5G broadcast/multicast: Redefining the future of content delivery

As 5G stands poised to disrupt every area of content delivery, from in-car entertainment and smart devices to live sports and VoD, business models are getting ready to adapt to this bold new ecosystem. How will broadcasters maintain the high quality audiences have come to expect as content options continue to grow? Can mobile network operators safeguard against coverage outages with so many devices live streaming simultaneously? Rohde & Schwarz addresses these concerns and more in its brand new ebook, 5G Broadcast/Multicast: Redefining the Future of Content Delivery.

Introducing the concept of 5G broadcast/multicast, the white paper explores the benefits of its “one source to many destinations” approach to traffic distribution. By combining unicast and multicast modes, 5G paves the way for the future of media delivery, significantly reducing congestion, latency and capex/opex burdens. The same infrastructure that delivers content to TVs and smartphones can concurrently deliver to smart devices and even vehicles, allowing drivers and passengers to not only receive entertainment but also essential weather and map updates.

The ebook considers a future that is home to 10,000 smart devices per square kilometre. Using the one-to-many approach, vital software and firmware updates or bug patches can reach multiple smart home appliances and wearable devices at once. Meanwhile, the potential for multicasting from stadiums and venues offers sports fans new opportunities with additional camera angles, replay features and bespoke commentary options, generating up to 12 per cent of additional revenue per game in the form of ticket upgrades.

As for VoD, Rohde & Schwarz estimates that 35 per cent of current mobile traffic can be preloaded thanks to 5G broadcast/multicast. The usual buffering, latency and pixelation that occurs when viewers are on the go could be consigned to history if content is efficiently delivered to all interested devices in parallel, allowing viewers to pick up their phone in the morning to find their videos ready to watch in high quality. Live commerce is also set to revolutionise the retail industry via 5G-enabled live streaming. VR lets users view an item from every angle while making purchasing decisions, and without a queue in sight.

By offering multicast as a service, Rohde & Schwarz opens up all these opportunities at the same time; a business model specially designed to optimise the delivery of one-to-many content and solve the challenges operators face in this exciting new landscape. Currently only 46 per cent of network operators are able to convert the next-generation increase in data consumption into revenue. Through 5G broadcast/multicast technology, whether leveraging a dedicated, mixed or hybrid service, operators can ensure they stay ahead of the curve. TVB Europe