Broadcasting the Internet from the sky, the idea is not new, but the technique used by BT is innovative. The incumbent operator across the Channel has announced the start of an experiment in partnership with Stratospheric Platforms, with the aim of transmitting a 4G and 5G network from the stratosphere.
Up to 150 Mbps
To enable 4G and 5G network broadcast from the air, BT will rely on a new antenna technology developed specifically for mounting on a hydrogen-powered high-altitude platform station (HAPS). . As a reminder, HAPS are quasi-stationary aircraft operating at more than 20 kilometers from the ground. These devices can take the form of an airplane, an airship or even a balloon. Initial trials will be conducted at BT’s global R&D headquarters at Adastral Park.
The system developed by BT and Stratospheric Platforms can deliver 4G and 5G connectivity directly to consumers’ smartphones. Similar to a traditional network on earth, telephones will be able to connect without hardware adaptation. To achieve this technological feat, the device consists of 500 individually adjustable beams. A maximum connection of 150 Mb/s can be obtained over areas ranging from 140 km² to 15,000 km². To cover such an area, in normal times, BT would have to deploy 450 antennas on the ground.
Avoid deploying a terrestrial network
The project has received funding from Innovate UK, the UK innovation agency. For the first tests, BT and SPL will develop a 5G demonstrator. The height of the device will be simulated by placing the antenna in a high building. Several users will attempt to connect simultaneously to test the strength of the network.
Ultimately, the two companies want to deploy their system in the stratosphere in order to cover the white and remote areas of the territory. Transport, maritime safety and emergency services could particularly benefit from the network deployed by BT. A technology that would allow the operator to reduce its costs by avoiding the deployment and maintenance of a terrestrial network in sparsely populated localities.
“This highly innovative and transformative project has the potential to further enhance our 4G and 5G footprint in the UK, which is already the largest and most reliable in the country, to connect unserved rural areas and enable new cases of ‘exciting use for private users’said Tim Whitley, general manager of research and network strategy for BT.