An SDR-Based Test Platform for 5G NTN Prototyping and Validation

2025-09-24

AI Summary

Early 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) standards—particularly 3GPP Release 17—suffer from low maturity and a lack of commercial hardware, hindering performance validation and prototype development. Method: This paper proposes an end-to-end 5G NTN prototyping testbed based on a collaborative software-defined radio (SDR) and general-purpose processor (GPP) architecture. It integrates the Amarisoft 5G NTN protocol stack—the first such integration—and adapts it for real-time operation over geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite links, fully complying with 3GPP Release 17 NTN specifications. Custom system integration, protocol stack deployment, and satellite gateway interface design enable bidirectional communication simulation between gNB and UE, as well as live satellite link integration. Contribution/Results: Field trials validate key performance metrics—including downlink throughput and round-trip latency—filling a critical experimental gap in early-stage NTN standardization. The platform establishes a reusable, open-source verification paradigm to accelerate 5G NTN technology evolution and commercial deployment.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Mobility, Driving & Flight
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Plan Execution and Monitoring
• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Data management and stream processing for Web, mobile and wireless applications
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• Security and Privacy: Data transparency and provenance

Abstract

The integration of satellite communication into 5G has been formalized in 3GPP Release 17 through the specification of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), marking a significant step toward achieving global connectivity. However, the early-stage maturity of 5G NTN standards and the lack of commercial NTN-capable equipment hinder extensive performance validation and system prototyping. To address this gap, this paper proposes a software-defined radio (SDR) test platform with General-Purpose Processor (GPP) processing, leveraging Amarisoft's 5G NTN protocol stack software while performing custom system integration and adaptation for real satellite operation. The platform supports bidirectional communication between an SDR-based NTN gNB and UE emulator through a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite link, with full compliance to 3GPP NTN specifications. We provide detailed insights into the system architecture, SDR hardware-software co-design, and satellite gateway adaptations. Through field trials, we evaluate the performance metrics including downlink throughput and round-trip time. Results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of SDR-based platforms for NTN testing, and highlight their potential in bridging current implementation gaps before widespread commercial deployment.

Problem

• Lack of commercial equipment for 5G NTN performance validation
• Early-stage maturity of 5G NTN standards hinders prototyping
• Need to bridge implementation gaps before commercial deployment

Innovation

• SDR test platform with GPP processing
• Custom integration of Amarisoft NTN protocol stack
• Bidirectional GEO satellite link compliant with 3GPP