Thanks to a unique solution developed by Wrocław Tech researchers in partnership with OrbitsIQ Global and the European Space Agency, data transmission from millions of devices worldwide is set to become faster and more reliable. The breakthrough could significantly advance satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT).

In today’s world, thousands of sensors are embedded in cars, trains and industrial machinery, and are also widely used in logistics and many other sectors. Their role is to send short data messages, whose successful reception by satellites is essential for the reliable operation of systems across the globe.

When too many devices attempt to communicate at the same time, transmission collisions occur, more data packets are lost, and valuable information fails to get through.

An international team, with researchers from the Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems at Wrocław University of Science and Technology playing a key role, is now implementing an original solution to this problem.

The technology they have developed, called E-SSA (Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha), makes it possible to dramatically increase throughput without reserving any additional radio spectrum.

A technological motorway with no traffic jams

Until now, devices using satellite links often had to “wait in line” before sending data. The new technology changes the rules.

“It works like a multi-lane motorway,” says Paweł Kabacik, DSc, PhD, Eng., Professor at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. “It allows hundreds of devices to transmit data simultaneously on the same radio channel, without disrupting one another’s signals.”

In tests carried out on a satellite model, the system demonstrated high efficiency, successfully handling 500 devices communicating at the same time. In just one second, the new technology correctly received as many as 30,000 data packets.

This marks a major step forward compared with the systems in use today.

A game-changing development

Demand for satellite data transmission is already enormous and continues to grow steadily. It affects many areas of everyday life, from transport and logistics to agriculture and energy. The new solution is expected to improve the performance of millions of sensors.

As Prof. Paweł Kabacik explains, the success was possible because the researchers fundamentally rethought the way devices using satellite internet can share the available radio spectrum.

“By combining state-of-the-art integrated circuits and processors with the latest advances in signal processing, we have created a system with far greater capacity, capable of reliably meeting the demand for the exchange of vast numbers of short messages,” says Prof. Kabacik.

The solution is the result of combining the expertise of researchers from Wrocław University of Science and Technology with the experience of engineers from the European Space Agency and the know-how of specialists from OrbitsIQ Global, which also operates in Poland.

“Our collaboration with Wrocław Tech is a key step in building secure connectivity worldwide,” says Joe Euteneuer, CEO of OrbitsIQ Global. “This technology is not just an incremental improvement, but a major disruption in the market for widely accessible satellite communication services.”

About OrbitsIQ Global

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Luxembourg, OrbitsIQ Global also operates in Germany, the United States and Poland.

The company is developing a new generation of universal connectivity platforms that seamlessly integrate terrestrial and satellite networks, regardless of the frequency band used.

Its space-based internet service, powered by artificial intelligence to manage operations, is designed to provide uninterrupted and secure connectivity for both fixed and mobile assets in the public and commercial sectors.

By combining advanced technological solutions with scalable market deployment, the company aims to play a major role in the development of secure, integrated satellite-terrestrial connectivity supported by AI.