2. Integrated TN-NTN*
*https://www.huawei.com/ie/huaweitech/future-technologies/very-low-earth-orbit-satellite-networks-6g
Applications:
• Extreme Coverage
• Mobile Broadband for the Unconnected
• Broadband Connection on the Move
• Wide-Range IoT Services Extended to
Unconnected Locations
• High-Precision Positioning and Navigation
• Real-Time Earth Observation and Protection
Benefits:
• Improving user experience.
• Allowing users to freely roam the terrestrial and
non-terrestrial networks of different operators.
• The satellite communications industry can utilize
the fast development and economies of scale of
the cellular industry.
3. Integrated Network Architectures
Challenges:
• Management of 3D heterogenous network
• Resource allocation
• Maintaining reliable network control
Potential Solutions:
• 3D UE Centric Cell-Free Communication
• Network Slicing
• Space Based Core Network Concept
4. 3D UE Centric Cell-Free Communication*
• With UE-centric methodology, cell boundaries can
be eliminated efficiently.
• Spatial multiplexing for cell-free communications
means that the beams from multiple nodes can be
resolved using different phase gradients on the
receiving array.
• So, it is possible to serve any location on the ground
from multiple distinct sites and directions by fully
exploiting the space-air-ground dimensions of the
entire network.
*M. Y. Abdelsadek, H. Yanikomeroglu, and G. K. Kurt,"Future ultra-dense LEO satellite networks: A cell free massive MIMO
approach," IEEE International Conference on Communication. Workshops (ICC Workshops), pp. 1-6, 2021.
5. Network Slicing*
• Network slicing enables multiple logical
networks to run as independent tasks on a
common shared physical infrastructure.
• Each network slice represents an independent
virtualized end-to-end network and allows
operators to perform multiple functions based
on different architectures.
• As a consequence, a set of customized services
with distinct QoS levels can be provisioned by
deploying multiple isolated and dedicated
network slices on top of the integrated network.
*T. K. Rodrigues and N. Kato, "Network Slicing with Centralized and Distributed Reinforcement Learning for Combined Satellite/Ground Networks in a 6G
Environment," in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 104-110, February 2022, doi: 10.1109/MWC.001.2100287.
6. Space Based Core Network *
• The concept of a space-based core network can
be exploited to facilitate global control and
reduce propagation delay.
• Some core network functionalities, e.g., user
plane function (UPF) and access and mobility
management function (AMF), can be placed
onboard satellites, so that both control
messages and UE traffic are not required to
traverse to ground stations with many hops.
* J. Kim, J. Lee, H. Ko, T. Kim and S. Pack, "Space Mobile Networks: Satellite as Core and Access Networks for B5G," in IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 60, no. 4,
pp. 58-64, April 2022, doi: 10.1109/MCOM.001.2100770.
