Technology and product development company TTP plc is developing a novel, highly flexible 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) modem module designed to form the core of future satellite solutions.
The new architecture supports operators’ need for flexible, long-life satellite terminals, including Ku- and Ka-band terminals, to deliver interoperability while bridging existing systems. Using a software-defined, multi-band design, the module enables quick and efficient field updates to adapt as networks evolve, while its open architecture approach helps avoid the risk of vendor lock-in. Hardware acceleration is retained to maintain performance alongside this flexibility.
Meeting demanding Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) requirements, the module targets demanding defense and commercial applications including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) connectivity. It also features built-in observability, providing full visibility into the physical layer and protocol stack to support network optimization, diagnostics, debugging and performance analysis. Additionally, data streams from this observability can support AI-assisted reasoning, optimization and control.
Paul Tindall, Advanced Technology Lead for 5G NTN at TTP, commented, “Satellite terminals need to be built for change. Standards, waveforms and deployment models are evolving quickly, so modem architectures must be flexible, observable and upgradeable at a much deeper level than before. Our 5G NTN modem module has been designed with those principles at its core. The novel architectural approach allows satellite operators and manufacturers to benefit from reuse, accelerating time to market.”
The module draws on TTP’s decades of modem design heritage, from TTPCom and proprietary satcoms networks such as BGAN through to 5G NTN, combining wireless engineering expertise with an independent, stack- and chipset-agnostic approach. TTP’s Head of Satellite and Space, Andy Walker, also presented a session titled “5G NTN in Military Communications – Friend or Foe” at the IET Satcoms Conference on 15 June, 2026.
