Supercup 2023: Viaplay pioneers 5G camera signal transmission
The 5G cellular network standard opens up a host of new options for transmitting sport events. The DFL has been active in this area for several years, testing – jointly with partners – a variety of application scenarios. One of the Bundesliga stadiums already equipped with a permanent 5G network is FC Bayern München’s Allianz Arena where the Supercup 2023 provided an ideal environment for the first-ever live test of 5G transmission technology in an international setting.
It´s the new way of storytelling!
Paweł Wilkowicz, Head of Sports at Viaplay Poland
Viaplay owns Bundesliga broadcasting rights in several European countries, including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Poland and The Netherlands. The broadcasting group regularly dispatches its own field reporters to Bundesliga stadiums to provide fans with exclusive reporting before and after matches, including live interviews. Compared to the conventional, wired method of transmitting these live reports, a 5G set-up increases flexibility significantly, enabling entirely new reporter and camera positions and perspectives. Viaplay Poland immediately welcomed the DFL’s suggestion to use 5G camera signals in its Supercup reporting.
Expanded reporting options
Under the leadership of DFL subsidiary Sportcast, the project was prepared jointly with Viaplay as well as TVN as a technical service provider, using hardware by TVU Network and the mobile network services of Deutsche Telekom. In addition to the customary reporter position or “stand-up” next to the pitch, a number of alternative interview points were arranged: near the press box, in the dressing room, in the tunnel, and in the fan corridor – places that would have been impractical for running a cable connection between the camera and the broadcast vehicle.
In addition, the TVN site in Hanover was included in the transmission chain to monitor the streams going to Poland. Sportcast believes that in a future, standardised 5G transmission scenario, this additional precautionary QA step might be skipped to further reduce the overall effort and optimise costs.
From a technical viewpoint, the success of this test hinged upon the availability of sufficient 5G network bandwidth. This is crucial to ensure that the live transmission from the stand-ups will function smoothly even under heavy network use as would be expected in a full stadium. For this purpose the sending units were given prioritised 5G SIM cards whose signals were always transmitted preferentially.
Successful test opens up new perspectives for the future
Thanks to the careful preparations by all partners, the technical implementation worked flawlessly, demonstrating once more that 5G mobile technology is a feasible addition to traditional broadcasting systems that can guarantee secure transmission even across national borders. Viaplay Poland was enthusiastic about the expanded positioning options for its field reporters as a promising enhancement of its reporting offering to fans. “It´s the new way of storytelling,” said Paweł Wilkowicz, Head of Sports at Viaplay Poland. The DFL media partner has indicated its interest in pursuing the concept further.
Apart from prioritising specific SIM cards, a 5G network enables “network slicing”, a technique that sets aside a certain portion of the bandwidth for a “network within the network”. Considering the growing number of stadiums being equipped with 5G capabilities, this transmission model is likely to be implemented with increasing frequency following its successful demonstration at the 2023 Supercup. As 5G applications make inroads in media production, this DFL test marked another important step ahead.