German public broadcaster ARD has decided not to adopt the new 5G Broadcast standard for the time being, although it has not ruled out introducing the technology at a later date.
The decision was made by ARD’s directors at their recent meeting in Bremen, reports German industry publication Cable!vision Europe.
“At present, ARD has decided against investing in the new 5G Broadcast transmission technology but still considers a future rollout possible,” an ARD spokesperson confirmed to the magazine. “The relevant specialist committees will continue to monitor the market and developments in this area.”
The decision comes as a surprise given ARD’s involvement in numerous pilot projects over the past years to test the distribution of television channels and other services via 5G Broadcast. Test runs were carried out in several federal states, including Saxony-Anhalt, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg.
5G Broadcast enables the transmission of television, radio and other media content via mobile networks without consuming data on the user’s side. Like traditional broadcasting, one signal is transmitted to all reception devices. No mobile tariff contract or SIM card is required – a 5G Broadcast-compatible device such as a smartphone, tablet, or in-car entertainment system is sufficient.
The technology could also play a vital role in emergency communication, for instance during power outages or natural disasters. The broadcasts would be transmitted from high-power broadcast towers, which are generally equipped with emergency power supplies and diesel generators, enabling them to inform and warn the public over extended periods.
Prototypes of 5G Broadcast receivers already exist. At the Fraunhofer FOKUS Media Web Symposium held in Berlin in late June 2025, industry participants indicated that the first 5G Broadcast-compatible Android smartphones could become available in the first half of 2028.
While ARD has not completely closed the door on the technology, the decision by its leadership is undoubtedly a setback for hopes of an imminent rollout of 5G Broadcast in Germany.
