Integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial technologies in IoT networks

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technological progress in next-generation telecommunication networks, the integration of space-based innovations with terrestrial networks has emerged as a central focus of research and development within the scientific community. While the introduction of the Fifth Generation (5G) technology has brought massive improvements in term of latency and data rate, the evolving challenges within the domain of the Internet of Things (IoT) require for an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge solutions to cope with the digital divide problem and the need for ubiquitous connectivity even in harsh region. To bridge this gap, this work delves into the groundbreaking potential of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), by emphasizing the indispensable role played by the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) CubeSats. Furthermore, it also investigates terrestrial advancements in resource virtualization and emerging communication technologies, such as Light Fidelity (LiFi), for their pivotal contributions to the evolution of IoT. Finally, it showcases the immense potential of the integration between non-terrestrial and terrestrial technologies within the IoT domain, highlighting their capacity to serve as primary drivers of innovation.