BT and SPL Trial High-Altitude 4G and 5G Tech in the UK

The British multinational telecommunications company BT Group and Stratospheric Platforms (SPL) have partnered to trial a new antenna technology using High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) aircraft to extend 4G and 5G coverage in the UK. Both companies say the technology can be a helpful solution in getting coverage to the hardest-to-reach areas.

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Technology Trials

The trials funded by Innovate UK, being conducted at Adastral Park, BT’s global Research and Development headquarters, aim to tackle one of the remaining challenges in mobile connectivity. They hold the potential to revolutionize opportunities for Industries operating in remote areas like transport, maritime security, and search and rescue, as well as offer faster and smoother connectivity directly to consumers’ mobile devices in remote areas.

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Backup for terrestrial Networks

Additionally, the HAPS solution could serve as a backup for terrestrial networks in case of a catastrophe and aid in disaster relief efforts. It also has the potential to enhance remote monitoring across a range of industrial and agricultural scenarios, thereby increasing operational efficiency.

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Tim Whitley, Managing Director Research and Network Strategy, BT Group, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with SPL to start realizing the huge potential of HAPS aircraft to further strengthen our UK 4G and 5G network technology leadership. This highly innovative and transformative project has the potential to further enhance our UK 4G and 5G footprint, which is already the largest and most reliable in the UK, to connect unserved rural areas and enable exciting new use cases for private users.”