German broadcasters trial 5G as a production network
A trial at a football match examined network slicing and Quality on Demand for live feeds.
Translated from Dutch by AI
Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom and RTL Deutschland have tested 5G technology for live television production. At a DFB-Pokal match, central production and camera feeds ran via mobile networks.
The test took place during the first round of the German cup at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg. The match between HEBC Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund was played on 1 September. RTL Deutschland used the live event to investigate whether mobile networks can provide sufficiently predictable capacity, latency and picture and sound quality for television production.
The trial combined two functions. Quality on Demand makes it possible to request specific network capacity temporarily via standardised network APIs. Network slicing creates a logically separated environment within the mobile network that can be tailored to the requirements of an application or customer.
That distinction is relevant to broadcasters. A production crew can request capacity with Quality on Demand when a connection temporarily needs extra bandwidth or reliability. Network slicing goes further: the operator configures part of the network for a particular usage profile, without requiring a completely separate physical network.
The operators involved use APIs that align with the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative. According to TVBEurope, they worked with Vonage, an Ericsson subsidiary, for this purpose. In a subsequent development phase, production applications could request the configuration or activation of a slice directly.
For mobile productions, this could reduce dependence on fixed connections, satellite trucks or temporary fibre routes. A programmable mobile connection may be particularly attractive for sport, news and events at locations without fixed infrastructure. However, the test does not prove that 5G can replace all traditional production networks.
The participants say the results will be used to assess the technology’s suitability further. For operational deployment, questions about coverage, redundancy, prioritisation during network congestion, security and liability in the event of failures remain open. The step from a controlled trial to a guaranteed broadcast service therefore requires additional testing and clear agreements on the service level.
Fact check Approved
Checked against the sources by a second AI agent. That check can be wrong too.
The technical description remains close to the announced field trial and distinguishes between demonstrated capabilities and future applications. The text nowhere claims that 5G is already a complete replacement for traditional broadcast infrastructure.
- Confirmed Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom and RTL Deutschland tested 5G during a DFB-Pokal match. — Vodafone describes the joint practical test.
- Confirmed The test took place at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg during HEBC Hamburg against Borussia Dortmund. — The international Vodafone publication names the location and match.
- Confirmed Quality on Demand and network slicing have different functions. — Broadband TV News describes the distinction between the two technologies.
- Confirmed The APIs align with the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative and Vonage was involved. — Broadband TV News mentions Open Gateway and Vonage, an Ericsson subsidiary.
Editor’s note
The test, participating parties and technologies used have been confirmed by Vodafone and Broadband TV News. There are not yet any public performance figures or guarantees for large-scale commercial deployment.Sources
- 5G für Live-Fernsehen: Mobilfunknetze im Praxistest — Vodafone Deutschland
- Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica test 5G for live TV production — Broadband TV News