ETHER — sElf-evolving terrestrial/non-Terrestrial Hybrid nEtwoRks

ETHER — sElf-evolving terrestrial/non-Terrestrial Hybrid nEtwoRks

Project Overview

Project Overview

What problem did this project address?

Today’s mobile networks rely almost entirely on terrestrial infrastructure, which means connectivity is uneven, fragile, and expensive to maintain at scale. Rural areas remain underserved, coverage gaps persist across land, sea, and air routes, and extreme reliability targets required by future applications are far beyond what terrestrial networks alone can deliver.

At the same time, integrating satellites, aerial platforms, and terrestrial systems into a unified network is a complex challenge. These layers operate on different technologies, at different altitudes, with highly dynamic conditions. Coordinating them efficiently, while keeping energy use, latency, and operational costs under control, requires architectures and intelligence far beyond what current systems provide.

What we built

ETHER addressed this challenge by designing a unified, self-evolving RAN that seamlessly combines terrestrial, aerial, and non-terrestrial assets into one coordinated platform. It developed the enabling technologies, device design, handover mechanisms, flexible payloads, and AI-driven resource management that allow these networks to operate as a single, resilient system.

Net AI developed an algorithmic framework for network traffic forecasting and network optimisation, to enable full end-to-end management of network resources for different kinds of 6G services, whilst accounting for different types of 6G and very diverse (terrestrial, aerial, satellite) radio access domains.

Why is this important?

A unified terrestrial–non-terrestrial network has the potential to fundamentally reshape global connectivity. ETHER’s goals, 100% coverage, ultra-high reliability, and 3× better energy efficiency, directly support the vision for future 6G networks and unlock capabilities that are not feasible today.

This matters because:

  • Universal coverage enables connectivity everywhere: remote regions, oceans, airspace, and underserved communities.

  • Extreme reliability and continuity are essential for emerging 6G services such as autonomous mobility, remote operations, and large-scale IoT.

  • AI-enabled resource optimisation dramatically reduces operational costs and energy use, making next-generation networks both sustainable and economically viable.

  • Flexible, software-driven architectures allow networks to adapt in real time, evolve over their lifetime, and support new business models.

By helping build the predictive intelligence that optimises connectivity across terrestrial, aerial, and space layers, Net AI contributed to the core intelligence that allows ETHER’s “network of networks” to operate efficiently, sustainably, and autonomously.

About Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, providing €93.5 billion in funding between 2021 and 2027. It supports projects that tackle global challenges, advance sustainable technologies, and strengthen Europe’s scientific and industrial competitiveness.