MegaFon and the Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 have successfully tested a hybrid mobile communication system. The project involves connecting a standard base station to the operator's network via a domestic low-Earth orbit satellite constellation.
During the Digital Solutions forum in Moscow, engineers demonstrated the technology by conducting a live video broadcast from the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Data from a subscriber device was transmitted to a YADRO base station, then routed through a satellite terminal and the satellite network to reach the operator's infrastructure.
This solution eliminates the need for fiber-optic or microwave backhaul lines to the base station. The satellite segment serves exclusively as a transport channel, while the user continues to interact with a standard mobile network without needing direct satellite connectivity on their smartphone.
The technology is intended for remote industrial regions where traditional infrastructure deployment is difficult or costly. Additionally, it can be deployed to restore mobile coverage rapidly in emergency areas where ground-based communication lines have been damaged.
