A Practical Guide to Non-Terrestrial Networks

Lower barriers to launch, lower costs, and advancing technologies mean NTNs are more attractive than ever before. By integrating satellites, high-altitude platforms, and airborne systems into our communications ecosystem, NTNs add an additional layer that has been previously unattainable with terrestrial infrastructure alone.

As demands for connectivity grow and the discussions around 6G become more solid, these networks are in the process of being established as essential for emergency services, remote operations, and bridging the connectivity gap in underserved regions. But what are the practicalities to consider as this market segment matures?

What Are NTNs?

Let’s start with a definition: essentially, NTNs are communications systems that operate from non-terrestrial platforms—whether orbiting satellites, stratospheric aircraft, or balloon-based systems. Unlike fixed terrestrial networks, NTNs are free from the constraints of geography. They are designed to operate in conjunction with ground infrastructure to form part of a hybrid network for seamless, continuous coverage.

NTN Topology

NTNs include:

Satellite Networks: GEO, MEO, and increasingly LEO constellations.
High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS): Aircrafts or balloons stationed ~20 km above Earth.
Unmanned Airborne Relays: Drones or fixed-wing craft supporting temporary coverage.

NTN Development

Part of understanding where we are with satellite communications today means looking at how the technologies have developed. With this in mind, here is a potted history of NTN development, including what we anticipate the rest of the decade will hold in terms of development:

The NTN Development Timeline A potted history of NTN Development
1960s	The Satellite Era Begins with the launch of early geostationary satellites like the Syncom satellites, and we see proof of concepts for communication and broadcasting using satellite infrastructure.
1970–80s	Global Expansion and Commercialization. Based on early successes, we see the rapid deployment of GEO satellites, but they are hindered by latency limitations (~600 ms). Despite this, satellite systems are gaining traction for broadcasting.
1990s	The Birth of Mobile Satellite Services sees the introduction of global constellations that enable voice and low-bandwidth data coverage at virtually every point on Earth; however, high costs, bulky handsets, and limited network integration hold satellite communication back.
2000s	A Decade of Experimentation sees early High-Altitude Platform System (HAPS) tests and the emergence of hybrid architectures combining terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks to better utilize the potential of satellite communication.
2010–15	Foundations for Modern NTNs are laid down with improvements in satellite manufacturing, propulsion, and cost efficiency. We start to see innovations, both software and hardware-based, that facilitate modern commercial NTNs, and governments and telecom operators explore NTNs for disaster resilience and defense.
2015–20	The LEO Constellation Boom; the launch of Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper brings the topic of NTNs to the mainstream. The focus is on achieving broadband-level connectivity with < 40 ms latency and developing affordable, electronically steerable user terminals.
2020–25	Standardization, Trials and Expansion; 3GPP Release 17 incorporates NTN support into 5G specifications, marking a convergence of the satellite and telecoms sectors. Operators and governments conduct NTN trials for disaster recovery and rural coverage Plus, HAPS demonstrations achieve more consistent data links, and LEO systems deliver low-latency broadband to consumers and enterprises.
Looking forward: 2025–2030 – The Integration Era As we look forward, initiatives like 5G Advanced’s introduction of native NTN support and dynamic handover between network layers will impact the landscape. The benefit of NTN links, which are unaffected by geographic and meteorological factors, will make them standard in public safety and industrial applications.

Why Emergency Services Need NTNs

Looking at the history of NTNs allows us to better see where their potential lies. With so many NTN headlines over the last decade entwined with companies like Starlink, it is possible to see the potential of NTNs to be tied to enterprise and consumer applications.

However, as we start to see in the ‘Integration Era’, the strength of a network that can operate anywhere on the planet is being recognized and acted upon by governments and operators around the world.

A network that remains robust regardless of the terrain or any other rollout challenges makes mission-critical and safety some of the most promising applications. Additionally, when terrestrial networks fail, NTNs offer a robust safety net. Natural disasters, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes routinely damage or destroy local telecom infrastructure, creating dangerous communication gaps.

