Towards the Integration of Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks: a Testbed for in-Lab Evaluation

Enrico Boffetti; Salvatore Carbonara; Daniele Pugliese; Giovanni Grieco; Carolina Sbiroli; Alessio Fascista; Arcangela Rago; Giuseppe Piro

doi:10.1109/icumt67815.2025.11268725

Conference paper · 1 January 2025

Towards the Integration of Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks: a Testbed for in-Lab Evaluation

Enrico Boffetti, Salvatore Carbonara, Daniele Pugliese, Giovanni Grieco, Carolina Sbiroli, Alessio Fascista, Arcangela Rago, Giuseppe Piro

Abstract

The integration of Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks (T/NTNs) is expected to be a native capability of the Sixth-Generation (6 G) of mobile networks. Driven by the growing demand for reliable and ubiquitous connectivity, recent Fifth-Generation (5 G) releases have already begun addressing some of the challenges in developing a three-dimensional (3D) architecture combining T/NTN. In this context, this work presents a preliminary experimental evaluation of integrated 5 G T/NTN scenarios, enabled by a laboratory testbed currently under development within the RESTART ITA-NTN project. The testbed allows for the emulation of ground-, aerial-, and satellite-based links interfacing with 5G Radio Units (RUs) through advanced Radio Frequency (RF) channel modeling and emulation. After an overview of the 5 G Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) and the specific adaptations required to support NTN scenarios, the main integrated T/NTN architectures are outlined. To assess these architectures and emulate T/NTN scenarios under controlled conditions, the testbed integrates commercial Software Defined Radios (SDRs) platforms with the Keysight F8820A PROPSIM FS16 channel emulator to replicate several customisable channel conditions, using the OpenAirInterface (OAI) stack for full 5G NG-RAN and core functionality. Preliminary evaluations of the considered T/NTN scenarios are carried out, highlighting key operational characteristics and selected performance metrics, offering insights into challenges and opportunities of extending 5G capabilities to NTN platforms.

Cite this work

@inproceedings{boffetti2025towards,
  title = {{Towards the Integration of Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks: a Testbed for in-Lab Evaluation}},
  author = {Enrico Boffetti and Salvatore Carbonara and Daniele Pugliese and Giovanni Grieco and Carolina Sbiroli and Alessio Fascista and Arcangela Rago and Giuseppe Piro},
  booktitle = {2025 17th International Congress on Ultra Modern Telecommunications and Control Systems and Workshops (ICUMT)},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1109/icumt67815.2025.11268725},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1109/icumt67815.2025.11268725}
}