ETSI TS 103 720 LTE-based 5G Broadcast: version history, related 3GPP specifications and 5G-MAG's role maintaining it.
Overview
5G Broadcast delivers linear TV and radio to devices over a one-way, free-to-air signal, with no SIM, subscription or return channel required, reusing LTE/eMBMS radio technology (Long Term Evolution / evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service). It is distinct from 5G Multicast-Broadcast Services (MBS), which is native to the 5G core and NR; see Standards: 5G Multicast Broadcast Services (MBS). 5G-MAG maintains the underlying ETSI specification and contributes the requirements and fixes that shape each new version. For acronyms used here, see the Glossary.
Technology & Analysis
The deeper technical treatment of 5G Broadcast delivery and receiver behaviour.
About ETSI TS 103 720 - 5G Broadcast System for linear TV and radio services
ETSI TS 103 720 introduces the 5G Broadcast System and its associated features. LTE-based 5G Broadcast is a profile of existing 3GPP specifications that addresses all requirements of a 5G Broadcast System, defining the functions, reference points and receiver categories needed to deploy linear television and radio services, among others.
Quick access
- Kanban - ETSI TS 103 720
- ETSI JTC Broadcast - Work Item towards v1.3.1
- ETSI TS 103 720 v1.2.1 06-2023
- ETSI JTC Broadcast - Work Item towards v1.2.1
- ETSI TS 103 720 v1.1.1 12-2020
Version history at a glance
The table summarises the version-to-Release-to-status mapping; the sections below give the detailed changes for each version. The work-in-progress items for each new version are discussed and agreed among members on the Kanban - ETSI TS 103 720 board (linked once here and under Quick access).
| Version | Date | 3GPP Release | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1.1.1 | 12-2020 | Rel-16 baseline | Published |
| v1.2.1 | 06-2023 | Rel-17 | Published |
| v1.3.1 | in progress | Rel-18, extending to Rel-19 | Work item open |
Updates towards ETSI TS 103 720 v1.3.1
5G-MAG is now conducting the updates towards the new version of the specification. In 2024, it kicked off the new work item to update the specification according to 3GPP Release 18, extending it to also cover Release 19.
The additions, discussed and agreed among members on the Kanban board, include:
- Extensions in 3GPP Rel-18 to address additional use cases and scenarios;
- Identified bugs or at least clarification questions from implementors of ETSI TS 103 720, in particular by 5G-MAG;
- New requirements identified by 5G-MAG;
- Extensions to DVB-I to support 5G Broadcast;
- Band support for receivers including Band 108 (UHF);
- 5G Broadcast as an improvement to the Public Warning System (PWS);
- Deployment Guidelines on concurrent support of 5G Broadcast and 5G Unicast;
- Support for 3GPP Service URLs;
- Deployment receiver profiles including a RAN-only profile;
- Low-latency distribution;
- Potential support of other improvements identified in the timeline of the work item.
Updates towards ETSI TS 103 720 v1.2.1
5G-MAG completed the 3GPP Release 17 updates for ETSI TS 103 720 v1.2.1 in 2023. The additions, discussed and agreed among members on the Kanban board, included:
- Bug fixes, clarifications and upgrade to 3GPP Rel-17 specification
- Adding receiver requirements for consistent network planning including requirements on demodulation performance
- Adding bandwidth information, including 6/7/8 MHz, and broadcast UHF spectrum (based on 3GPP RAN work items)
- Support of 5GMS (5G Media Streaming) over eMBMS with reference to 3GPP TS 26.501 including hybrid use cases
- Codecs and Formats with reference to 5GMS in 3GPP TS 26.511
- Support for public warning and emergency alerts based on cell broadcast services.
ETSI TS 103 720 v1.2.1 defines three normative receiver categories, signalled through MBMS Feature Values in the User Service Description:
| Feature value | Category | Mandatory SCS |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | LTE-based 5G Broadcast Base Receiver | 1.25 kHz mandatory; other SCS optional |
| 28 | LTE-based 5G Broadcast Main Receiver | All SCS (15, 7.5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.37 kHz) |
| 30 | 5GMS via LTE-based 5G Broadcast Receiver | Main Receiver plus 5GMS requirements |
The v1.2.1 specification PDF and its work item are linked under Quick access above. For the capabilities each category is aimed at, see Deployment Profiles.
Publication of ETSI TS 103 720 v1.1.1
5G-MAG undertook the maintenance of ETSI TS 103 720 in 2021. The initial version (v1.1.1) of this document addressed:
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Support of Free-to-Air (FTA) and Receive-Only Mode (ROM) services.
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Network dedicated to linear TV/radio, using supplemental downlink channels and spectrum.
