Published:  18.9.2020

Digita keeps a close eye on the development of future terrestrial television technologies and trials them on its own network. 5G broadcasting technology tests were launched on the terrestrial television network on 2 September 2020. With 5G broadcasting, media companies can distribute television broadcasts to viewers reliably and without network overload problems.

Delivering content to the television receivers of the audience through mass distribution, or broadcasting, continues to be the most advantageous and reliable option for consumers, media companies and advertisers alike. The bandwidth requirements of networks are increasing as content consumption increases and display resolutions go up to 4K/8K. As a result, distribution will need to be more carefully planned and different networks need to be optimised based on their purpose in the future.

“In terms of mass distribution, 5G broadcasting is an interesting option, and Digita wants to be one of the first to explore what the standard has to offer”, Teppo Ahonen, Director of Video Delivery Services at Digita, says.

“In the distribution of real-time content aimed at large audiences, the broadcasting technology is second to none, as its features make it the most affordable, reliable and uniform technology. In terms of distribution, 5G technology can further boost this trend as content consumption increases, receivers become more diverse and the expectations for resolution become higher”, Ahonen says.

“For example, users receiving TV content over a broadband connection to their device are more likely to experience technical problems and connection issues when the number of users increases too much. With broadcasting technology, this is not an issue as it is not prone to overloading”, Ahonen continues. In the future, 5G technology will also make it possible to seamlessly use both broadband and broadcasting networks as necessary.

Will 5G broadcasting be commercialised in this decade?

“5G technology offers a wide range of opportunities for broadcasting”, Juha Ourila, Digita’s Business Development Manager of Video Distribution Services, says.

“With 5G technology, broadcasts can be received by various terminals other than television receivers, such as smartphones, cars and computers using the same technology”, Ourila continues. “At the same time, media companies will have significantly more opportunities to develop new content and marketing communication solutions.”

Similar 5G broadcasting projects have also been piloted in other European countries, such as Germany and Austria. In Finland, the technology can be commercialised in about 5–10 years when the development of standardisation, networks and terminals has reached the commercial stage.

Political choices must also be taken into account in the planning of the use of the spectra. According to Ahonen, it is of utmost importance to ensure that spectra are allocated to broadcasting-based TV distribution under spectrum policy also in the future. This is also relevant in terms of security of supply.

“With broadcasting technology, we can ensure reliable communication of information across the country even in exceptional situations in which a very high security level of media distribution is required.”

Media contacts:

Digita Ltd, Teppo Ahonen, Director, Video Delivery Services, tel. +358 (0)40 563 0299, teppo.ahonen(at)digita.fi