Expectations, results and next steps

What the pilot delivers

The aim of the pilot is not a finished service. It is evidence-based knowledge of whether and how 5G Broadcast should be added to Estonia’s national public warning system, and what it would cost.

Objectives

Four questions we are answering

01 · DONE

Pilot platform

A 5G Broadcast network that delivers CAP-based alerts as well as TV and radio.

02 · ONGOING

Performance in different conditions

Urban and rural, outdoors and indoors, in cars, on trains and at sea.

03 · ONGOING

Suitability assessment

Is the alert fast, reliable and location-accurate, and do sound, light and vibration work?

04 · 2027

Recommendations

Proposals for further development and a possible nationwide rollout.

Expected outputs

What the pilot will produce

  • Test report with a theoretical overview and an assessment of whether the solution suits a nationwide network.
  • Measurement results for public warning over 5G Broadcast: coverage, quality, location accuracy.
  • A network model covering Estonia: frequencies, masts, transmitter power and types, and quality requirements.
  • Development and operating cost estimate for two scenarios: public warning only, and public warning with media delivery.
  • Process description for adding 5G Broadcast to EE-ALARM, plus recommendations for training the public and authorities.
Next technical tests

What we will test next

Multilingual alerts

One CAP message with several language versions, where the phone automatically shows the one matching its system language (et, en, ru).

Updates without a new alarm

A change in the situation (e.g. a storm going from orange to red) reaches the phone without repeated sound and vibration.

Fixing duplicate alerts

Moving between transmitters must not trigger the same alert again (3GPP TS 23.041).

Timeline

The pilot and beyond

PeriodPhaseContent
H1 2025Network buildTransmitters and core, freeing up E41 (MUX7 moved to E35), integration with EE-ALARM
07/2025 – 2026Technical and user testsTest days, indoor and outdoor measurements, drive tests across Estonia, closing seminar
late 2026 – 01/2027Analysis and final reportSuitability assessment, network model, cost estimate, recommendations
2030+Possible rolloutDepends on government decisions, legislation, the frequency plan and phone manufacturers’ readiness
International context. Most countries use cell broadcast for public warning. Germany, the US and South Korea complement it with other networks. Austria and South Korea are exploring 5G Broadcast, and the Vienna pilot showed that alerts reach phones even on the move, with no SIM card or mobile data. In Estonia, 5G Broadcast could be a complementary channel that helps reach tourists, speakers of other languages and people with special needs, and carry richer messages such as evacuation maps and video.