By Joe Tan
For decades, broadcast engineers celebrated the miracle of TV — the ability to beam moving images over the air to living rooms. Today, that miracle is moving into our pockets. As audiences increasingly consume content on smartphones and other mobile devices, broadcasters are racing to adapt, explore new technologies that blend the efficiency of traditional over-the-air broadcast with the versatility of 5G mobile networks.
Driving the next wave of broadcast innovation are breakthroughs such as GatesAir’s 5G passthrough via Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) and proof-of-concept trials led by Rohde & Schwarz with partners in Brazil. Together, these developments have the potential to transform how broadcasters engage audiences, unlock new monetising models, and deliver a frictionless mobile viewing experience.
At IBC 2025, GatesAir showcased its 5G passthrough demo, highlighting how its Maxiva XTE exciter can deliver live TV content directly to smartphones over 5G waveforms. Unlike conventional mobile network delivery, this approach leverages UHF channels, historically reserved for traditional TV broadcasts, to transmit 5G-enabled content, thus opening new possibilities for mobile viewing and spectrum efficiency.
The benefits are twofold.
For broadcasters, UHF channels provide a dedicated pathway to offload content without consuming scarce mobile spectrum, allowing 5G networks to remain focused on voice and conventional mobile traffic.
For consumers, the advantage lies in accessibility. Content can be received and decoded directly on existing devices, removing the need for additional hardware or complex applications.
According to GatesAir, this technology enables broadcasters to adopt 5G delivery without the need to replace existing transmitters. The Maxiva portfolio, including ULXTE, UAXTE, and OP Series transmitters, is built for standards-agnostic transmission, while its software-defined XTE exciter supports both current digital and analogue TV formats. Together, these capabilities provide broadcasters with the flexibility to navigate an evolving media landscape.
Raymond Miklius, Vice-President of Technology at GatesAir, said, “Visitors to our booth at IBC were actively assessing the possibility that offloading broadcast content to UHF frequencies may become a reality within the next five to 10 years. With more trials on the horizon, our purpose is to show broadcasters that we are actively prepared to assist when that time arrives, especially in Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific region that are pursuing trials.”
While GatesAir is ready to collaborate with broadcasters on the next phase of mobile content delivery, Rohde & Schwarz, working with Qualcomm Technologies and Motorola, demonstrated a real-world 5G broadcast proof-of-concept at SET Expo in Brazil last year. The trial transmitted TV programming and value-added services directly to mobile devices using duplex gap broadcasting, a technique that delivers robust coverage while preventing interference with existing 5G cellular traffic and digital TV networks.
Brazil is undergoing a transition to a TV 3.0 digital ecosystem, supported by Article 4 of the Brazilian Presidential Decree, which authorises complementary technologies for mobile broadcasting. At SET Expo, the proof-of-concept demonstrated that 5G broadcasting can deliver strong signals to mobile devices, extending coverage beyond the convention centre into surrounding streets. Notably, after a month of continuous operation, no interference with existing mobile networks was detected.
Thiago Nakagawa, Head of Rohde & Schwarz Broadcast in Brazil, said, “This demonstration confirms that 5G broadcast is a viable solution for delivering mobile TV and a range of value-added services without impacting existing services.”
The collaboration underscores the strategic importance of industry partnerships in driving broadcast-to-mobile innovations. Qualcomm Technologies contributed test devices and technical expertise, while Motorola validated the solution on specially prepared handsets, including the Motorola Razr 50 and Moto Edge Plus.
Martin Errante, LATAM Portfolio Director at Motorola, said, “Motorola is committed to innovation in mobile technology, and 5G broadcast represents a significant step forward. In collaboration with Qualcomm and Rohde & Schwarz, Motorola reaffirms its leadership in innovation by conducting tests with specially prepared equipment to validate the technology, highlighting our commitment to delivering cutting-edge connectivity experiences for the future.”
For broadcasters in Asia-Pacific, these developments signal a potential shift in content delivery strategy. Traditional over-the-air broadcasts have long been valued for their efficiency, with a single transmission reaching millions of viewers simultaneously. By integrating 5G passthrough over UHF, broadcasters can extend this one-to-many model to mobile devices without consuming scarce mobile spectrum or investing in entirely new and costly transmission infrastructure.
The impact goes beyond efficiency. In Southeast Asia, where mobile consumption is surging and smartphone penetration ranks among the highest globally, broadcast-to-mobile presents new revenue opportunities. Advertisers gain direct access to viewers on their phones, while broadcasters can experiment with interactive features, on-demand programming, and real-time updates, all delivered through the same UHF infrastructure that has long powered traditional TV.
Moreover, the technology mitigates one of the key challenges in mobile video delivery: network congestion. By enabling 5G broadcast over UHF, content can be delivered to vast audiences simultaneously, bypassing bandwidth bottlenecks that typically strain cellular networks during major events or live broadcasts.
Nevertheless, adopting broadcast-to-mobile technologies requires careful navigation of regulatory frameworks, spectrum allocation, and device compatibility. GatesAir has shown that its 5G passthrough solution works with existing Maxiva ULXTE, UAXTE, and OP Series transmitters, supporting both digital and analogue TV standards without requiring new hardware.
Proof-of-concept trials, such as the 5G broadcast demonstration in Brazil by Rohde & Schwarz, Qualcomm, and Motorola, have shown that 5G broadcast can deliver content to mobile devices via duplex gap broadcasting without disrupting existing mobile networks. These results indicate that mobile broadcast delivery is not only technically feasible but also capable of operating within established regulatory and spectrum frameworks.
As Asia-Pacific accelerates its adoption of high-speed mobile connectivity, the convergence of broadcast and 5G technologies represents not just an evolution, but a revolution in content delivery, consumption, and monetisation. While the living room may remain the traditional hub for television, the future of broadcast is unmistakably mobile — resting in the palm of your hand.
