- RTL Germany launches private 5G campus network for Deutsche Telekom
- “Campus Network Private”: Deployment at the 2024 European Football Championship
- 5G standalone and local network infrastructure for security and maximum performance
Deutsche Telekom has deployed a private 5G campus network for RTL Germany, which will go live in time for the European Football Championships. With its solution for business customers called “Campus Network Private”, the media company is the first in Germany to offer 5G to production studios via its own 5G Standalone (5G SA) network, which will enable even more flexibility in TV production. For example, the solution allows the use of wireless cameras both inside and outside the studio. Until now, live production was mainly realized using wired cameras that were moved around the studio for dynamic picture control. In future, wirelessly connected cameras will enable even more flexibility in TV broadcasting.
The internal campus network offers a customized infrastructure for optimizing performance and dynamic environments. The short routes of the independent 5G architecture support data-intensive applications with ultra-short response times in the millisecond range. This allows particularly fast data processing. In addition to wireless cameras, the network will also be able to operate wireless microphones, wireless intercoms and dedicated access to the Internet in future. Other production-related systems will also be tested over 5G.
“RTL Germany produces must-see content in outstanding quality. In partnership with Deutsche Telekom we now operate an independent 5G mobile network in our broadcast centre in Cologne, delivering a wider range of content to our viewers and users even more conveniently and efficiently. This is a further step in our innovation partnership,” says Matthias Dann, Chief Commercial, Technology and Data Officer at RTL Germany.
Klaus Werner, Managing Director Business Customers at Telekom Germany, added: “RTL is an innovative partner with which we can jointly develop our products and solutions and bring them to mature markets. Thanks to its network architecture with 5G standalone technology, the 5G Campus network meets the particularly high requirements of live TV production, offering key features such as minimum response times and high bandwidth.”
Maximum performance of 5G to be demonstrated at the 2024 European Championships
The broadcast of this year’s European Football Championship will also benefit from the campus network on-site at the production site: During the tournament, the innovation network will be extended to nearby event venues, where public viewing coverage will be carried out live via RTL’s private 5G campus network. This ensures flawless live broadcasts even when the public network’s mobile cells are congested. Deutsche Telekom and RTL have already successfully tested live broadcasts over the public telekom 5G SA network. Network Slicing For reporting on the move.
Campus network private network tailored to individual requirements
The 5G campus network will be installed not only in the two RTL studios, but also in the so-called Mall. In addition, the RTL’s visitor parking lot in Cologne Germany will also be provided with 5G. Together with the general viewing areas of the European Championships, the campus network will cover an area of more than 35,000 square meters. This will enable RTL to provide uninterrupted coverage both indoors and outdoors.
The 5G SA network will operate separately from public mobile networks. The entire infrastructure, from antennas, active system technology to the core network, will be provided by Ericsson and installed locally on the premises in Cologne Germany, meaning all data traffic stays within the local campus network. A total of six antennas have been installed in RTL Deutschland’s campus network: two are installed outdoors, one of which is temporary, and a further four are installed indoors.
For live productions, a high upload bandwidth of around 500 megabits per second (Mbit/s) will be achieved. Latency rates must not exceed 25 milliseconds. The 5G SA network will operate on frequencies in the 3.7-3.8 gigahertz range that are reserved exclusively for RTL Deutschland. Thus, up to 100 megahertz of bandwidth will be available exclusively for the broadcaster.
Complete control and flexibility
RTL Deutschland can adapt the private network flexibly and manage different functions on demand. For example, data traffic within the campus network can be prioritized for specific applications if necessary. A closed system is characterized by a high level of data security and reliability. The redundant architecture of the local core network ensures that the network continues to function even if the cloud-based management portal is interrupted. In addition, the TV broadcaster benefits from guaranteed continuous availability.
