Ahead of the 2024 European Football Championship, Ericsson and
The private 5G SA network infrastructure has been installed locally at RTL Deutschland's production studios for maximum performance and security.
5G stands to revolutionize media production at major events and provide unforgettable moments for fans in 2024.
Ericsson and DT provide private 5G network for RTL Deutschland's coverage of 2024 European Football Tournament
Ericsson and
The 5G infrastructure is set to transform TV production for the European tournament by introducing wireless cameras that operate seamlessly in both indoor to outdoor environments. This shift from traditional wired equipment to wireless cameras will greatly enhance the flexibility versatility of TV production at the venue.
The in-house private network provides a tailored infrastructure for optimized performance and dynamic environments, supporting data-intensive applications with ultra-short response times in the millisecond range. In addition to wireless cameras, the network will also enable the operation of wireless microphones, a wireless intercom and dedicated access to the internet in the future. Other production-relevant systems are also to be tested via 5G.
Klaus Werner, Managing Director for Business Customers at
Maximum 5G performance for the 2024 European Championship
The private 5G network will not only be installed in two RTL studios, but also in a surrounding area for public viewing covering more than 35,000 square meters, enabling RTL to provide uninterrupted coverage both indoors and outdoors. This will ensure a flawless live broadcast, even if the mobile cells of the public network are busy.
The 5G SA network operates separately from the public mobile network. The entire infrastructure, from the antennas and active system technology to the core network, comes from Ericsson and is installed locally on the site in Cologne-Deutz, meaning that all data traffic remains on site. A total of six antennas were installed for the private network, two outdoors, one of which is used temporarily, and four more indoors.
The network facilitates high upload bandwidth of around 500 megabits per second (Mbit/s) for the live productions, as well as guaranteeing latency less than 25 milliseconds. The 5G SA network operates on frequencies reserved specifically for RTL Deutschland in the 3.7 to 3.8 gigahertz (GHz) range. Up to 100 megahertz (MHz) bandwidth is thus exclusively available to the broadcaster.
Full control and flexibility
RTL Deutschland can flexibly adapt the private network and manage various functions on-demand. For example, data traffic within the network is prioritized for specific applications as required. The closed system is characterized by its high level of data security and reliability: Thanks to a redundant architecture of the local core network, the network continues to function reliably even in the event of an interruption to the cloud-based management portal. In addition, the TV broadcaster benefits from guaranteed and continuous availability.
(C) 2024 Electronic News Publishing, source