Speaking at he Media2020 in Bucharest EBU Media Director Jean Philip De Tender called for the establishment of 5G Broadcast, allowing for free-to-air 5G services on any 5G device without needing a specific SIM card.
“Our feeling at EBU Headquarters, both in my Media Department and with our friends in the Technology Department, is that we must try to influence the technical standards for 5G, so that it can be used, not only for delivering internet video on demand services for which the user pays, but it should also enable a ‘5G-Broadcast’ ‘mode’ that allows the reception of free to air services,” he told delegates.
“That is to say, it should be possible to receive free-to-air 5G services on any 5G device without needing a specific SIM card.
“If this is done, the user would be able to enjoy high speed connections for both the conventional internet services and the equivalent of both linear broadcast and non-linear services, on the same mobile terminal. We could watch free-to-air TV channels on any terminal, including smart phone. If we can achieve this, we will have a ‘win-win’ situation for service providers and users.
“The question before us today is whether we can persuade standards’ groups to do so, and the network operators and handset makers to include this in their thinking.
“The EBU and other Members have been involved in a series of experiments on using 5G for broadcast delivery, so we know it can be done, and we are creating an alliance of companies to work on this.”
The full text of De Tender’s speech can be found on the EBU website.
