New infrastructure kit will extend the reach and boost the power of services on 5G
Infrastructure vendors Ericsson and Sierra Wireless have launched new kit that makes 5G services easier to build and richer to experience.
Equipment maker Sierra Wireless (SW) claims its new EM9191 5G New Radio (NR) module will improve video performance over 5G and present a more convincing case for live video production services.
Meanwhile Ericsson unveiled the latest addition to its Massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) range, an ultra-light antenna-integrated radio AIR 3268, which it says will make 5G mid-band easier to fit into densely populated urban areas.
SW’s module is integrated into mobile video encoders from Aviwest, which makes live and recorded video contribution systems. The EM9191 gives Aviwest’s PRO360-5G and AIR320e-5G mobile video encoders less latency and better 5G connectivity, which has been a snag for broadcasters with ambitions to stream high-definition IP video live from news and entertainment events. If they can shrink all this broadcasting power into small radio units it may save broadcasters on the expensive logistics of manpower, travel and lodging costs, outside broadcasting trucks and satellite transmission, according to Ronan Poullaouec, CTO at Aviwest.
News is coming live on 5G
“5G will fundamentally transform live video production, making the job simpler and the entertainment more immersive,” said Poullaouec. The extra point-of-view cameras it enables can create a wider experience for users. This is in the gift of 5G operators but only if SW and Aviwest can squeeze data along the 5G network through mobile video encoders.
Telefonica-owned telecommunications provider Movistar used the Aviwest AIR320-5G to remotely broadcast live high-definition video from the 2021 Copa del Rey basketball tournament. Broadcaster Cosmote TV completed Greece’s first live television broadcast through a 5G network using AIR320-5G units and robotic cameras to transmit audio and video of the final game of the Greek Cup.
Ericsson’s Massive MIMO
Ericsson claims its latest invention for improving 5G logistics, the AIR 3268 is the lightest and smallest Massive MIMO radio in the industry.
With 200W output power, 32 transceivers and passive cooling, the radio weighs 40 per cent less than earlier models, making installations easier on towers and rooftops, poles and walls.
Ericsson developed the AIR 3268 in partnership with BT to address 5G challenges, according to Greg McCall, BT Group’s MD of service platforms. “The 3.5 GHz band Massive MIMO is less than half the size and weight of our current kit, and its wind resistance could get it into new locations.”