The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) is joining hands with the European Space Agency (ESA) to actively pursue cooperation in 6G low-orbit satellite communication (NTN) technology.

ETRI announced on the 5th that it had agreed to cooperate with ESA in the field of 6G low-orbit satellite communications at the GSMA booth in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) exhibition hall in Barcelona, Spain.

The two sides discussed and reached a mutual agreement on cooperation measures during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 held in Barcelona, Spain.

ETRI and ESA have agreed to cooperate in developing integrated technologies and international standardization between satellite and terrestrial networks in preparation for the 6G era.

This collaboration aims to develop 6G NTN technology to overcome the limitations of existing terrestrial networks and provide seamless mobile communication services even in remote areas, such as oceans and airspace, where access is difficult.

6G NTN technology is a hybrid network that integrates existing terrestrial networks and satellite networks, and is evaluated as a core technology of the 6G era.

This technology enables efficient and wide-ranging communication services through organic connection between satellite and terrestrial networks.

To this end, the two organizations plan to jointly conduct development and verification research on 5G/6G NTN technology based on 3GPP standards and expand cooperation with the ITU-R and 3GPP standardization organizations.

Additionally, there is a problem of frequency interference between satellite and terrestrial networks. We are jointly pursuing research to address these issues. The development of interference mitigation strategies and technologies to ensure network interoperability is expected to accelerate the commercialization of NTN-based services.

This is expected to lead to solutions that can provide more effective network connectivity and user experiences.

ETRI President Seung-chan Bang said, “This collaboration will serve as an important stepping stone for leading the development and standardization of global 6G non-terrestrial network technology,” and expressed his hope that cooperation with ESA will strengthen ETRI’s technological leadership on the international stage.

ESA Director Laurent Japart also emphasized the importance of cooperation, saying, “Collaboration between the two organizations will play a vital role in promoting global technological advancements.”

ETRI, in collaboration with ESA, is leading the international standardization of 6G NTN technology by converging satellite technology and communications innovation.

Additionally, the two organizations plan to continue technological development in various fields, including satellite-ground integrated services, construction of next-generation space networks, and establishment of test beds through joint research.

This agreement is particularly significant as it is part of the "Development of 3GPP Standard-Based Low-Earth Orbit Constellation Satellite Communication Technology," a research and development support project funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information and Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP). Through this agreement, both parties plan to lead global standardization and, through continued research and collaboration, contribute to the advancement of the 6G communications ecosystem.