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Single Frequency Network (SFN) deployments with distances larger than cellular sites
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Support for mobility scenarios (e.g. up to 250 km/h) for cars, with external antennas.
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Support for common streaming distribution formats such as Dynamic Streaming over HTTP (DASH), Common Media Application Format (CMAF) and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS).
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Support for IP-based services such as IPTV or ABR multicast.
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Support for different file delivery services such as scheduled delivery or file carousels.
Related 3GPP Specifications
This is a list of specifications in the scope of Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) and LTE-based 5G Terrestrial Broadcast. LTE-based 5G Broadcast reuses the MBMS delivery framework over the LTE radio, including its further-enhanced variant (FeMBMS, Further enhanced Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service). The specifications are filterable below by the function they cover, following the same physical layer, RRC, RF and architecture split used on the Standards Evolution page; ETSI TS 103 720 (see "About ETSI TS 103 720" above) profiles a subset of these and adds broadcast-specific receiver requirements on top. Search matches the specification number, its title and any scope note.
52 of 52 specifications
| Specification | Title | Layer |
|---|---|---|
| TS 22.101 | Service aspects; Service principles | Service requirements |
| TS 22.261 | Service requirements for the 5G system | Service requirements |
| TR 23.746 | Study on System Architecture Enhancements to eMBMS for Television Video Service | Architecture |
| TS 23.246 | Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Architecture and functional description | Architecture |
| TS 36.300 | Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN); Overall descriptionincludes the MBMS-dedicated cell mode used for broadcast | Architecture |
| TR 36.976 | Overall description of LTE-based 5G broadcastinformative summary, produced by the normative Release 16 work item | Architecture |
| TR 36.776 | Study on LTE-based 5G terrestrial broadcastthe FS_LTE_terr_bcast study output that identified the gaps met by the Release 16 numerology enhancements | Architecture |
| TS 36.211 | Physical channels and modulation | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.212 | Multiplexing and channel coding | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.213 | Physical layer proceduresscheduler and link adaptation | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.321 | Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specificationtouched by the Release 19 PMCH Phase 2 work item | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.331 | Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specificationMIB-MBMS, SIB1-MBMS, MBSFN-AreaInfo and the other broadcast system-information extensions | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.440 | General aspects and principles for E-UTRAN interfaces supporting MBMSthe M1, M2 and M3 interfaces | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 25.446 | MBMS synchronisation protocol (SYNC)used over M1 to keep content time-aligned across the eNBs of an MBSFN area | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.443 | E-UTRAN M2 Application Protocol (M2AP)the MCE-to-eNB control-plane interface, carrying Release 19 PMCH Phase 2 time-interleaving parameters | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.444 | E-UTRAN M3 Application Protocol (M3AP)the MME-to-MCE control-plane interface for MBMS session management signalling | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.413 | S1 Application Protocol (S1AP)the eNB-to-MME control-plane interface, distinct from the M1/M2/M3 MBMS-specific interfaces | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.133 | Requirements for support of radio resource management | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 36.304 | User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle moderelevant to SIM-free and Receive-Only Mode reception without an RRC connection | Radio and interfaces |
| TS 23.003 | Numbering, addressing and identification | Core network |
| TS 23.122 | Non-Access-Stratum (NAS) functions related to Mobile Station (MS) in idle mode | Core network |
| TS 23.401 | GPRS enhancements for E-UTRAN accessthe EPS/E-UTRAN architecture that MBMS and 5G Broadcast are built on | Core network |
| TS 29.274 | Evolved Packet System (EPS); GPRS Tunnelling Protocol for Control plane (GTPv2-C) | Core network |
| TS 29.281 | General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Tunnelling Protocol User Plane (GTPv1-U) | Core network |
| TS 36.101 | User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and receptiondefines operating Bands 107, 108, 112 and 113 | RF and devices |
| TS 36.104 | Base Station (BS) radio transmission and receptionnetwork-side counterpart to TS 36.101 for the same bands | RF and devices |
| TS 36.306 | User Equipment (UE) radio access capabilitiesincludes the CAS-muting capability introduced in Release 19 | RF and devices |
| TS 36.102 | User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception for satellite accesscovers the Release 19 geosynchronous-satellite broadcast band | RF and devices |
