Broadcasters clash over 5G Broadcast as standalone FCC Part 74 standard
The Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance (ATBA) opposes the LPTV Broadcasters Association's (LPTVBA) request to the FCC to authorize 3GPP 5G Broadcast as a standalone Part 74 standard. ATBA's Executive Director, Lee Allen Miller, called the move "the wrong policy path," while LPTVBA Chairman Frank Copsidas prepares a rebuttal to the disagreement.
Key Takeaways
- LPTVBA Chairman Frank Copsidas seeks voluntary 5G Broadcast authorization under FCC Part 74 rules for LPTV spectrum.
- ATBA Executive Director Lee Allen Miller rejected the standalone proposal, citing concerns over industry control and policy direction.
- The dispute centers on whether 5G Broadcast is a competing standard or a feature to be carried within ATSC 3.0 signals.
- LPTVBA argues the move enables direct-to-mobile delivery to 5G smartphones without requiring additional hardware or SIM cards.
Why It Matters
This regulatory friction highlights a rift in the broadcast industry's mobile strategy. While ATSC 3.0 was designed as the next-generation broadcast gateway, LPTV operators argue its slow mobile device penetration necessitates the 3GPP-native 5G Broadcast standard to reach consumers directly. If the FCC grants standalone status, it could fragment the technical roadmap for terrestrial television and potentially invite wireless carriers to lobby for further spectrum reallocation. The immediate impact is a stalled consensus at the FCC, which may delay spectrum modernization for smaller broadcasters. Watch for the FCC's response to MB Docket 25-168 to see if Chairman Brendan Carr prioritizes 5G flexibility over the unified ATSC 3.0 transition.
Additional Context
The dispute follows a formal letter sent by the LPTV Broadcasters Association to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on May 12, 2026. The association urged the commission to recognize 3GPP Releases 16 through 19 as a voluntary transmission option, claiming it would allow LPTV stations to reach millions of 5G-enabled devices slated for Q3 2026 rollouts. Per TV Technology, the LPTVBA projects the U.S. market for 5G Broadcast services and infrastructure could grow tenfold by 2031 if regulatory barriers are removed.
Conversely, the ATBA and major industry figures argue that 5G Broadcast is already supported within the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem. In a May 2026 op-ed, Sinclair Broadcast Group's Mark Aitken contended that 5G Broadcast signals can be carried inside an ATSC 3.0 transmission using time-multiplexed payloads. The ATBA’s Lee Allen Miller noted that a live demonstration of this integrated architecture was conducted at the NAB Show in April 2026 by the company Castanet, suggesting that standalone authorization is unnecessary and risks exposing broadcast spectrum to future reallocation by cellular carriers.
The FCC’s current focus remains on the broader ATSC 3.0 transition. According to an FCC report from October 2025, NextGen TV service has reached over 70% of the U.S. population with more than 14 million compatible television sets sold. However, smartphone integration remains the primary hurdle for broadcasters, fueling the LPTVBA's push for a standard that bypasses the need for specialized ATSC tuners in mobile devices.
Read full article at rbr.com
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