I’ve been following the developments in over-the-air television closely, and something interesting is brewing—what looks like the early stages of a format war. Right now, the major U.S. broadcasters are backing ATSC 3.0, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing.
Now, a company called HC2 Broadcasting Holdings, which owns about 60 low-power TV stations across the country, is asking the FCC for permission to use a different technology entirely: 5G TV. Instead of sending out ATSC 3 signals, they want to use the same spectrum to transmit using mobile phone standards, essentially turning TV broadcasting into a data service compatible with 5G phones and presumably set-top boxes. I dive more into what 5G TV is all about in my latest video.
If the FCC allows low powered stations to use 5G technology, we might be looking at two separate approaches to the future of free over the air TV. 5G TV’s backers are hoping that the technology can be cheaply built into mobile phones which have a far higher adoption rate vs. those using antennas on televisions for over the air television.
The way 5G TV works is relatively straightforward. It uses the same modulation as 5G mobile data but is designed for one-way communication—broadcasting data like video streams without requiring a return signal. It would operate in the 470 to 698 MHz range, which is the same frequency band currently used by low-power TV stations. That makes the transition more feasible from a technical perspective, assuming the FCC gives the green light.
What HC2 seems to be banking on is a future where phones can tune into TV signals without a mobile phone service subscription. In theory, a $20 prepaid phone from a big-box store could be enough to access live television and emergency broadcasts. That’s a significant departure from ATSC 3.0, which currently restricts playing back content on anything other than approved TV box.
This 5G-based approach also offers flexibility beyond just video. Since it’s essentially an IP data stream, broadcasters could use it to push all kinds of content. Speeds wouldn’t be blazing fast—maybe 10 to 25 Mbps—but that’s more than enough for several video channels. There’s also potential for emergency communication. In a stadium, for example, people could receive live camera angles or evacuation instructions without clogging up traditional mobile networks.
At the moment, there are no consumer devices that can tune into these 5G TV signals. So if a format war is on the horizon they’ll have a lot of catching up to do with ATSC 3.0 which, while flawed, still has been shipping on higher end televisions for awhile now. But given 5G TV works over the same technology mobile phones use already it shouldn’t be a heavy lift to add it to next generation handsets.
Most of HC2’s stations aren’t broadcasting high-quality content today. Most are just looping infomercials or retransmitting cable channels, often only running standard definition programming. Pivoting to data casting might offer them a more profitable path forward with a larger potential audience, especially if they can license out access or offer value-added services through the new format.
It’s worth watching how the FCC responds. If they approve the request, these broadcasters would have the option to pursue 5G TV instead of sticking with ATSC standards. That kind of flexibility could open the door to innovation, or at least force a new conversation about what over-the-air TV should look like moving forward.