Keysight and Samsung Demo Live NR-NTN Satellite Mobility
Keysight Technologies and Samsung Electronics have achieved an industry first by demonstrating a live end-to-end NR-NTN connection in 3GPP band n252 (S-band), including satellite-to-satellite mobility, using commercial-grade modem silicon.
Showcased at CES 2026, the proof-of-concept publicly validates n252, a new 3GPP Release 19 NTN band expected to be used by next-generation LEO constellations targeting direct-to-cell services. The demo also confirmed cross-vendor interoperability and end-to-end user connectivity.
With earlier validations of bands n255 and n256, Keysight now reports that all major FR1 NR-NTN bands have been proven end-to-end, an important milestone for modem vendors, satellite operators, and device makers preparing for commercial NTN rollouts from 2026.
The test combined Samsung’s next-generation modem chipset with Keysight’s NTN network emulation platform, enabling realistic multi-orbit conditions, SAT-to-SAT handover, and live application traffic. The result gives the ecosystem a lab-based path to de-risk direct-to-cell satellite mobility, accelerate trials, and shorten time-to-market.