NTN-IoT — satellite IoT in 3GPP Rel-17 and Rel-18

NTN — Bringing 3GPP to Space

Non-Terrestrial Networks were standardized in 3GPP Rel-17 to bring cellular technologies to satellite-based access. Two parallel work items delivered the foundation: NR-NTN for 5G NR access via satellite, and IoT-NTN bringing NB-IoT and LTE-M (eMTC) over satellite. The motivation is straightforward — roughly seventy percent of the planet's surface and a substantial fraction of inland areas have no terrestrial cellular coverage. Pre-NTN, those areas required proprietary satellite IoT (Iridium, Inmarsat) using non-3GPP air interfaces. Post-NTN, the same NB-IoT module that works on a terrestrial…