Representatives of the broadcast industry have called on mobile network operators to lift a key barrier to the adoption of 5G in broadcast by enabling user-accessible control of network performance.
Neutral Wireless, backed by Amarisoft, AW2S, BBC, France Télévisions, Haivision, RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana and Sony, with additional support from the International Broadcasting Covention (IBC), has issued a Statement of Requirement urging operators to deliver interoperable, cross-network capabilities by implementing CAMARA QoD (Quality on Demand) APIs through the GMSA Open Gateway initiative. At present, broadcasters face difficulties in prioritising critical video, audio and control data flows during live production, especially in congested or high-demand environments.
Alongside GMSA Open Gateway, GMSA Fusion aims to provide a bridge between industries and the global mobile ecosystem, driving standardised APIs to simplify operations.
At present, wireless broadcast production relies on three link types: contribution links (remote, low bitrate, high latency), supplementary links (medium quality and latency), and production links (local, high bitrate, ultra-low latency). Nationwide network coverage enables easy access to 4G and 5G networks for contribution links, but sharing capacity can lead to higher latency, reduced quality and performance inconsistencies. As the adoption of 5G standalone workflows expands, the ability to prioritise key devices and data flows on demand is becoming essential.
Current proprietary solutions can be difficult to scale, with MNOs rarely developing bespoke APIs for third parties and hardware vendors unable to support multiple proprietary implementations. Standardisation is therefore essential in enabling networks and devices to efficiently prioritise critical feeds on the fly, and to further widen ecosystem adoption.
Two key APIs
Recent deployments, such as the Paris 2024 Games and Coronation of King Charles III, have shown the potential of 5G live broadcast at scale. The group has outlined two key APIs to enable similarly resilient operations:
- QoD API: dynamically enhances network performance to protect critical feeds and services ensuring smooth, uninterrupted live broadcasts.
- QoS Profiles API: provides predefined QoS profiles to support stable latency or throughput for specific data flows.
Jamie Trinh, media and entertainment development lead at GSMA Fusion, said, “The development and implementation of standardised network APIs, with full interoperability and cross-market coverage, gives the broadcast production industry the tools needed to meet evolving customer demands. By making network performance predictable and controllable on demand, broadcasters can design innovative live production solutions that respond in real-time to users, whether that’s multi-camera workflows, interactive content or low-latency feeds. At the same time, this represents a significant opportunity for mobile operators to realise the value of their 5G infrastructure across markets.”
Sam Yoffe, senior systems engineer, Neutral Wireless, added, “Private networks and public network slicing can provide dedicated resources in high demand environments but are still potentially resource constrained and could become oversubscribed, resulting in packet loss and feeds that are unusable when needed. Reliability of wireless connectivity is a key concern inhibiting the adoption of 5G technologies for live production, and the addition of QoD to dynamically control resource priority would represent a significant step towards protecting critical feeds and ensuring resilience. Whether that be on private or public networks, an open approach will be essential to encourage the development of interoperable vendor solutions and drive adoption.”
The Statement of Requirement encourages MNOs to prioritise availability of the CAMARA QoD and QoS Profile APIs in the UK (Q4 2026), Italy (Q1 2027) and France (Q2 2027), followed by the Netherlands (Q3 2027) and the USA (Q3 2028).
The group expects to begin pilots within six months of the go-live dates and has planned a showcase at September’s IBC Show. The IBC Accelerator project led by Neutral Wireless, GSMA Fusion and BBC Technology Operations will focus on the implementation of open network APIs for dynamic network control during live broadcasts.
Supporting organisations are calling for an open system of standardised APIs, with participation from as many MNOs and private network providers as possible, aiming to maximise interoperability.
