5G base stations supporting satellite wireless access by user equipments

Satellite access to a public land mobile network (PLMN) with a Fifth Generation (5G) core network (5GCN) is supported by a serving satellite NodeB (gNB). The gNB determines or verifies a country in which a user equipment (UE) is located to ensure that the UE is located in the same country as the 5GCN. The gNB receives assistance data from a location server and receives UE measurements of DL signals from a plurality of satellites, e.g., GNSS satellites and/or communication satellites. The assistance data may be solicited or unsolicited by the gNB. The gNB uses the UE measurements and assistance data to determine a location and country of the UE. The gNB allows access by the UE to the 5GCN when the country matches a country of the 5GCN and may provide the 5GCN with an indication of whether the country of the UE was verified.