As Graham says, it is widely predicted that video will form about three quarters of the traffic over 5G networks. However, this particular announcement from Verizon does not really address the question "watching TV over 5G mobile?" because it is a fixed wireless access application of 5G - effectively a wireless alternative to fibre-to-the-home. The early adoption of 5G for this application in USA addresses particular national factors in the broadband market, which are not very relevant to UK (or indeed most other European countries).


The question "watching TV over 5G mobile?" has at least four elements:

1) What is TV? TV programme consumption has moved from 'linear broadcasting' towards on-demand and object-oriented programming. 'Linear' broadcasting is more suited to home consumption on large screens, whereas on-demand is more appropriate for people on the move.


2) On what device will it be watched? People are increasingly consuming video content on tablets, smartphones and other portable devices. However, the size of flat screen TVs is also increasing, which are fixed in one location.


3) How much mobility is needed? Large flat screens are not at all mobile, and will generally receive content either through broadcast technologies (DTT, satellite or cable) or the broadband connection to the home (which might use 5G technology, as in the Verizon announcement). Portable devices, when in the home, will probably use the broadband connection via WiFi. Outside the home, they are more likely to use 5G (public transport increasingly provides WiFi, but this may well be 'backhauled' using 5G).


4) What is 5G? Only one open standardisation body (3GPP) is currently developing specifications for a 5G radio access network - which it defines as 'Release 15' of its specifications. This has three elements:

- an evolution of LTE (the 4G radio interface)

- a "New Radio", for deployment in frequency bands used by 4G and new bands in a similar frequency range (up to 6GHz)

- a radio interface for deployment in millimetre-wave bands (above 24.25GHz).

These have different capabilities and timeframes for deployment.


For a more detailed discussion, see the paper that I presented at the 2018 International Broadcasting Convention, IBC (an IET-sponsored conference): https://www.ibc.org/delivery/5g-the-vision-the-reality-and-the-future-/3296.article

As Graham says, it is widely predicted that video will form about three quarters of the traffic over 5G networks. However, this particular announcement from Verizon does not really address the question "watching TV over 5G mobile?" because it is a fixed wireless access application of 5G - effectively a wireless alternative to fibre-to-the-home. The early adoption of 5G for this application in USA addresses particular national factors in the broadband market, which are not very relevant to UK (or indeed most other European countries).


The question "watching TV over 5G mobile?" has at least four elements:

1) What is TV? TV programme consumption has moved from 'linear broadcasting' towards on-demand and object-oriented programming. 'Linear' broadcasting is more suited to home consumption on large screens, whereas on-demand is more appropriate for people on the move.


2) On what device will it be watched? People are increasingly consuming video content on tablets, smartphones and other portable devices. However, the size of flat screen TVs is also increasing, which are fixed in one location.


3) How much mobility is needed? Large flat screens are not at all mobile, and will generally receive content either through broadcast technologies (DTT, satellite or cable) or the broadband connection to the home (which might use 5G technology, as in the Verizon announcement). Portable devices, when in the home, will probably use the broadband connection via WiFi. Outside the home, they are more likely to use 5G (public transport increasingly provides WiFi, but this may well be 'backhauled' using 5G).


4) What is 5G? Only one open standardisation body (3GPP) is currently developing specifications for a 5G radio access network - which it defines as 'Release 15' of its specifications. This has three elements:

- an evolution of LTE (the 4G radio interface)

- a "New Radio", for deployment in frequency bands used by 4G and new bands in a similar frequency range (up to 6GHz)

- a radio interface for deployment in millimetre-wave bands (above 24.25GHz).

These have different capabilities and timeframes for deployment.


For a more detailed discussion, see the paper that I presented at the 2018 International Broadcasting Convention, IBC (an IET-sponsored conference): https://www.ibc.org/delivery/5g-the-vision-the-reality-and-the-future-/3296.article