Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom and RTL Deutschland have joined forces to prove the ability of mobile networks to transmit key live production signals.
During a first-round match of Germany’s DFB Cup, the partners used 5G to demonstrate how a ‘Quality on Demand’ interface (API) and network slicing can provide network-side quality parameters tailored to a TV production’s requirements. In the future, network APIs could also let production applications configure and activate slicing functions directly.
Vodafone and Telefónica used Quality-on-Demand APIs to provide time-limited, defined network quality characteristics, while Deutsche Telekom deployed a 5G network slice configured by the network operator.
The network API delivered the necessary network quality for talkback between the director, camera crews and reporters, keeping internal communication stable even under high network load. It also delivered enough network quality for the commentators to be integrated into the production.
It secured the necessary network resources to reliably transmit camera feeds of fan interviews, footage from the stadium environment and half-time reports to the production.
Network slicing ensured sufficient bandwidth and a constant data rate for the reliable transmission of camera images.
RTL Deutschland broadcast the match live, enabling the partners to test the technological approaches under real-world broadcast conditions.
The results show that Quality on Demand and network slicing can be used for implementing selected workflows for live productions over public mobile networks, said the partners.
