SoftBank successfully delivered end-to-end 5G connectivity to standard smartphones using an airborne base station , in a live field trial conducted in June, above Hachijō Island, Japan. The company used a light aircraft flying at 3,000 meters to simulate a high-altitude platform, linking ground infrastructure to devices via a 26 GHz feeder connection and a 1.7 GHz service link. According to SoftBank, the service link in the trial operated on the 1.7 GHz band, which is already supported by most 5G phones sold around the world. And thanks to recent ITU decisions at WRC-23, operators like SoftBank can now deploy HAPS in terrestrial mobile bands, including 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 1.7 GHz, and 2.5 GHz. SoftBank’s work could lead to 5G service in places where towers don’t reach, like disaster zones, offshore waters, or remote islands.