France is advancing its sovereign satellite-based 5G ambitions with a €31 million contract awarded by the national space agency CNES to Univity, a Paris-based start-up.
The funding aims to accelerate the deployment of hybrid connectivity that integrates terrestrial and space networks, and brings the total value of the programme to €44 million with industry co-financing.
Currently China and the US are dominating the market for satellite connectivity.
Univity, formerly known as Constellation Technologies & Operations, working with telecoms infrastructure group TDF, will lead a demonstration project to test 5G connectivity delivered via very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites.
The experiment will assess how satellite-based 5G, fully designed and built in France, can interoperate with conventional mobile networks to deliver high-speed, low-latency services.
TDF will manage the operational side of the project, including hosting, installing, and maintaining three ground gateway stations (two in mainland France and one overseas) that will link satellites with terrestrial operators’ infrastructure.
Caroline Laurent, director of orbital systems and applications at CNES, said the initiative was intended to “prepare, through the in-orbit demonstration ‘uniShape,’ a satellite-based 5G-NTN service designed to meet the needs of terrestrial operators.”
She added that Univity’s planned “uniSky” constellation could offer a distinct French solution for space-based 5G connectivity.
The project will be rolled out in two phases. Between July 2025 and April 2026, partners will work on technical specifications and use case studies. From April 2026 to February 2028, two VLEO 5G satellites will be assembled, tested, launched and operated in orbit to demonstrate real-world services.
“This project represents a true strategic milestone for us,” said Véronique Bonnet, programme director at Univity. “It validates both our expertise and our vision of converging terrestrial and space networks.”
Jean-Louis Mounier, managing director of TDF’s TowerCo business unit, described the initiative as a key moment for the company, highlighting its role in integrating “the space dimension” into telecom infrastructure.
