About the Authors xvii Preface xix Acknowledgments xxiii Acronyms xxv About the Companion Website xxxv 1 Introduction to a Non-Terrestrial Network 1 1.1 Non-Terrestrial Networks The Definition 1 1.2 Simplified 3GPP NTN Architecture 2 1.3 Motivation for the NTN 3 1.4 An Overview of NTN Use Cases 4 1.5 3GPP NTN Roadmap 6 1.5.1 Release 15 (R15) 7 1.
5.2 Release 16 (R16) 7 1.5.3 Release 17 (R17) 7 1.5.4 Release 18 (R18) 8 1.5.5 Release 19 (R19) and Beyond 8 1.
6 Role of the NTN in 6G 8 1.7 Major Takeaways 9 References 10 2 Types of NTN Platforms 13 2.1 Types of NTN Platforms 13 2.2 Characteristics of Satellites 14 2.3 Characteristics of UASs of the NTN 16 2.4 Types of Beams 18 2.5 An Overview of Pre-5G Satellite Systems 20 2.6 Types of NTN Devices for the NTN 22 2.
7 Trends in NTN Deployments 23 2.8 Major Takeaways 24 References 25 3 Radio Interfaces of LTE-M, NB-IoT, and NR A Concise Introduction 27 3.1 3GPP-Defined Wireless IoT Technologies and 5G New Radio A Concise Introduction 27 3.1.1 Wireless IoT Technologies and 4G Evolved Packet System 28 3.1.2 5G System 33 3.2 LTE-M A 3GPP-Defined Wireless IoT Technology 36 3.
2.1 Key Features of LTE-M 36 3.2.1.1 Radio Interface 36 3.2.1.2 Deployment 37 3.
2.1.3 Duplexing 37 3.2.1.4 Receiver Design 37 3.2.1.
5 Device Characteristics 37 3.2.1.6 Coverage Enhancement 37 3.2.1.7 Long Battery Life 37 3.2.
1.8 Reduced Signaling Load 38 3.2.1.9 LTE-MIoT Enhancements in the EPC 38 3.2.2 LTE-M Air Interface Protocol Stack and Physical Layer Frame Structure 38 3.2.
2.1 LTE-M Radio Protocol Stack 38 3.2.2.2 LTE-M PHY Frame Structure 39 3.2.3 Summary of LTE-M Operations 40 3.2.
3.1 Initial Attach and EPS Bearer Setup in LTE-M 41 3.2.3.2 Random Access in LTE-M 44 3.2.3.3 RRC Connection Setup in LTE-M 45 3.
2.3.4 Example Downlink Data Transfer in LTE-M 46 3.2.3.5 Example Uplink Data Transfer in LTE-M 47 3.2.3.
6 Handover in LTE-M 48 3.2.3.7 Activities of an LTE-M UE in the Idle Mode 51 3.3 NB-IoT A 3GPP-Defined Wireless IoT Technology 53 3.3.1 Key Features of NB-IoT 53 3.3.
1.1 Radio Interface 54 3.3.1.2 Deployment 54 3.3.1.3 Duplexing 54 3.
3.1.4 Receiver Design 54 3.3.1.5 Device Characteristics 54 3.3.1.
6 Coverage Enhancement 54 3.3.1.7 Long Battery Life 55 3.3.1.8 Reduced Signaling Load 55 3.3.
1.9 Mobility 55 3.3.1.10 NB-IoT Enhancements in the EPC 55 3.3.2 Summary of NB-IoT Operations 56 3.3.
2.1 Initial Attach and EPS Bearer Setup in NB-IoT 56 3.3.2.2 Random-Access Procedure in NB-IoT 59 3.3.2.3 RRC Connection Setup in NB-IoT 60 3.
3.2.4 Example DL Data Transfer in NB-IoT 61 3.3.2.5 Example UL Data Transfer in NB-IoT 62 3.3.2.
6 Mobility Management of NB-IoT UEs 64 3.4 5G A 3GPP-Defined Transformational Technology 64 3.4.1 Key Features of 5G NR 64 3.4.1.1 Scalable and Flexible OFDM 64 3.4.
