Special Session 3

Special Session 3. Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) for 5G-Advanced and 6G Systems

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• The integration of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)—encompassing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary (GEO) satellites, High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), and unmanned aerial vehicles—into 5G and emerging 6G ecosystems is poised to revolutionize global connectivity. By complementing terrestrial infrastructure, NTN promises to deliver seamless, high-capacity coverage to remote, rural, maritime, and aerial environments, ensuring truly ubiquitous broadband and massive IoT connectivity. This special session focuses on the architectural, protocol, and algorithmic innovations required to realize converged space-air-ground networks. Topics of interest include integrated NTN-terrestrial network design, dynamic spectrum sharing and coexistence, handover and mobility management in high-velocity scenarios, AI-native resource orchestration, integrated sensing and communication, and 3GPP standardization advances for NTN protocols. We also welcome contributions on energy-efficient satellite payloads, resilient backhaul solutions, and experimental demonstrations. This session aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry deployment, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate the development of intelligent, resilient, and globally connected next-generation communication systems.
  
  
• Topics
  T1: NTN architecture design for 5G-Advanced and 6G systems
  T2: 3GPP NTN protocol enhancements and standardization progress
  T3: Integrated terrestrial-satellite backhaul for seamless connectivity
  T4: NTN-based IoT and massive machine-type communications (mMTC)
  T5: Timing synchronization and frequency compensation in NTN scenarios
  T6: HAPS-assisted NTN for enhanced coverage and capacity
  T7: Multi-access edge computing (MEC) in NTN environments
  T8: Coexistence and spectrum sharing between terrestrial and satellite systems
  T9: NTN beam management and coverage optimization techniques
  T10: NTN use cases: maritime, aeronautical, and rural broadband services