5G Broadcast ends the era of Internet-dependent streaming
No Internet? No problem. 5G Broadcast will keep the show going.
Content consumption has come a long way since TV first made its way into our living rooms. Once a big event that gathered everyone to watch their favorite shows together in the living room, today it has become something that can be enjoyed almost anytime, anywhere—as long as we’re connected to the Internet.
But even that is about to change. The introduction of the new 5G Broadcast transmission standard now makes it possible to view linear broadcast content on mobile devices without internet or Wi-Fi.
Here’s what you’ll learn from this article:
- What is the 5G Broadcast transmission standard, and how does it work?
- How long before 5G Broadcast is ready for public use?
- Can any mobile device receive 5G broadcast, and what about other devices?
What is 5G broadcasting, and how does it work?
5G broadcast, officially known as LTE-based 5G Terrestrial Broadcast, is a transmission standard that delivers TV, radio, and other media directly to mobile devices within a 60 km range of high-tower-high-power (HTHP) transmitters.
These devices don’t need a SIM card, Internet, or even WiFi, since the data stream is distributed via radio cell infrastructure—the same one that delivers digital terrestrial television (DTT) to our homes.
The 5G Broadcast standard was developed by 3GPP, a collective of organizations that define protocols for mobile telecommunications.
Is 5G Broadcast the same as 5G?
No, they’re not the same. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks, a new standard that builds on the foundation set by 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 5G Broadcast is a specific application defined by 3GPP that utilizes existing DTT infrastructure to distribute the media content.
How long before 5G Broadcast is ready for wide public use?
5G Broadcast is and has been ready for commercial use since early 2023. Austrian Broadcasting Services (ORS), the parent company of Insys VT, has been actively involved in the development of the 5G broadcast initiative since 2019. By 2020, they had established a 5G Broadcast testbed in Vienna, Austria, with the view to trial the new transmission standard until the end of 2024.
So far, there have been two notable live tests of 5G Broadcast applications performed by ORS.
The first occurred during the 40th Vienna Donauinselfest (Danube Island in Vienna), Europe’s largest open-air festival, and focused on latency and hybrid distribution of 5G Broadcast standard. The goal was to see how well the crowd could receive live content from the festival stages over 5G Broadcast, how seamlessly the streams could be integrated into the existing backend environment of the public broadcaster (ORF) in Austria, and to ensure everyone could catch every moment with barely any delay.
Insys VT’s Professional Services team set up the video distribution in the backend to enable access to the content from the Danube Island via both distribution paths, 5G Broadcast, and the content delivery network of ORS.
The second event took place at the MotoGP™ event at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, where various signals, including the Servus TV broadcast and onboard camera perspectives from the riders, were transmitted directly to 5G broadcast-enabled smartphones at the race. ORS, with the support of Insys VT, modified a van to a mobile 5G Broadcast transmitter to cover the full race track area.
Austria isn’t the only country that has tested 5G Broadcast technology. Numerous working groups and trials have been launched globally, with a particular focus on Europe, to evaluate its capabilities and performance in rural regions.
Source: 5G MAG
In fact, 5G Broadcast is already happening.
ORS’s product line, Nakolos, is dedicated to developing technologies for seamless switching between internet streaming (broadband) and 5G Broadcast on smartphones and tablets.
When multiple users access the same content simultaneously, such as during a live event, the Nakolos solution automatically shifts the transmission to 5G Broadcast, optimizing CDN usage and cutting costs. All this happens without affecting the quality of the stream as the users don’t even notice the switch.
Can any mobile device receive 5G broadcast?
Not all mobile devices can. A smartphone needs a compatible chipset from suppliers like Qualcomm or Mediatek, which needs to support sub-700 MHz frequencies, particularly within the UHF spectrum of 470 to 694 MHz. Besides the chip, one also needs additional software (like Nakolos), which enables the app to receive 5G Broadcast from the chipset.
However, the first unified receiver profile for Europe was recently released to bring the 5G Broadcast closer to the public view. The profile aims to standardize technical requirements across smartphones to support wider compatibility and sustainable business models for broadcasters and network operators.
While the profile is currently under review and awaiting feedback from the European broadcast industry, it’s worth mentioning that Qualcomm has already launched a prototype of the first 5G broadcast-capable smartphone at MWC 2022 in Barcelona.
What about other devices and platforms?
When it comes to expanding 5G Broadcast to other devices and platforms, there’s no reason why smart TVs equipped with the necessary chipsets can’t be part of the equation. Discussions are underway to explore its application in this and other areas, such as car infotainment systems.
On the other hand, using a dedicated device that receives 5G Broadcast and distributes the signal throughout your home network would be more efficient. Just bear in mind that while this concept is promising, no such solution is currently in development.
How will 5G broadcasting impact the OTT & streaming market?
Low latency for live events
Streaming smaller, local live events might seem easy to handle. But everything changes when you’re talking about major events like Formula 1 races or Champions League games. All of a sudden, you need to be able to handle higher-than-usual peak load while delivering the best viewing experience possible.
5G Broadcast offers a glass-to-glass latency of less than one second, regardless of the size of your event. Sending one high-quality stream to all viewers instead of multiple streams via CDN also cuts down distribution costs while ensuring top-tier performance.
5G Broadcast standalone
Let’s say you’re a broadcaster who wants to extend your reach beyond traditional TV while maintaining 24/7 availability and high-quality performance. With 5G Broadcast standalone, you can create dedicated mobile channels that operate independently of both internet connections and cellular networks.
This system works alongside standard ATSC and DVB networks, providing a continuous feed to mobile devices at any time, anywhere.
Seamless switching between 5G Broadcast and broadband
With 5G Broadcast, you can forget all about buffering and not being able to continue streaming when you’re out of your broadband range. The technology ensures your video plays uninterrupted by automatically shifting between the internet and 5G broadcast, so you’ll hardly notice a change.
Broadcast on demand
Imagine you’re streaming a live event like a concert in a busy city. As demand for the stream spikes in a particular area, 5G Broadcast can kick in automatically, offloading the stream from the CDN. This reduces bandwidth costs for the provider and ensures that viewers continue to enjoy a high-quality experience without buffering.
5G Broadcast is just getting started.
As the development of the new 5G Broadcast transmission standard continues, the next phase will focus on combining broadcast and unicast connectivity which will facilitate more personalized content like local ads and regional programming.
And while some of these concepts are still in the early stages, the direction is clear—5G Broadcast is shaping up to be a flexible and high-quality media distribution system.
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