1.2 Unified and Flexible Frame Structure 65 3.4.1.3 Variety of Spectrum 65 3.4.1.4 Massive MIMO and Advanced Beamforming 66 3.
4.1.5 Advanced Channel Coding 66 3.4.1.6 Multi-radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC) 66 3.4.2 5G NR Air Interface Protocol Stack and Physical Layer Frame Structure 67 3.
4.2.1 5G-NR Radio Protocol Stack 67 3.4.2.2 5G-NR PHY Frame Structure 67 3.4.3 Summary of 5G NR Operations 68 3.
4.3.1 Initial Registration in 5GS 68 3.4.3.2 Random Access in 5G NR 74 3.4.3.
3 RRC Connection Setup in 5G NR 74 3.4.3.4 Example Downlink Data Transfer in 5G NR 75 3.4.3.5 Example Uplink Data Transfer in 5G NR 77 3.4.
3.6 Handover in 5G NR 79 3.4.3.7 Activities of a 5G NR UE in the RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE States 81 3.5 LTE-M and NB-IoT Enhancements Beyond Release 13 83 3.5.1 Enhancements Common to LTE-M and NB-IoT 83 3.
5.2 LTE-M Enhancements 84 3.6 Major Takeaways 85 References 86 4 Challenges of an NTN 87 4.1 An Overview of NTN-Specific Challenges 87 4.2 Long and Variable Propagation Delays 89 4.3 High and Variable Doppler Shifts 92 4.4 NTN Cell Size 94 4.5 NTN Cell Mobility 95 4.
6 Type of Beams 95 4.7 Types of NTN Payloads 96 4.8 Propagation Path Loss 98 4.9 Long-Term Signal Strength Characteristics 98 4.10 Special Atmospheric Effects 99 4.10.1 Faraday Rotation 100 4.10.
2 Scintillation 100 4.11 Feeder Link Switch 100 4.12 NoncontiguousNoncontinuous Coverage 101 4.13 3GPP Solutions to the NTN Challenges A High-Level Overview 102 4.14 Major Takeaways 102 References 103 5 NTN Architectures 105 5.1 NTN Network Architectures in a Nutshell 105 5.2 An NTN with a Transparent Payload 106 5.2.
1 NR-NTN 107 5.2.2 IoT-NTN 108 5.3 An NTN Network Architecture with Regenerative Payloads 109 5.3.1 NR-NTN 109 5.3.2 IoT-NTN 110 5.
4 Multi-connectivity NTNs 111 5.5 An NTN with a Transparent Payload A Closer Look 116 5.6 Enhanced Tracking Area Management for an NTN 117 5.7 Enhanced QoS for an NTN 119 5.8 Optical Communication for an NTN 119 5.9 Major Takeaways 120 References 121 6 RF Planning and Design Considerations for an NTN 123 6.1 RF Planning and Design for an NTN An Overview 123 6.1.
1 RPD Inputs 124 6.1.1.1 Radio Access Technology 124 6.1.1.2 Target Service Requirements 124 6.1.
1.3 NTN Configurations 124 6.1.1.4 NTN Spectrum 125 6.1.1.5 Device Types 125 6.
1.1.6 RF Propagation Models 125 6.1.2 RPD Outputs 125 6.1.2.1 Link Budgets 125 6.
1.2.2 Capacity and Throughput Analysis and Planning 126 6.1.2.3 NTN Configuration Guidelines 126 6.2 NTN Spectrum 126 6.3 NTN Devices 129 6.
4 RF Propagation Models 130 6.4.1 RF Propagation in an NTN An Overview 130 6.4.2 RF Propagation Models for an NTN 131 6.4.2.1 Free-Space Path Loss 131 6.
4.2.2 Shadow Fading 132 6.4.2.3 Building Penetration Loss 133 6.4.2.
4 Atmospheric Absorption 134 6.4.2.5 Rain and Cloud Attenuation 134 6.4.2.6 Scintillation 135 6.4.
2.7 Ionospheric Scintillation Attenuation 135 6.4.2.8 Tropospheric Scintillation Attenuation 135 6.4.2.9 Small-Scale Fading Models 136 6.
