The first trial of 5G broadcast to change the way fans interact with live sport has been piloted at a football match between MK Dons and Ipswich Town.
One 12th February, a group of fans at the match were able to try out a prototype of the 5G VISTA app, allowing them to view six, high-quality live streams of different perspectives of the game – including behind the scenes footage – with the tap of a screen.
The trial was supported by Virgin Media O2, Rohde and Schwarz, DTG, GWS, Digital Catapult and the University of Surrey’s 5G/6G Innovation Centre.
As well as enabling fans to get closer to the action at live events, 5G broadcast technology has the potential to offer solutions to a number of pain points experienced by broadcasters and TV crews at events venues and stadiums.
This includes overcoming challenges associated with cabling and network complexity, and unstable 4G networks during events with a large number of attendees.
Alex Buchan, strategic technologist, DTG and project lead said: “DTG, through the VISTA project, is proud to be leading the TV industry into a new phase of interactive, personalised and live content driven by 5G for access anywhere, anytime. The trial at MK Dons shows the technology developed during the project has the potential to transform the way we consume content, and experience live events, over the coming decade.”
