ST Engineering iDirect has demonstrated a pilot version of its INT3000 modem, a multi-waveform 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network (NR-NTN) User Equipment (UE) modem, at the European Space Agency (ESA) 5G NTN Forum. The INT3000 is being developed to support both 5G NR-NTN and DVB-S2X/MRC waveforms in a single device, allowing operators to deploy native 5G NR-NTN services while continuing to support DVB and hybrid network architectures during migration and modernisation.
The INT3000 modem pilot provided the ESA 5G NTN community with a demonstration of ST Engineering iDirect’s progress in advancing 5G NR-NTN user equipment. The demonstration was conducted over a satellite simulator, while the network side connected through the Intuition ground system, which implements native 5G NR-NTN gNodeB capabilities.
“This pilot demonstration is another important step in our multi-waveform, multi-orbit user equipment roadmap,” said Shravan Gaddam, Vice President, CTO Office, ST Engineering iDirect. “The industry is moving toward standards-based 5G NTN connectivity, but at the same time, operators must support existing satellite networks. Our vision for the INT3000 modem is to bring these worlds together in a single user equipment, providing a practical path for operators to evolve their networks while leveraging existing investments.”
The INT3000 modem pilot provides a foundation for extending ST Engineering iDirect’s satellite networking capabilities into the broader 5G ecosystem. The development brings together the technology, ecosystem partnerships and product framework intended to support future interoperability between satellite and terrestrial communications networks.
As part of its broader 5G NTN strategy, ST Engineering iDirect is also advancing 5G NR waveform innovations designed to reduce reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and satellite position data for timing and synchronisation. These enhancements are intended to improve resilience and operational flexibility across multi-orbit satellite environments while supporting the continued development of 5G NTN technologies.
Built on the cloud-native, multi-orbit Intuition ground system, the INT3000 modem developments support the industry’s evolution towards globally interoperable 5G NTN satellite connectivity and future 6G networks.
