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Objectives
PRONTO develops a configurable simulation testbed to assess the dissemination of GNSS assistance data over integrated 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). The project investigates how existing 3GPP standards and protocols, including NR NTN and LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) mechanisms, can support high-accuracy, integrity-critical, authentication-related, timing-assisted and low-power IoT PNT applications through satellite-enabled communication infrastructures.
The simulator combines configurable 5G NR/NB communication modelling with NTN propagation, orbital and channel-modelling capabilities, enabling the analysis of end-to-end service delivery under representative operational scenarios. The project focuses on evaluating latency, availability, continuity, traffic behaviour, propagation conditions, and robustness of assistance-data dissemination across NTN architectures.
PRONTO also includes the definition of representative use cases, technical requirements, KPIs, and reference NTN configurations, together with benchmarking and gap analysis of existing technologies and simulation approaches. The final objective is to establish a flexible and extensible simulation environment supporting technology assessment and the evaluation of next-generation PNT services relying on integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial communication networks.
Benefits
A key benefit of PRONTO is the ability to assess how 5G NTN infrastructures can complement terrestrial networks in challenging, remote, or underserved environments, improving the availability and resilience of GNSS assistance-data delivery where conventional connectivity is limited or unavailable. The simulator also supports the evaluation of dissemination strategies for high-accuracy positioning, integrity, authentication, timing assistance and low-power IoT applications. Its modular architecture provides a flexible environment for technology assessment and trade-off analysis of future NTN concepts, satellite architectures, propagation conditions and evolving 3GPP standards, supporting the development of next-generation NTN-enabled PNT services and resilient hybrid terrestrial/non-terrestrial communication infrastructures.
Features
PRONTO provides a configurable simulation testbed for evaluating the dissemination of GNSS assistance data over integrated 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks. The platform combines system-level 5G NR/NB simulation capabilities with NTN propagation, satellite-orbit modelling, and configurable radio/channel representations, enabling representative analysis of end-to-end communication and PNT-related service performance.
The simulator supports configurable satellite constellations, payload assumptions, user-terminal configurations, traffic models and NTN-specific effects such as intermittent coverage, aligned with relevant 3GPP NR NTN, NB-IoT NTN and LPP standards.
PRONTO supports the evaluation of latency, availability, continuity, and traffic behaviour for representative use cases including high-accuracy positioning, integrity services, authentication-data dissemination, timing assistance and low-power IoT applications. The modular architecture is designed to support extensibility towards future NTN concepts and upcoming 3GPP releases.
Challenges
PRONTO addresses key challenges associated with the dissemination of GNSS assistance data over 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks, particularly under NTN-specific conditions. A major challenge is the potential integration of heterogeneous simulation frameworks while maintaining scalable and realistic end-to-end behaviour across communication, satellite and application layers. The project also addresses challenges related to configurable IQ waveform generation and handling, including large data volumes and realistic signal representation for NTN scenarios. Additional challenges include supporting 3GPP NR NTN, NB-IoT NTN and LPP mechanisms for diverse applications ranging from high-accuracy positioning to low-power IoT services requiring energy-efficient, resilient and globally available assistance-data dissemination.
System Architecture
PRONTO combines configurable NTN satellite models, 5G NR/NB communication layers, traffic-generation modules, and representative user-terminal and channel models aligned with relevant 3GPP NTN standards.
The architecture supports configurable constellation parameters, payload assumptions, radio configurations and NTN-specific effects such as intermittent coverage. It also includes application-level modelling of GNSS corrections, integrity, authentication, timing-assistance, and low-power IoT support services. The modular structure allows independent configuration of network, space, and application components, supporting flexible evaluation of latency, continuity, availability, and end-to-end dissemination performance across representative operational scenarios.
Plan
The project is structured over an 18-month period and progresses through successive definition, specification, design, implementation, and verification phases. Initial activities focus on use cases, KPIs, reference-system definition, state-of-the-art review, benchmarking, and gap analysis, leading to the System Requirements Review (SRR). Subsequent phases address technical baseline selection (PDR), detailed design activities (CDR), and implementation and verification planning (TRR). Final phases cover simulator development, integration, testing, performance assessment, and compliance verification, concluding with the Final Review (FR) and the delivery of the final simulation testbed and technology development roadmap.
Current Status
PRONTO is currently in its initial definition and technical baseline phase. Activities completed so far include project coordination set-up, definition of preliminary use cases and requirements, initial review of relevant 3GPP NTN standards, and assessment of candidate simulation frameworks such as ns-3, 5G-LENA, OpenNTN and Sionna. Current work focuses on state-of-the-art analysis, NTN reference-system definition and consolidation of the high-level architecture, while upcoming activities will address benchmarking, gap analysis, and refinement of the technical specification in preparation for the SRR milestone.
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