Simply put, 5G Broadcast is terrestrial television designed for small mobile screens, i.e. mobile phones and tablets. It represents a one-way flow of information from the transmitter to the receiver, so there is no risk of network congestion and outages due to mass connection requests, as is the case with internet streams. Its reception is not tied to a SIM card or the use of mobile data. We have written more about this technology in several articles by Václav Udatný. But what does the implementation of 5G Broadcast look like in practice in the Czech Republic? The only real tests of this standard are being carried out by the CRA. They are currently underway in Prague, where the functioning of the single-frequency 5G Broadcast network and new Motorola mobile phones with the necessary chip equipment are being tested.
Where will the necessary frequencies come from?
In the past, the CRA promised to launch regular 5G Broadcast operations as early as 2027, but later postponed this date to 2028. Testing in Czechia began in 2022 and is now in its third phase, which began in October 2025. Although the experiment is limited to Prague, the updated Radio Spectrum Utilisation Plan (PVRS) for the UHF band, published last autumn by the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ), allocates frequencies for experimental broadcasting in Brno and Ostrava as well. It is precisely these frequencies that the CRA wants to build on when launching the final 5G Broadcast network. "According to the current PVRS, frequencies in the 600 MHz band are allocated for experimental 5G Broadcast transmission. For the final network, we plan to use the 600 MHz band, including frequencies from multiplex 25, alternatively with a 700 MHz duplex gap," says Marcel Procházka, director of the CRA's regulation and legal department.
Multiplex 25 is a so-called DVB-T2 development network, which CRA was to receive as compensation for the more complex transition from DVB-T to DVB-T2. Its allocation to the company is provided for in the 2016 Government Strategy for the Development of Terrestrial Digital Television Broadcasting in the Czech Republic. However, this form of compensation must be notified to the European Commission, which has not yet happened. In addition, the CTU has temporarily released the frequencies allocated for development networks 25 and 26 (which were to be acquired by Czech Television for the development of regional and community broadcasting) until the end of 2030 for the coverage of nationwide television multiplexes 21, 22, 23 and 24, the development of regional DVB-T/-T2 networks and experimental broadcasting (which may be something other than 5G Broadcast). However, the CRA expects to be technically ready (including the network) to launch regular 5G Broadcast in 2028.
The CRA wants to cover 50 to 70% of the Czech population
However, it should not be nationwide broadcasting, because 5G Broadcast requires more transmitters than classic television broadcasting in DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards for large screens. Marcel Procházka expects the CRA to focus on larger urban agglomerations, including regional and district cities. "Theplanned coverage is 50 to 70% of the population, with the final coverage depending on business models," Procházka explained in response to a question from Televizní web. "Technically, 5G Broadcast should be ready in 2028, primarily depending on the availability of frequencies and mobile phones,"he added. Currently, there are no mobile phone models with the necessary equipment available for sale on the Czech market, but this could change in the near future.
Last week, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a series of meetings were held with Qualcomm and major mobile phone manufacturers on the integration of the relevant chips into new models for the European market. The 5G Broadcast Task Force Group (5GBTFG) also met there, bringing together broadcasters and operators from France (TDF), Italy (RAI), Belgium (Tower Company), Germany (Media Broadcast). Poland (Emitel), the Czech Republic (CRA) and broadcast equipment manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz. This association expects 5G Broadcast to be launched in Europe in 2028 and aims to have 100 million active receivers across the continent by 2030. Incidentally, their prediction for the Czech Republic is that by 2030, the 5G Broadcast signal will cover 8.1 million inhabitants of Czechia, there will be 2.6 million compatible mobile phones, and 391,000 users will use mobile terrestrial television every month.
However, in addition to the lack of mobile phones equipped with the necessary Qualcomm chips, the 5G Broadcast business model is also a major challenge. That is, why should television station operators invest in 5G Broadcast in addition to DVB-T2, and how will this broadcasting pay off for them?
Source: televizniweb.mediar.cz