If LTE broadcasting proves right, we may be about ready to see a big shift in mobile video viewing efficiencies, creating what we might want to call the new “mob((ile)” based video excitement?
LTE broadcasting broadcasts a single stream, yes a single stream, allowing an unlimited number of enabled users in IP broadcast areas to receive live and broad-based content, on-demand. It can ensure a high-quality viewer experience while making the most efficient use of spectrum. This is especially true in environments such as stadiums, public venues and for that matter in communities where subscriber densities can reach extremely high levels. As we move forward broadcasting content over IP/wireless could prove to be the best way to deliver a consistent and reliable user experience.
As an example, a recent trial by Telstra in Australia proved that Ericsson’s LTE Broadcast solution worked incredibly well in a contained environment of a stadium. Telstra was able to instead of using around 2GB of data per user to stream “one” content channel of a cricket game, they were able to serve ALL of LTE Broadcast users, with 3 concurrent streams requiring a total of around 6GB for the entire broadcast. All of the users all at the same time all receiving the same content. Virtually enabling mass delivery of live programming. This success clearly shows how efficient this new spectrum is and has great potential to move us forward in delivering new programming models and services in dedicated environments.
What’s fairly amazing is that without LTE Broadcast, each of the users at the cricket match would have needed to receive an individual data stream for the content and the quality would obviously been eroded due to being be dependent on the number of users in the cell area.
So, as the demand for IP delivery of video increase, new OTT services and potentially “mob” based viewing (the old TV model) of new programming is demanded, it will be key that there is better network efficiency.
Congratulations to the team from Telstra and Ericsson! We may be seeing a major shift in how we efficiently deliver on the demand of new broadcast models directly to each person in the audience.
