Description
The objective of the activity is to investigate and develop spectrum reuse and sharing techniques for integrated NTN-TN 3D networksthat allow them to pool, share, and rapidly reallocate spectrum on demand among their heterogeneous components/segments. The techniques will be prototyped in a testbed to be implemented as part of the activity.Targeted improvements:Enabling spectrum reuse and sharing in integrated NTN-NT 3D networks.Description:Spectrum demand for all wireless services continues to increase while service and operational convergence create more diverse, complex, and interconnected systems, such as the ones envisioned with the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (TN and NTN respectively) which is now being considered for Beyond 5G/ towards 6G.While spectrum reuse and sharing may potentially satisfy the growing demand, the emerging complexity, dynamics, and heterogeneity of the different wireless systems involved make the TN-NTN integration at radio resource management (RRM) level technically challenging with existing approaches. For example, previous activities did not consider airborne layers (e.g., HAPS, UAVs), or N-system, N-band dynamic sharing where access priorities vary by band, location, and time. In future networks, the motion of network nodes such as NGSO satellites or HAPS can require updates at RRM level orders of magnitude faster that done before, or potential link outages caused by the high dynamic environment can require quick system reactions untenable by a purely centralised spectrum management approach.To address these issues, the activity will investigate, develop and test spectrum reuse and sharing techniques for integrated NTN-TN 3D networks that allow them to pool, share, and rapidly reallocate spectrum on demand among their heterogeneous components/segments.The activity will follow a phased approach. The first phase will analyse and design spectrum sharing techniques for heterogeneous integrated NTN-TN 3-dimensional (3D) networks by identifying requirements and protection criteria for the individual NTN and TN components, identifying approaches and key innovations needed, and estimating the expected gains (capacity, access) and impacts (technical, operations, regulatory). The second phase will implement the solutions in a prototype consisting of an emulation environment where the developments will be characterised and their benefits and impacts assessed. The results will be used to engage with regulators and relevant standardisation bodies for subsequent deployment /adoption.The activity will seek synergies with other ESA 5Gdeliverables and testbeds as well as various 5G platforms projects from European and national initiatives that are already being built up.