Connecting the World from the Skies Global Forum 2022

The Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), organized the first edition of the Connecting the World from the Skies Global Forum in Riyadh from 8 to 10 November 2022 — the first global forum dedicated to bringing the entire non-terrestrial networks (NTN) ecosystem together under one roof. The forum convened ministers, heads of regulatory authorities and policymakers, CEOs of satellite and high-altitude platform companies, and experts and researchers from around the world to explore the role of non-terrestrial networks in bridging the digital divide and connecting remote areas, their integration with terrestrial networks, the regulatory frameworks that enable their adoption, and the sustainability of space. The forum showcased the Kingdom's pioneering trials in the field, including the world's first trial of 5G coverage delivered via high-altitude platform stations (5G HAPS) and the first trial in the Middle East and North Africa of 5G backhauling over low-Earth-orbit satellites. It also launched an international research competition with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to advance research and innovation in the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.

In cooperation with IEEE, CST launched an international research competition to support research and innovation in future communication networks and to enable integration between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. It attracted more than 100 researchers and academics from 34 universities and research centers across 17 countries, with 28 scientific papers submitted; the top three winners were honored during the forum.