Qualcomm’s 5G Broadcast Plan for Smartphones Gets R&S Backing

Rohde & Schwartz endorses Qualcomm’s proposal that the FCC seek comment in the same proceeding as ATSC 3.0 for deploying the 5G Broadcast standard for over-the-air TV content delivery to mobile devices (see 2208080065), said the broadcast equipment vendor in reply comments Tuesday in docket 16-142. Adding 5G Broadcast support to “existing and upcoming” smartphones and tablets “is just a matter of software and middleware adjustment and upgrades,” said R&S. “In other terms, there will be no need for additional silicon or any hardware changes within the same mobile devices,” it said. “Based on its flexible design, 5G Broadcast can be implemented hand-in-hand with ATSC 3.0 within the same 6 MHz channel.”