ABI Research Forecasts Software-Defined Satellite Channel Emulation Will Reshape NTN Partner Testing

ABI Research projected that software-defined Satellite Channel Emulators will play a growing role in how telecom operators evaluate satellite partners for Non-Terrestrial Network services, with an increased focus on software licenses.

The firm forecasted that the software-defined Satellite Channel Emulators market would rise to US$70 million in annual shipment revenue by 2031, from US$48 million in 2023, as operators validated satellite performance before commercial deployment.

ABI Research described SCEs as software-defined tools used to test equipment and protocols before and after satellite partner selection. The firm also said they could benchmark LEO, MEO, and GEO systems side by side without live testing cost and complexity.

In its report, ABI Research forecasted that software license sales would grow from roughly 23% of total annual SCE sales in 2025 to more than 75% by 2031, with about 2,100 software licenses expected to be sold over the period. The firm added that telcos were expected to account for more than 31% of total annual shipment volume by 2031, and cited vendors including Keysight, Viavi, Rohde & Schwarz, Simnovus, Hollis, and Lasting Software. “Satellite uncertainty is no longer acceptable for operators preparing commercial NTN services,” said Andrew Cavalier, Principal Analyst at ABI Research. “Channel emulation gives telcos a way to verify reliability in the lab before they commit to a partner, helping them protect Service-Level Agreements, reduce deployment risk, and accelerate time to market for 5G NTN services.” “As operators evolve into service aggregators spanning terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, software-based testing will become foundational,” said Rachel Kong, Industry Analyst at ABI Research. “The ability to deploy containerized emulation across distributed infrastructure and run thousands of concurrent scenarios will be vital for scaling future 5G and 6G satellite services. Vendors that can deliver flexible, lower-cost, software-centric solutions will be best positioned to capture the next wave of demand.”

Provided by Globe Newswire on behalf of ABI Research. Click to read original content.