5 Framework for NTN Link Budgets 136 6.5.1 A Note on NTN Link Budgets 145 6.6 NTN Capacity Planning 146 6.6.1 Capacity Planning in a Nutshell 146 6.6.1.
1 Step 1 CapacityThroughput Estimation 146 6.6.1.2 Step 2 Traffic Analysis and Adjustment of Cells and Carriers 148 6.6.1.3 Step 3 Provisioning and Configuration of Network Equipment 148 6.6.
2 Complexities of Capacity Planning for an NTN 148 6.6.2.1 Large Cells 148 6.6.2.2 Cell Mobility 149 6.6.
2.3 Variable Cell Size 149 6.6.2.4 Variable Device-NTN Payload Distance 150 6.6.2.5 Unique Interfaces 151 6.
6.3 Addressing the Complexities of NTN Capacity Planning 151 6.7 3GPP-Estimated Link Budgets and Throughput for an NTN 152 6.7.1 3GPP Link Budget Analysis 153 6.7.2 3GPP UE Throughput Analysis 154 6.8 Major Takeaways 155 References 156 7 Pre-Data Transfer Operations in an NTN 159 7.
1 Overview of Pre-Data Transfer NTN Operations 159 7.1.1 Step 1 Network and System Information Acquisition 159 7.1.2 Step 2 Random-Access Procedure 160 7.1.3 Step 3 RRC Connection Setup 161 7.1.
4 Step 4 Completion of the RRC Connection Setup and RegistrationAttach Request 161 7.1.5 Step 5 Mutual Authentication and NAS Security 161 7.1.6 Step 6 UE Capability Transfer 161 7.1.7 Step 7 Reconfiguration of the RRC Connection and RegistrationAttach Accept 161 7.1.
8 Step 8 Completion of RegistrationAttach and Default EPS Bearer Setup 162 7.2 Pre-Data Transfer Operations in NR-NTN A Closer Look 162 7.2.1 Operational Enhancements in NR-NTN An Overview 162 7.2.2 Cell Selection and SI Acquisition in NR-NTN 163 7.2.2.
1 NTN Cell Search and Cell Selection 163 7.2.2.2 Acquisition of MIB and SIB1 164 7.2.2.3 Acquisition of Additional SIBs 166 7.2.
2.4 SIB2 166 7.2.2.5 SIB4 166 7.2.2.6 SIB9 167 7.
2.2.7 SIB19 167 7.2.2.8 SIB25 170 7.2.2.
9 Beyond the SI Acquisition 171 7.2.3 Random-Access Enhancements in NR-NTN 171 7.2.3.1 Step 0 Prior to RA Preamble Transmission 172 7.2.3.
2 Step 1 RA Preamble Transmission 173 7.2.3.3 Step 2 Random-Access Response 173 7.2.3.4 Step 3 Msg3 Transmission 173 7.2.
3.5 Step 4 Contention Resolution 174 7.2.3.6 Random Access in NR-NTN Additional Considerations 174 7.2.4 RRC Connection Setup in NR-NTN 174 7.2.
5 Initial Registration via NR-NTN 175 7.2.5.1 Step 1 Network Acquisition 175 7.2.5.2 Step 2 Random-Access Procedure 176 7.2.
5.3 Step 3 RRC Connection Setup 176 7.2.5.4 Step 4 Registration Request 176 7.2.5.5 Step 5 Authentication and Security Activation 177 7.
2.5.6 Step 6 UE Capability Exchange 178 7.2.5.7 Step 7 Registration Accept 178 7.2.5.
8 Step 8 Registration Complete 178 7.2.5.9 Coarse UE Location Reporting 178 7.2.5.10 Verification of the UE Location 178 7.2.
6 UE Capability Exchange in NR-NTN 179 7.2.7 PDU Session Establishment in NR-NTN 180 7.2.7.1 Step 1 PDU Se.