This paper will explore the exciting use cases and architecture of high altitude platform stations
(HAPS). Our purpose is to help governments, investors, and potential customers understand the
scenarios in which HAPS could offer better connectivity than satellites, complementing cellular
terrestrial networks with direct-to-handset applications.
HAPS are typically balloons or solar/hydrogen-powered airplanes, which can act as base stations,
staying aloft in the stratosphere (at a typical altitude of 18-24 km) for several weeks or months.
Like satellites, HAPS can provide non-terrestrial network (NTN) services. HAPS advantages over
satellites include:
1. Unlike satellites, HAPS can work with most end-users’ handsets.
2. HAPS can cover a large service area with a higher throughput and lower latency than
satellite links.
They are ideal for bringing high-speed broadband to remote and unserved areas, supplementing
existing networks.
In this document, you’ll find analyses of many potential use cases for HAPS, including:
1. Providing coverage in areas with no cellular networks.
2. Filling in gaps in cellular coverage.
3. Emergency communications/disaster recovery.
4. Extending coverage over the sea.
We also consider aspects of the network topology and how HAPS can be coordinated with low
Earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellites., before exploring different
backhaul options and the necessary link budget in a scenario where the coverage area is stricken
by bad weather. The paper also considers the integration of HAPS with cellular infrastructure, the
advantages the technology offers over traditional satellite-based communications and outlines the
technical characteristics of HAPS.