| TS 36.108 | Satellite Access Node radio transmission and receptionsatellite counterpart to TS 36.104 | RF and devices |
| TS 36.181 | Satellite Access Node conformance testing | RF and devices |
| TS 36.307 | Requirements on UEs supporting a release-independent frequency band | RF and devices |
| TS 26.346 | Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Protocols and codecs | Content delivery |
| TS 26.347 | Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Application Programming Interface and URL | Content delivery |
| TS 26.348 | Northbound Application Programming Interface (API) for MBMS at the xMB reference point | Content delivery |
| TS 29.116 | Representational state transfer over the xMB reference point between content provider and BM-SC | Content delivery |
| TS 24.116 | Stage 3 aspects of system architecture enhancements for TV services | Content delivery |
| TS 24.117 | TV service configuration Management Object (MO) | Content delivery |
| TS 23.041 | Technical realization of Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) | Public warning |
| TS 29.168 | Cell Broadcast Centre interfaces with the Evolved Packet Core | Public warning |
| ETSI TS 102 900 | Emergency Communications (EMTEL); European Public Warning System (EU-ALERT) using the Cell Broadcast Service | Public warning |
| OASIS CAP v1.2 | Common Alerting Protocolthe alert message payload format carried over Cell Broadcast Service | Public warning |
| TS 26.501 | 5G Media Streaming (5GMS); General description and architecturefor hybrid unicast/broadcast delivery | 5GMS |
| TS 26.511 | 5G Media Streaming (5GMS); Profiles, codecs and formats | 5GMS |
| TS 26.512 | 5G Media Streaming (5GMS); Protocols | 5GMS |
| IANA IPv4 Multicast Addresses | IPv4 Multicast Address Space Registryallocation of the IPv4 multicast addresses used for MBMS user-plane delivery over M1 | Transport |
| IANA IPv6 Multicast Addresses | IPv6 Multicast Address Space Registrythe IPv6 equivalent | Transport |
| IETF RFC 6335 | IANA procedures for the management of the Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry | Transport |
| IETF RFC 9110 | HTTP Semantics | Transport |
| IETF RFC 8446 | The Transport Layer Security (TLS) Protocol Version 1.3 | Transport |
| IETF RFC 793 | Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) | Transport |
| IETF RFC 7323 | TCP Extensions for High Performance | Transport |
| IETF RFC 8200 | Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6) Specification | Transport |
MBMS network interfaces
MBMS has three named network interfaces, distinct from the M1-M8 reference points used in 5G Media Streaming (see Standards: 5G Media Streaming).
| Interface | Specification | Plane | Connects |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | TS 25.446 (SYNC) | User plane | MBMS-GW to eNB |
| M2 | TS 36.443 (M2AP) | Control plane | MCE to eNB |
| M3 | TS 36.444 (M3AP) | Control plane | MME to MCE |
References to verify
One item on this page remains unconfirmed against the primary record: the v1.3.1 row of "Version history at a glance" describes the update as "Rel-18, extending to Rel-19". The Release 18 scope is confirmed by the ETSI work item page (WKI_ID 72978), but the Release 19 extension comes from 5G-MAG's own work programme and does not appear in the ETSI work item scope text; confirm before citing.
Everything else previously flagged here has been verified against primary sources: all 3GPP spec titles in the sections above (including TS 22.101, TS 23.122, TS 29.274, TS 29.281, TS 24.117, TS 26.348, TS 36.133, TS 36.304, TS 36.413, TS 36.306, TS 36.443) against the 3GPP specification portal; the M1/M2/M3 interface roles and endpoints against ETSI TS 136 440 V19.0.0 itself; TR 36.776's status (under change control, not withdrawn) against the 3GPP portal; and the v1.1.1 (12-2020, Release 16) and v1.2.1 (06-2023, Release 17) rows against the published ETSI TS 103 720 PDFs. One upstream erratum, now confirmed from the V1.2.1 PDF and worth reporting to ETSI: TS 103 720 V1.2.1's reference clause swaps the titles of TS 36.306 and TS 36.443; this page uses the correct titles.
Individual 3GPP Change Requests (CRs) are not linked directly: the CR search portal (portal.3gpp.org/ChangeRequests.aspx) requires a 3GPP delegate login for record-level detail.
5G-MAG tracking and contribution focus
5G-MAG maintains ETSI TS 103 720 itself rather than only tracking it: it undertook the specification's maintenance in 2021, contributing the requirements and fixes that shape each new version, agreed among members on the Kanban board. Current focus:
- ETSI TS 103 720 v1.3.1 (in progress): 3GPP Release 18 update, extending to Release 19 (see "Updates towards ETSI TS 103 720 v1.3.1" above).
- Implementer-driven fixes: bugs, clarification questions and new requirements raised by implementors, in particular 5G-MAG.
- Completed: Release 17 alignment (v1.2.1, 2023).
For the release-by-release specification detail behind these updates, see Standards Evolution. For the technical analysis, see Tech: 5G Broadcast.
Related Standards Work
- Standards: DVB-I over 5G
- Standards: 5G Multicast Broadcast Services (MBS)
- Standards: Multimedia Delivery Protocols
- Tech: 5G Broadcast
- Feedback and Requirements: how 5G-MAG processes feedback on the specifications it maintains and tracks
Refer to the Standards repository to contribute to this documentation.