no need to develop products for a specific single specification.
In addition to supporting the 3GPP R17 NTN standard, MediaTek claims that the MT6825 IoT-NTN chipset also has several other functions: it can connect to geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites and is easily converted to the 3GPP NTN standard satellite network; it allows the device to automatically receive information from the satellite; it can help devices have longer battery life, and the highly integrated design helps to speed up the product launch process.
