The aim of the partnership is to strengthen the competitiveness of both mobile and satellite network industries by creating an ecosystem which can fast-track the development of new complimentary technology solutions for businesses.
The two organisations will join efforts to speed-up innovation when it comes to integrating satellite communications with 5G and future 6G networks.
Key to this collaboration will be the GSMA Foundry Innovation accelerator which brings together the mobile network operator community, and the wider technology industry to accelerate cross-industry collaboration.
GSMA Foundry helps its members by developing real-world solutions to industry challenges, nurture innovative ideas through commercial trials and scale proven solutions at a regional and global level.
It will work closely with ESA’s 5G/6G Hub, based at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) based in Harwell, Oxfordshire.
The ESA Hub brings together the satellite industry to work on new collaborative and innovative programmes.
Benefitting from the support of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) the Hub fits into the UK Governments’ 5G and 6G strategy.
Speaking following the signing of the MOI at ECSAT in Oxfordshire, Alex Sinclair, chief technology officer at the GSMA said: “By collaborating more closely with the European Space Agency, and its satellite network operator ecosystem, we hope to accelerate the immense potential satellite and terrestrial telecommunications networks can create for consumers and businesses when they are more closely connected.
“By working together, we can help the communications industry bring innovative solutions to market, which in turn will create tremendous benefits to society by connecting even more people, wherever they are in the world.”
Recent research findings by GSMA showed that the increased adoption and integration of satellite technologies by the communications industry could lead to potential revenue gains of US$35billion by 2035 (a 3% uplift on telecommunications industry revenues).