NTNs offer:

Rapid Deployment:

Restoring essential links within hours, not days.
Remote Accessibility:

Reaching locations inaccessible to repair crews or traditional towers.
Operational Coordination:

Enabling high-bandwidth video, geolocation, and real-time data exchange during critical missions.

Real-world example:
In multiple hurricane seasons in the US, satellite communications have been used to reconnect emergency operations centers within hours, ensuring that aid and resources were directed efficiently. This example highlights to NTN operators and governments the potential of NTNs for emergency and mission-critical use cases.

Considerations for deployment

Array of satellite antennas for non-terrestrial networks

NTNs promise a great deal, and therefore, over the next five years, we anticipate unified regulatory efforts for spectrum coordination and cross-border operations to ensure NTNs can serve a variety of mission-critical use cases. But successful rollout requires navigating multiple challenges:

Technical Integration

Achieving seamless operation across terrestrial, aerial, and satellite layers remains one of the biggest challenges in NTN deployment. Networks must manage handovers between cell towers, HAPS, and orbiting satellites without disrupting service. Differences in latency, signal strength, and link stability require adaptive routing and dynamic resource management, and make it clear that a concerted, industry-wide effort is needed to ensure the capabilities of NTNs are not limited.

A Global Approach

NTNs operate beyond traditional national boundaries, which complicates spectrum allocation and airspace regulation. Satellites and HAPS often cover multiple jurisdictions, demanding international coordination. Civil aviation authorities and telecom regulators must work together to establish frameworks that allow safe, consistent operation. Without a unified approach, the potential of NTNs for global emergency communication applications cannot be realised.

Cost considerations

Despite falling launch and manufacturing costs, NTNs still require heavy investment in infrastructure, integration, and ground systems. Looking at ways to expand the capacity of equipment, for example, using waveguides to extend base station range, is key. Additionally, operators must identify sustainable business models that balance cost with coverage value—particularly in underserved or rural regions. Public-private partnerships are emerging as a practical solution, with governments recognizing NTNs as critical infrastructure for emergency and mission-critical communications.

Resilience

When we talk about anything mission-critical, robust infrastructure is of the utmost importance. As a result, conversations on NTNs must consider the need for overlapping satellite coverage, automatic failover mechanisms, and hybrid links to ensure reliability when terrestrial systems fail. Likewise, security must be designed into the NTN architecture from the outset, not added as an afterthought, to ensure the secure infrastructure needed for critical communications.

Extending Ground Station Performance

You might ask, ‘Where does RFS fit into this space?’ Are we moving into satellites? The short answer is no, but that does not mean there isn’t a significant opportunity for RFS to add value within the NTN infrastructure ecosystem by enhancing the performance of NTN ground stations.

NTN ground stations serve as the essential interfaces between NTN assets and terrestrial communication networks. Responsible for controlling satellites, managing traffic, integration, and offloading with terrestrial core networks, assured, robust connectivity for ground stations is key.

NTN customers are already using RFS equipment as part of ground station setups. Our HELIFLEX and CELLFLEX feeder connectivity solutions facilitate connectivity between ground stations and core networks. Our FLEXWELL waveguides improve site performance and efficiency. Finally, our HYBRIFLEX fiber/power solutions are capable of supporting the fiber connectivity requirements of NTN ground stations.

Additionally, our long heritage in delivering ‘true mission-critical’ infrastructure, which takes into consideration the resilience and redundancy needed to deliver a fully mission-critical solution, is essential as NTN’s become ever more established as a key component of the mission-critical landscape.

NTNs as Critical Infrastructure

As constant connectivity everywhere becomes the norm, NTNs move from being a ‘nice to have’ technology to a mission-critical requirement. They will be a strategic aspect of network infrastructure—not just for mobile operators and technology providers, but for governments, global bodies, and enterprises that operate where connectivity is essential but can’t be taken for granted.

The challenge now is building the infrastructure that allows NTNs to fulfil their mission-critical potential, which can only be achieved with this type of architecture. Only by working towards standardization, accessibility, and resiliency can NTNs address the mission-critical applications to which they are so well suited and establish themselves as an indispensable element of the telecommunications ecosystem.