At MDL Communications, we are always keeping an eye on the latest innovations in broadcast technology. A recent success story from the Henley Festival in the UK caught our attention, demonstrating just how powerful the combination of private 5G networks and mobile transmitters can be for live event production.
Anyone who has attended a major festival knows the struggle of trying to get a signal. With over 27,000 guests at the Henley Festival, public 4G and 5G networks quickly become congested. For broadcast teams, this unpredictability is a nightmare. Traditionally, the solution has been to rely on wired cameras, but cables are heavy, cumbersome, and severely restrict where a camera operator can go.
To solve this, Haivision partnered with wireless specialists Neutral Wireless and production company QTV to deploy a private 5G network. Unlike public networks shared by thousands of smartphones, this dedicated slice of connectivity provided the production team with guaranteed bandwidth and ultra-low latency.
The setup allowed for a level of flexibility that traditional setups simply can't match. Here is the technology that made it happen:
The result was an immersive broadcast that captured the true "vibe" of the festival. Gareth Gordon, COO of QTV, called the technology a "gamechanger," noting that it allowed them to capture angles and experiences that would have been impossible otherwise.
As we look toward the future of live production, the Henley Festival trial proves that private 5G is more than just a buzzword—it is a viable, scalable solution for delivering high-quality, immersive content from the most challenging environments.
You can read the original article regarding the Henley Festival on the Haivision website.