2020/11/10 by Beatriz Soret, Israel Leyva‐Mayorga, Israel Leyva-Mayorga +6
Computer Science · Engineering · #Age of Information Optimization #FOS: Computer and information sciences #IoT Networks and Protocols #Networking and Internet Architecture (cs.NI) #Satellite Communication Systems #cs.NI
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2011.05202
Submitted for publication to the International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking
arxiv created 2020/11/10 · openalex publication_date 2020/11/10 · arxiv updated 2020/11/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
One of the main drivers of 5G cellular networks is provision of connectivity service for various Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Considering the potential volume of IoT devices at a global scale, the next leap is to integrate Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) into 5G terrestrial systems, thereby extend the coverage and complement the terrestrial service. This paper focuses on the use of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations for two specific purposes: offloading and backhauling. The former allows offloading IoT traffic from a congested terrestrial network, usually in a very dense area. In the latter application, the constellation provides a multi-hop backhaul that connects a remote terrestrial gNB to the 5G core network. After providing an overview of the status of the 3GPP standardization process, we model and analyze the user data performance, specifically in the uplink access and the satellite multi-hop constellation path. The evaluation of the collisions, the delay and the Age of Information, and the comparison of the terrestrial and the satellite access networks provide useful insights to understand the potential of LEO constellations for offloading and backhauling of IoT traffic.