Major European broadcast operators signal to mobile OEMs 5G broadcast commercial services readiness set to begin in 2027

In a significant step towards planning first commercial service across the European continent, the 5G Broadcast Strategic Task Force (5BSTF) – comprising Media Broadcast (Germany), TDF (France), Cordiant Capital (UK), Emitel (Poland), CRA (Czech Republic), BTCY (Belgium), and RAI (Italy), supported by Rohde & Schwarz (Germany),  is driving the development of a joint commercial roadmap across six European markets representing more than 270 million people. 

5BSTF is an initiative created in September 2024 by Media Broadcast (MB) and TDF, two major stakeholders of the broadcasting industry in Germany and France together with the leading Technology Provider, Rohde & Schwarz. The goal is to signal the 5G Broadcast market readiness and to pave the way towards the first commercial networks. Shortly after its creation, Cordiant Capital, owner of Emitel, České Radiokomunikace (CRA) and Belgium Tower Company (BTCY) joined together with RAI to form the Task Force to prove the ecosystem readiness.

5BSTF is employing a streamlined approach that outlines three Sprints aimed at developing Value Propositions for OEMs.

Today marks the conclusion of the first Sprint, where the Task Force members focused on reaching a population coverage of 125 million residents across Germany, France, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. 5BSTF members identify a completely new addressable market projected to emerge from Q2 2027.

The private Broadcast Network Operators (BNOs) participating in the Task Force are prepared to transform part of their existing infrastructure into 5G Broadcast network connectivity. As a result, content providers and broadcasters will deliver specific services, mainly focusing on live and linear audiovisual content that has an existing base of loyal fans and subscribers eager to engage further with the content.

“We are glad to see private Broadcast Network Operators (BNOs) participating in the Task Force are ready to leverage the existing DTT infrastructure to enable the world’s first 5G Broadcast network connectivity, hence paving the way towards the broadcasting modernization and transforming the broadcasting business landscape,” highlights the 5BSTF Team.

5G Broadcast enables a variety of new multimedia services with lower latency and guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS), thus improving the overall consumer Quality of Experience (QoE). It brings the exceptional DTT video quality into smartphones and tablets, available in additional use cases like transport or outdoor for a rejuvenated editor audience. The new broadcast technology comes with a simplified and flat infrastructure having a minimum impact on the environment with minimum CO2 emissions and lowering the barrier for consumers to enjoy premium Zero-rated content with longer battery lifetime.

The emergence of a new addressable market has prompted several mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to assess the business opportunities presented by 5G Broadcast technology, particularly given the low entry barriers on a global scale that align with their strategic goals, as has been extensively confirmed in 2025 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona. At present, these manufacturers are conducting extensive field trials utilizing readily available commercial devices, while simultaneously seeking innovative methods to broaden their product range and enhance the device upgrade cycle, all aimed at providing an outstanding consumer experience.

The work of the 5BSTF is gaining interest across the rest of Europe, Latin America and Asia, where the emergence of new market participants is expected to support its mission and contribute to the development of this nascent market. This expansion is likely to increase its scale and attract greater interest from OEMs, thereby broadening the addressable market even further.