Lights, Camera, Direct-to-Mobile : 5G Broadcast
FROM THE EDITOR
Aug 28, 2026
If you still think 5G Broadcast is just a neat lab experiment, it’s time to update your feed. The industry is officially ditching trial runs and cranking up the volume on commercial readiness. Across the globe, mobile tech and broadcast heavyweights are locking arms to prove that Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) delivery isn't just coming—it’s already here, and it's built to keep cellular networks from choking on live traffic.
Need proof? Just look at the field notes coming out of India. Qualcomm, working alongside Prasar Bharati and Reliance Jio, put 5G Broadcast through its paces in the bustling streets of Delhi. Broadcasting directly to commercial smartphones and CPEs from the giant Pitampura TV Tower, the team showed how High-Power High-Tower setups can throw linear signals across massive urban spans. The trial proved that smart modulation trade-offs and localized fill-ins are the secret sauce for punching through thick concrete walls—guaranteeing that packed stadiums and dense city centers get smooth streaming without crashing local cell towers.
And don't forget, Brazil is testing 5G Broadcast technology in select regions like Curitiba and São Paulo for mobile reception complimenting TV 3.0 to the home.
Meanwhile, software engineers are tearing up the latency rulebook. Nakolos just turned heads by pairing 5G Broadcast with Media over QUIC (MoQ), cracking the sub-one-second glass-to-glass latency mark. It gives sports fans sub-second speed alongside the sheer, unchokeable scale of a broadcast tower—seamlessly switching to broadband only when extra flexibility is needed.
The hardware and software ecosystem is expanding right alongside these network advances. Solutions provider XGN is rolling into IBC 2026 with a fresh product stack designed to connect the entire broadcast path:
Arthur: A sleek, client-side receiver software stack built to make stream decoding completely seamless.
Beacon: XGN’s proprietary 5G Broadcast Core, handling dynamic channel allocation and heavy-lifting core management with ease.
Charlie: The physical muscle—a 5G Broadcast hardware receiver tuned for live signal testing, lab validation, and real-world deployment.
Connect with the 5G Broadcast Collective at IBC 2026
The 5G Broadcast Collective (5GBC) will be on-site at RAI Amsterdam from September 11–14, 2026. We’ll be discussing global deployment strategies, regulatory frameworks, network integration, and practical ways to bring D2M to your region.Whether you are a broadcaster exploring D2M opportunities or a network operator planning spectrum strategies, we’d be thrilled to connect throughout the show. Stop by Booth 1.F37 to catch up with our team and explore live technology demonstrations.
We look forward to meeting you on the show floor!
(Editor, 5G Broadcast Collective)
ARTICLES
Qualcomm : 5G Broadacst Direct to Mobile India Trial
Qualcomm conduscted a trial to evaluate if 5G Broadcast can serve as a practical Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) pathway for India. They used 578Mhz for HPHT network and 570Mhz for LPLT network to demonstrate a mixed HPHT/LPLT deployment model, with mobile reception on Motorola smartphones while also utilizing 5G Broadcast compatible CPE units to deliver 5G Broadcast services to legacy devices, highlighting the technology's ability to extend broadcast services beyond native-capable devices.
Big Blue Marble’s Next-Gen 5G Capabilities with Nakolos
Big Blue Marble will showcase new developments for its Nakolos 5G Broadcast platform at IBC2026, demonstrating how the technology is evolving to support new use cases and delivery models. Working with technology partners TREDESS, SYES and Bitstem, Big Blue Marble will show what it believes to be the world’s first seamless switching between 5G Broadcast and Media over QUIC (MoQ) with ultra-low glass-to-glass latency.
XGN Unveils End-to-End 5G Broadcast Innovations Ahead of IBC
XGN is advancing its commitment to the 5G Broadcast ecosystem at IBC with the launch of three core solutions. The rollout spans the full broadcast path—anchored by Beacon (XGN’s proprietary Broadcast Core), supported on the device layer by Arthur (receiver software), and realized in the field through Charlie (a dedicated 5G Broadcast receiver). The expanded portfolio underscores XGN's leadership in commercializing next-generation mobile broadcast technologies.
EVENTS
