Broadband  |  2023-10-05

5G Broadcast Demonstrates Emergency Warning Capabilities for Public Safety in Estonia

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Levira and Rohde & Schwarz have demonstrated 5G Broadcast capabilities for public safety during the CREVEX 2023 crisis training exercise in Estonia.

The Government Office of Estonia conducted the CREVEX 2023 complex exercise to train and test nationwide emergency response capabilities. 

CREVEX 2023 large-scale evacuation test was carried out on September 28th, 2023 by the Estonian Rescue Board. The focus has been on cooperation between public safety bodies and informing the public. 5G broadcast was used in combination with SMS alarms, TV, FM and DAB+ radio broadcast, in order to inform the public. In Estonia, they achieved a significant milestone by delivering alarms and emergency information to smartphones for the first time, using 5G Broadcast technology.

5G Broadcast is part of the 3GPP mobile standard, which will add broadcasting capabilities on top of the mobile networks. It uses High Power, High Tower infrastructure of the TV broadcasting networks as a very efficient way to cover large areas and reach the public. 

During an emergency, 5G Broadcast enabled devices will potentially turn into loud alarm transmitting devices, relaying instructions, and important information from the State directly to the device holder. Devices with 5G broadcast-enabled chipsets will be on the market in the coming years.

CEO of Levira, Tiit Tammiste: 5G Broadcast has shown great promise and innovative ways to instruct and inform people during crisis. We will continue to evolve Levira’s capabilities to support our partners with technology solutions in TV, Radio, and 5G Broadcast.

Vice President Broadcast and Amplifier Systems at Rohde & Schwarz, Manfred Reitmeier: Reaching every person with life-saving information is paramount in any emergency. 5G Broadcast not only delivers text messages but is capable of transmitting voice and video content, relying on the 24/7 resilient broadcasting infrastructure, which offers even more effective and inclusive ways to update the population. 

Levira has been at the forefront of media technology for over 70 years. Levira operates terrestrial networks for radio and TV in Estonia and provides play-out and distribution services to international broadcasters.