The EBU has published a ground-breaking report on the potential of 5G to be used for the distribution of audiovisual media content and services to mobile devices. Current unicast mobile broadband connections lack the cost-effectiveness and scalability required to properly support the distribution of mobile media services at scale. 5G – the set of mobile technologies that are being defined under the 3GPP umbrella – has the potential to address this problem.
Its main conclusion is that technically, 5G may be able to meet the distribution requirements of both PSM and commercial media providers through the use of a combination of 5G mobile broadband and 5G broadcast. To get there, close collaboration between the stakeholders is a must, and there is work to be done on collaborative broadcast/mobile networks in terms of the joint use of spectrum and site assets.
The report incorporates contributions from stakeholders from across the entire value chain, including public and commercial broadcasters, broadcast and telecom network operators, equipment manufacturers, and technology providers. It covers the requirements as seen from the media sector and the potential as seen from the technology side, as well as different aspects of spectrum, business elements and network design.
The document is available for download as EBU Tech Report 054.
The EBU is also hosting a Webinar on "5G for the distribution of media content" on 18 June, 14:00-15:30 CEST, which is free to join.
Working together
The contents of the report will help shape ongoing and future work on 5G in the EBU, and is offered to the wider industry as a set of views on what is seen as the key driver for the adoption of 5G by the media industry.