Keysight and KT SAT Achieve Industry-First Multi-Orbit NTN Handover Between GEO Satellite and Emulated LEO Link
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non-terrestrial network (ntn)technical
A non-terrestrial network (NTN) is a communications system that uses satellites, high-altitude platforms, or other airborne stations instead of—or in addition to—ground-based towers to deliver voice, data and internet services. Think of it as adding balloons or satellites to a city’s cell towers so coverage reaches remote, maritime or disaster-hit areas; for investors, NTNs create new markets, change hardware and spectrum needs, and can shift competitive dynamics in telecom and IoT sectors.
geostationary earth orbittechnical
A geostationary earth orbit is a circular path about 35,786 kilometers above the equator where a satellite travels at the same rate the planet rotates, so it appears fixed over a single spot on Earth. That fixed position makes these satellites ideal for continuous communications, broadcasting and weather monitoring — important to investors because orbital slots are limited, deployment and maintenance are expensive, and regulatory or spectrum decisions can materially affect revenues and costs.
low earth orbittechnical
Low Earth orbit (LEO) is the region of space close to Earth, roughly from about 160 to 2,000 kilometers above the surface, where satellites and spacecraft circle the planet quickly—think of it as a busy highway just overhead. It matters to investors because many communications, imaging and data services rely on satellites in LEO; their shorter lifespans, lower launch costs, crowded lanes and debris risks directly affect the cost, revenue potential and operational risks of companies that build, launch or use these satellites.
ku-bandtechnical
Ku-band is a slice of radio frequencies (about 12–18 GHz) used mainly for satellite communications such as TV broadcasting, internet from space, and data links. For investors, Ku-band matters because it defines how much data a satellite system can carry, the size and cost of ground equipment, and sensitivity to weather — all of which affect revenue potential, operating costs, and the value of companies that build, launch, or use satellite networks, much like a highway’s width and surface affect traffic flow and toll income.
3gpp rel‑19technical
3GPP Rel‑19 is the nineteenth set of agreed technical rules and feature updates produced by the global standards body that defines how mobile networks and devices communicate. Think of it as a major software update for the rules phones and networks follow; it adds capabilities, performance tweaks and new service hooks that can change what products operators sell, how much network upgrades cost, and which vendors gain advantage. Investors watch it because adoption timing and feature choices can affect revenue, competition and capital spending across carriers, device makers and equipment suppliers.
doppler effectstechnical
A Doppler effect is the change in pitch or frequency of waves—sound, light, or radio—caused by movement between the wave source and the observer, like the rising and falling siren of a passing ambulance. Investors care because many medical devices, radar, lidar and flow-measurement instruments use this principle to detect speed or flow; the accuracy and reliability of those products can affect regulatory approval, market demand and a company’s revenue prospects.
Live multi-orbit proof-of-concept shows session continuity from a geostationary earth orbit to an emulated low Earth orbit link, validating a core 6G capability
SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today announced that in collaboration with KT SAT, it has demonstrated a successful non-terrestrial network (NTN) handover using the KOREASAT-6A satellite at KT SAT’s Kumsan Satellite Network Operation Center in Korea. In a controlled lab environment, the companies established the industry’s first1 NR-NTN multi-orbit handover between a commercial GEO satellite and an emulated LEO link. The demonstration was performed over a live Ku‑band GEO connection (DL ~12.3 GHz / UL ~14.4 GHz), marking a major milestone toward testing the newly standardized 3GPP Rel‑19 Ku‑band NTN spectrum. By incorporating Ku‑band operation into this multi-orbit mobility scenario, Keysight and KT SAT have validated NTN behaviors in a frequency range now central to emerging global standards and operator deployment strategies.
As the industry moves toward 6G, integrating satellite and terrestrial networks is essential to deliver continuous coverage and resilient service in remote or disaster-affected areas. Satellite links, however, introduce longer delays, Doppler effects, and dynamic link conditions that complicate mobility and handover across space and ground domains.
By moving beyond earlier demonstrations focused on single-orbit GEO connectivity, KT SAT and Keysight have shown how operators can evolve from point-to-point satellite links to continuous multi-orbit mobility, expanding KT SAT’s service capabilities toward resilient, always-on coverage across space and ground domains. This achievement also establishes an important technical milestone for KT SAT and Keysight in advancing Ku-band NTN mobility.
Using Keysight’s Network Emulator Solutions and UeSIM RAN Testing Toolset, the teams emulated the base station and user equipment, established a two-way link through KOREASAT-6A, and maintained service continuity during a handover from GEO to an emulated LEO connection. Operating the GEO link in Ku‑band ensures that these mobility insights directly map to the Rel‑19 NTN frequency bands now entering commercial planning, giving operators and device vendors earlier visibility into real‑world propagation, timing, and interoperability behaviors. As a result, KT SAT can now explore and validate advanced NTN mobility scenarios in the lab, before satellites or user devices are widely deployed, accelerating its roadmap and reducing the time and cost of bringing new multi-orbit services to market.
This collaboration shows how operators can extend coverage and resilience, while device and chipset vendors gain a lab-based path to validate NTN mobility without relying solely on expensive field trials. Insights from this work are intended to inform standards discussions and operator evaluations, helping the ecosystem shorten time-to-trial and de-risk commercialization.
Seo Young-soo, CEO of KT SAT, said: “As the only satellite communications service provider in Korea, KT SAT is progressively validating the applicability of NTN gNB and UE using our five operational GEO satellites. Building on the results of this trial, we will actively explore strengthening the competitiveness of our next-generation GEO satellite for the global market and delivering integrated multi-orbit communication services based on NTN systems, including traffic handover across our own GEO and future LEO/MEO constellations.”
Peng Cao, Vice President and General Manager of Keysight’s Wireless Test Group, Keysight, said: “This demonstration shows how emulation can bring future multi-orbit networks into the lab today. By combining a live GEO connection with emulated LEO conditions using NR-NTN parameters in Ku-band, Keysight gives operators and vendors a practical way to study NTN handover behavior, optimize mobility strategies, and reduce the cost and risk of early deployments.”
1Based on a lab trial using a live GEO satellite and an emulated LEO link to validate multi-orbit NTN handover.
About Keysight Technologies
At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.
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