Berlin, Germany – Infront Productions successfully tested a 5G-connected-camera set-up at the 2019 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday.
The project marks the first time such a set-up has been implemented in continental Europe, on a live, public 5G network.
The two 5G-connected cameras used on the production of the marathon, located at the half-marathon point and the iconic Nollendorfplatz, relied on a network with increased bandwidth capacity compared to current 4G-network-connected cameras.
With the 5G testing running seamlessly, multiple shots from the 5G-connected cameras were integrated onto the live coverage of the race.
When implemented on a larger scale, such a set-up would lead to a more sustainable and streamlined production.
A full 5G-connected camera production apparatus would run exclusively on a cloud-based server system, removing the need for a radio frequency camera set-up, which depends on helicopters or relay planes to transmit signals back to the broadcast compound and OB vans.
Aside from a significant improvement in broadcast operation resources, 5G cameras would also expand the use of remote production, reducing the amount of broadcast personnel required on-site. It would therefore contribute to making sports events organisation and coverage more sustainable. It would also make streaming to online platforms such as YouTube or Facebook quicker and easier.
The delivery of the live 5G test was a joint collaboration between Infront Productions, Deutsche Telekom and BMW BERLIN-MARATHON event organiser SCC.
Peer Seitz, Head of Production at Infront Productions, said: "It is apt that one of the first successful tests of 5G-connected camera technology has taken place at arguably the world's fastest marathon. This is a landmark moment in broadcasting and this successful test marks a first step towards providing our partners with a more sustainable and resource optimised broadcast. We couldn't be happier and we would like to thank our partners Deutsche Telekom and the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for their joint efforts."
Tiana Trumpa, 5G Product Manager at Deutsche Telekom, said: “5G will have a massive impact on live broadcasting productions, especially to replace traditional frequency-based camera systems, or when fibre or satellite are not available. 5G will allow higher quality and lower latency for live streams, and overall, create more flexibility for broadcast operations. At Deutsche Telekom we want to enable production companies to achieve this by providing the required network capabilities.”