Cellular Uplink Technology Scores a Goal at Sporting Events
Cellular uplink products have taken off because they allow video producers to transmit live feeds from remote locations without the need for expensive satellite trucks. At the recent Streaming Forum conference in London, Ronen Artman, vice president of marketing at LiveU, explained why cellular uplink is an even better fit for sports than for news.
"When we talk about the difference between breaking news and sports events, when you do breaking news in most cases the location is unforeseen. You don't know what to expect and therefore when you bring a cellular unit, sometimes it works, sometimes you might have difficulties because of congestion, sometimes it's very remote and you won't be able to transmit," Artman said. "When you do sports, it's usually foreseeable. You can plan ahead, you can bring the right equipment, you can bring the right methods to support you in order to provide the feed that you need."
A major story could pull the news team into any location, but with sports events the producers know all the details months ahead of time.
"With breaking news, cellular coverage is unknown. You don't know if something is happening in the middle of a desert or in a town not close by to London. It might be that cellular coverage will be very poor and you won't be able to transmit," Artman explained. "But when you're talking about sports events you know in advance exactly what the conditions will be."
To hear more about using cellular uplink equipment for sports events, watch the full video below.
A Sporting Chance: Cellular Uplink and Sports Coverage
What value can cellular-based video transmission bring to sporting events such as the Olympics, Super Bowl, Ironman and lesser-known sports? This session focuses on how the extension of bonded cellular technology to devices beyond backpack and belt-clip units can extend the live coverage of niche sport – with lessons for those outside the world of sport as well.
Scott Robinson, Director, 3xScreen Media Ltd — UK
Ronen Artman, VP of Marketing, LiveU — USA
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