UNIVITY wins €31M CNES contract to accelerate space-based 5G

CNES has awarded €31 million in strategic funding to Paris-based startup UNIVITY — formerly Constellation Technologies & Operations — as part of a France 2030 call for projects operated by CNES. This support marks a major step in the development of space-based 5G made in France, according to a media release.  

CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) is the public establishment responsible for proposing French space policy to the government and implementing it in Europe. 

UNIVITY — together with telecommunications and broadcasting firm TDF — will carry out a demonstration of satellite-based 5G connectivity. Through real-world use cases, this experiment will validate the relevance of a fully integrated 5G NTN solution, designed and built in France, combining very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites with terrestrial infrastructure.

TDF will play a central role in the project’s operational implementation, managing the hosting, installation, operation, and maintenance of three gateway stations — two in mainland France and one overseas. These gateways will be essential to ensure seamless interoperability between the satellite system and telecom operators’ terrestrial networks.

With €31 million in funding from CNES and additional industrial co-financing from UNIVITY, the contract amounts to a total of €44 million. France 2030 supports the development of critical technologies for France’s economy and Europe’s technological independence, the media release said.

“Thanks to France 2030 funding, CNES is supporting UNIVITY in preparing, through the in-orbit demonstration ‘uniShape,’ a satellite-based 5G-NTN service designed to meet the needs of terrestrial operators,” said Caroline Laurent, Director of Orbital Systems and Applications, CNES. “UNIVITY’s ‘uniSky’ constellation aims to deliver a distinctive French solution for high-speed space-based 5G-NTN connectivity, serving both consumer and professional users, built on innovative concepts and breakthrough technologies.” 

“We are proud to have the support of France 2030 for this project, which represents a true strategic milestone for us,” said Véronique Bonnet, Program Director at UNIVITY. “This recognition validates both our expertise and our vision of converging terrestrial and space networks.”  

“This project is a key milestone for TDF, underscoring our ability to integrate the space dimension into our telecom infrastructure offering,” said Jean-Louis Mounier, Managing Director of TDF’s TowerCo Business Unit. “By combining our field expertise, local presence, and technological know-how, we are actively contributing to the emergence of a hybrid, resilient, and sovereign connectivity model driven by French players.”