Why end-to-end integration matters in 5G Broadcast: How Nakolos is helping operators move from testing to deployment
As interest in 5G Broadcast grows across Europe, the industry is moving from the testing phase to deployment. At IBC2026 the Nakolos Team showcased the Public Warning System live at the booth of their partner TREDESS.
Big Blue Marble’s Nakolos platform is an end-to-end 5G Broadcast platform designed to simplify the deployment of 5G Broadcast services across the entire broadcast delivery chain. Rather than requiring operators to assemble multiple components from different vendors, Nakolos provides an integrated environment that supports service configuration, core processing, transmission orchestration and device delivery within a single platform.
The unique technical strengths of Nakolos were showcased during the recent Pocket Siren project in Estonia where the platform was deployed under real operational conditions. Working with broadcaster and media infrastructure company Levira, the Nakolos platform was utilised as part of a large-scale public warning initiative designed to evaluate how 5G Broadcast performs across a range of different scenarios.
The result is one of Europe’s most ambitious operational 5G Broadcast environments, providing valuable insights into both the technology itself and the benefits of an integrated platform approach.
An Integrated Approach to 5G Broadcast
A key challenge for organisations looking to deploy 5G Broadcast is navigating the complexity of the wider ecosystem.
Successful deployments require multiple technology layers to work together seamlessly, from alert origination and service configuration through to transmission infrastructure, device compatibility and user experience.
5G Broadcast works technically, but the ecosystem around it is still developing. The network side can be implemented, but device behaviour depends on chipset support, operating-system configuration, regional profiles and manufacturer decisions.
Kristo Kaasan, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Levira
By providing a flexible, end-to-end platform architecture, Nakolos enables operators to manage the complete broadcast workflow as well as having the ability to adapt easily as requirements change.
The flexibility of Nakolos proved particularly valuable to Levira throughout the Pocket Siren project. As testing progressed and new devices and network conditions emerged, teams were able to adjust workflows, modify configurations and evaluate different deployment approaches without disrupting the wider environment.
The system must be stable, but it must also allow for experimentation. The most valuable findings often come from field tests and unexpected device behaviour, says Kaasan.
Validating Performance at Scale
The Pocket Siren deployment provided an opportunity to evaluate the Nakolos platform under real-world conditions.
Big Blue Marble’s solution supported testing across multiple areas, including:
+ CAP-based alert handling
+ Service configuration and management
+ Transmission integration
+ Mobility testing
+ Smartphone reception
+ SFN and MFN performance.
Operating across five locations in Estonia, the deployment enabled Levira to assess coverage performance, device behaviour and alert delivery under a range of operational conditions.
One of the most significant achievements was the successful validation of the end-to-end alerting chain, integrating EE-ALARM workflows, Nakolos core processing, transmission infrastructure and smartphone reception within a single operational environment. Field testing demonstrated successful alert reception in moving vehicles at distances of approximately 60 kilometres from the transmitter, with end-to-end alert delivery achieved in around three seconds.
The flexibility and technical quality of Nakolos also meant that Pocket Siren got off the ground in a rapid timeframe and was fully operable within just five months of the project being initiated.
Enabling Faster Learning and Deployment
Beyond technical performance, the project highlighted another important advantage of an integrated platform approach: the ability to learn and adapt quickly. According to Levira, the flexibility of the Nakolos platform allowed teams to respond to changes rapidly, helping accelerate both testing and operational learning.
Nakolos stood out because it was not a rigid black-box solution. It allowed us to adapt workflows, test different configurations and move quickly as we learned from the field, says Kaasan.
Building the Future of 5G Broadcast
As broadcasters, infrastructure providers and governments continue evaluating future 5G Broadcast deployments, projects such as Pocket Siren are helping establish practical reference points for the wider industry.
For Big Blue Marble, the project demonstrates the value of an integrated platform approach to deployment. By bringing together service configuration, core processing, transmission management and device delivery within a single environment, Nakolos enables organisations to move quickly from concept to implementation.
If you want to discover more about Nakolos or are interested in a free trial, please contact: nakolos@bigbluemarble.com