Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)

IoT connectivity for everywhere on earth

Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony) is committed to providing customers with ubiquitous coverage even in places where there is no cellular network coverage. Our ALT1250 chipset is now compliant with 3GPP Release 17 NTN over NB-IoT and 3GPP Release 14, cellular over LTE-M & NB-IoT. By combining cellular and NTN coverage on the same chipset, we’re helping customers to reduce costs while increasing coverage.

Understanding Satellite Connectivity

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) allow devices to connect to base stations on satellites, expanding connectivity far beyond terrestrial coverage areas. Key use cases for NTN include asset and logistic trackers, vehicles trackers, smart meters, agricultural monitoring, and other remote and static IoT applications that require ubiquitous global connectivity.

For asset tracking and vehicle trackers and smart meter deployments, Sony’s ALT1250 chipset provides an ideal solution by integrating NTN support with powerful location capabilities. The chipset supports GNSS positioning as well as cellular-based location services, allowing devices to accurately determine their location and maintain continuous connectivity even in remote areas without terrestrial coverage.

By integrating our NTN solution directly on the ALT1250 cellular IoT chipset, device makers can build in automatic switching between terrestrial and satellite connectivity. This ensures optimal, ubiquitous coverage at all times, making the ALT1250 an ideal choice for deploying resilient asset tracking solutions and smart meters in remote locations.

Extended Coverage

Sony’s integrated NTN support can augment terrestrial cellular coverage by providing connectivity via satellites to areas that are underserved or have no existing terrestrial network coverage. This enables truly ubiquitous global connectivity, especially in remote, maritime, and aerial environments.

Cost-effective

By integrating NTN support into existing cellular chipsets, Sony provides customers with a more cost-effective way to enable global satellite connectivity.

Increased Resilience

Sony’s NTN integration offers customers the ability to maintain seamless connectivity and service availability even when terrestrial networks are disrupted or unavailable due to disasters, outages or coverage gaps. This ensures reliable communication for critical services like emergency response, public safety, and mission-critical applications.

Seamless Global Connectivity

Sony’s ALT1250 chipset is designed to enhance terrestrial cellular coverage and provide connectivity in areas that lack it. The chipset supports the latest 3GPP Release 17 standards for non-terrestrial networks (NTN) using NB-IoT technology, as well as 3GPP Release 14 standards for terrestrial NB-IoT and LTE-M networks. It can connect to Geostationary (GEO) satellite constellations.

One key feature is the ability to automatically switch between terrestrial and non-terrestrial (satellite) networks. This ensures devices can maintain connectivity seamlessly as they move between covered and uncovered areas.

The ALT1250 operates in the typical mobile device power class of 23dBm and is designed to work with existing low-power wide-area (LPWA) module hardware from various vendors.

It supports several frequency bands commonly used for satellite and terrestrial networks:

S-band: 2180-2200MHz for downlink, 2000-2020MHz for uplink
L-band: 1525-1559MHz for downlink, 1626.5-1660.5MHz for uplink
S-band: 2170-2200MHz for downlink, 1980-2010MHz for uplink

By integrating non-terrestrial connectivity into its cellular IoT chipset, Sony can provide truly global coverage without requiring new dedicated hardware for satellite communications.

Extending Connectivity to Underserved Areas

Sony’s NTN chipset solution enables devices to seamlessly connect to satellite networks, ensuring service continuity even in locations where traditional cellular infrastructure is infeasible or unavailable, including remote regions and maritime environments.

NTN also plays a crucial role in ensuring network resilience and enabling emergency communications during natural disasters or outages that disrupt terrestrial networks.

By integrating satellite connectivity, Sony’s solution makes it possible to quickly restore communication services and provide reliable access for critical applications like public safety, disaster relief, and mission-critical operations.