Bavarian 5G Today research project nearing completion
October 23, 2019
With the pioneering 5G Today project, first results on mobile radio reception via 5G technology could be obtained. After the scheduled end of the project on October 31st, 5G Broadcast will be further researched. The potential of 5G network technology for the production and distribution of media content will also be the subject of a joint panel discussion between Bayerischer Rundfunk and IRT at the Media Days Munich.
The Bavarian research project 5G Today is approaching its end. Within the scope of 5G TODAY, a complete broadcasting chain for the large-cell distribution of TV programs based on the LTE/5G broadcast mode FeMBMS was realized for the first time. The aim of these field trials was to examine the efficient distribution of TV programs for reception on future mobile 5G devices such as smartphones and tablets. 5G Broadcast offers fundamental advantages such as high video quality, low latency and cost-effective distribution with high coverage.
The project, funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation, has been running since 2017. With 5G Today, the project partners IRT, Kathrein, Rohde & Schwarz and as associated partners the Bayerischer Rundfunk and Telefónica Deutschland jointly investigated the possibilities of a 5G-based broadcast solution. In addition to the development of the corresponding components for transmission and reception technology, extensive preliminary examinantions, simulations and field measurements took place within the scope of the project. In addition, various antenna polarisations were investigated especially for reception on smartphones and measurement systems for the FeMBMS field tests were developed. Due to the new status of FeMBMS, detailed research on the synchronization behavior and the resulting supply quality are still necessary. Therefore, there is agreement among the project partners to continue the work started with 5G TODAY and to operate the test field beyond the planned duration of the project.
The field measurements of 5G Today have already shown that FeMBMS can achieve the characteristics of a classic broadcast transmission system. “We were able to achieve good mobile TV reception on large parts of the measurement area. These findings form an important basis for further standardization work on 5G broadcasting,” says Aneta Baier, project manager at the Institute for Broadcasting Technology (IRT).
Following the example of 5G Today, 5G broadcast trials meanwhile have also been carried out in Brazil and China for several weeks now. Both countries also used the transmitter technology of the Bavarian manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz. This week during the Media Days Munich, a panel of experts from IRT and BR will present the status of European activities in the field of 5G broadcasting and discuss how common interests can be bundled with regard to new services.