Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive, from a broadcast transmitter, a broadcast signal including one or more multi-resolution messages. The UE may decode at least one of the one or more multi-resolution messages based on receiving the broadcast signal from the broadcast transmitter, and may determine that a data rate associated with the broadcast signal is less than a threshold based on the decoding. The UE may transmit a signal querying the broadcast reception capability of a base station based on determining the data rate. In response to the query signal, the UE may receive a signal indicating a broadcast reception capability of the base station, and may communicate, with the base station, based on the broadcast reception capability of the base station.