Chapter 15

Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Services

In the past, cellular systems have mostly focused on transmission of data intended for a single user and not on multicast/broadcast services. Broadcast networks, exemplified by the radio and TV broadcasting networks, have on the other hand focused on covering very large areas with the same content and have offered no or limited possibilities for transmission of data intended for a single user. Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) support multicast/broadcast services in a cellular system, thereby combining the provision of multicast/broadcast and unicast services within a single network.

With MBMS, the same content is transmitted to multiple users located in a specific area, known as ...

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