5G private network showcased at Commonwealth Games

BT has worked alongside the BBC at this years Commonwealth Games, to trial a standalone 5G private network for the broadcast coverage of the event.

The network in Birmingham’s Victoria Square was used to screen the Queen’s Baton’s arrival live on BBC One’s The One Show.

The portable private network by BT can provide 5G coverage in a challenging environment such as Victoria Square, which attracted large crowds.

This created the potential to swamp a standard network, but the use of the new technology allowed for live cameras to connect directly and securely to the private network.

Faisal Mahomed, the director of BT Media and Broadcast, said: “We’re excited to have had the opportunity to deliver this trial of a 5G private network for a sporting event of this magnitude.
 
“The Commonwealth Games has been a huge event for Birmingham, and the wider UK, and I’m thrilled that BT was able to play a part in facilitating the TV coverage that 300 million viewers across the globe were able to watch at home or stream on the move.
 
“Our teams are leading the way in implementing new technology that can have a positive impact for broadcasters, in particular by enabling them to deliver high quality content with greater efficiency.”

BT were able to roam the event through the use of Vislink’s subsidiary Mobile Viewpoint UltraLink-Air 5G cellular encoders.

This resulted in uninterrupted video feeds and bi-directional communication with the camera operator.