Estefanía

Abstract: The path toward defining 6G technologies and their standardization has already begun. Non-terrestrial networks introduced into the 3GPP ecosystem starting with Release 17, are expected to become a native component of 6G from day one. This presentation provides an overview of the 3GPP access procedures for NTN and the background behind their evolution. In particular, it highlights the challenges of adapting well-established terrestrial access protocols to the unique characteristics of non-terrestrial networks. Furthermore, relevant NTN use cases will be presented, together with an overview of the latest research results and ongoing developments toward future 6G connectivity.

Biography:

About the Speaker: Estefanía Recayte (IEEE Senior Member) received her M.Sc. degree (with honors) and Ph.D. in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2014 and 2019, respectively. Since 2015, she has been with the Satellite Networks Department at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), contributing to national and international research projects with a particular focus on edge caching, radio access protocols, the Internet of Things and non-terrestrial network connectivity. Since 2024, she has served as a 3GPP delegate for DLR, participating in RAN Plenary, RAN1, and RAN2 standardization meetings. Her work focuses on advancing NTN standardization and the integration of terrestrial and satellite networks.