5G-Broadcast: Laboratory Tests and Field Trials for the Mobile TV of Tomorrow

The new features introduced in the broadcast/multicast profile of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Rel-14/16, also known as “5G-broadcast,” represent a very promising opportunity to address the challenges of the media sector allowing, by means of a close synergy between network operators and content providers, more efficient use of both network and spectrum resources while reaching wider audiences. At present, content providers and broadcast operators are actively involved in several research projects aiming to analyze to what extent 5G can be used for large-scale transmission of TV signals to mobile/portable devices. In this respect, this article aims at providing a general overview of the potential of 5G-broadcast technologies by means of laboratory tests, coverage simulation analysis, and field trials, with a particular eye on some deployment models that could be attractive for all the involved players in the media chain. Specifically, Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI)-Centre for Research, Technology Innovation and Experimentation (CRITS) successfully tested 5G-broadcast technology with the coverage of the metropolitan area of Turin, and in the Aosta Valley with a single-frequency network.