Advanced Television

TDF boosts large-scale 5G Broadcast trial

June 29, 2026

By Colin Mann

French broadcast infrastructure provider TDF is launching a new phase of its large-scale 5G Broadcast trial. An initial broadcast zone is being activated across several French urban areas, including Paris, Reims, Bourges and Le Havre.

At an event held in Paris on June 25th, TDF brought together numerous representatives from the audiovisual ecosystem to announce the launch of this new 5G Broadcast phase in France. The gathering featured presentations by Karim El Naggar, CEO of TDF; Christopher Baldelli, President of T18; and Jacques Donat-Bouillud, Director of Distribution at France Télévisions.

TDF notes that as video consumption shifts massively toward smartphones, a key question arises regarding the future of the audiovisual sector: how can we ensure open, free, and sovereign access to audiovisual content on mobile devices in the future?

For decades, DTT has guaranteed free, simultaneous, and universal access to audiovisual content. This model remains one of the few that ensures identical quality of service for everyone, regardless of connectivity conditions, said TDF.

In this context, 5G Broadcast represents a continuation of this approach. It does not replace existing broadcasting methods; it extends them. By enabling live television reception on smartphones without a SIM card, Wi-Fi, or data consumption, it brings the fundamental principles of traditional broadcasting to mobile devices while reducing reliance on connected networks.

According to TDF, 5G Broadcast offers broadcasters a new distribution capability tailored to mobile usage. The concept is simple: a single signal is transmitted once and received simultaneously by everyone, regardless of the number of users.

5G Broadcast extends the reach of free-to-air television to mobile screens—which account for an increasing share of video consumption—while preserving the qualities that drive the success of traditional broadcasting: simultaneity, quality of service, accessibility, and robustness.

This technology complements streaming platforms and apps rather than replacing them, suggested TDF. It adds a new component specifically suited to mass audiences and shared viewing experiences—areas where connected networks can reach their limits.

Through this approach, TDF says it is supporting the gradual evolution of the broadcasting landscape, preserving its core strengths – free, open, and equal access for all, combined with greater energy efficiency – while paving the way for new use cases.

For this large-scale trial, TDF is leveraging its diverse infrastructure assets. Several iconic, strategic sites have been mobilised and are already operational, including the Eiffel Tower (Paris), Meudon, Mantes-la-Jolie, Le Havre-Harfleur, Bourges-Neuvy and Reims-Hautvillers.

This initial broadcast zone allows for real-world testing and helps prepare for the next stages of the technology’s development. Further expansions are already scheduled for 2026, notably in Brittany, Eastern France, the Lyon area, and the South-West. The rollout will continue through 2027 and 2028 to support the gradual nationwide scaling up of 5G Broadcast.

According to TDF’s EL Naggar, 5G Broadcast builds on the legacy of DTT, adapting its core principles – free-to-air access, accessibility and resilience to mobile usage.

“It offers a complementary way to distribute content to the widest possible audience, free from the constraints of connected networks, while serving broadcasters, citizens, and audiovisual sovereignty. The phase we are launching today aims to establish—in collaboration with all industry stakeholders—the conditions for the gradual and sustainable development of this technology,” added El Naggar.

Categories: 5G, Articles, Broadcast, FTA, Mobile, Mobile TV, Services

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