Pente and LiveU provided a private network for video coverage at the RNC and will do the same for the DNC
At the RNC, this meant that camera people weren't tethered to a wire, thanks to bonded cellular channels
Pente also promised 5G for election night
Even as private networks blanket Paris in broadband for the summer Olympics, they're also serving up signals for other high-profile events around the globe. Here in the United States, the recent Republican National Convention (RNC) and forthcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC) are testing the tech's mettle. The result? A proof point that shows it's possible to rapidly and cost-effectively deploy a network in the field and that such networks could be popular for future events.
The conventions are where the two primary U.S. political parties anoint their respective candidates for president. The RNC was held in Wisconsin last month and the DNC will follow in Chicago later this month. Startup Pente Networks teamed with video streaming stalwart LiveU to provide a citizens band radio service (CBRS)-enabled private network service for the RNC. The pair – along with systems integrator Amdocs – are preparing to do the same for the Democrats later this month in Chicago.
“We saw that this idea of a rapidly field deployable network would have quite a bit of legs,” Claudia Barbiero, VP of marketing and strategic partnerships at startup Pente Networks, told Fierce on a call. “It’s not just a theory or a super expensive adventure anymore. I think last month we basically proved that this could be deployed by a regular broadcast technician."
Pente’s private network in a box used five 4G LTE radios – along with a mobile core – deployed in a suitcase, for the conventions, Barbiero said. She explained that Pente and the people on the ground had some help with radio frequency (RF) planning from Amdocs. The deployment required some creativity from the technicians there because there was no access to the roof to deploy tech like a global location GPS antenna.
LiveU private connectivity proved so popular with major broadcasters that LiveU’s initial offering was fully booked within a few days of announcing the solution.
“Purely because the equipment was affordable and this wasn’t necessarily a revenue generating stream for Live U, this was a service they provided to the major news networks,” Barberio said. And now?
“They’re looking to do 5G for election night,” Barberio added.
Bonded Channels
LiveU's broadcast solution uses something called IP-video over bonded cellular technology. As Heavy Reading senior analyst Gabriel Brown noted, such systems bond LTE channels together to "enhance uplink and increase reliability" and "connect remote mobile cameras to media production rooms."
What does this mean in practice? Well, Barberio said it “allowed camera operators not to be tethered to Ethernet or fiber," enabling them to move around the convention floor.
While the public networks at the RNC were slammed as the former president took the stage, “the private network remained strong,” she added.
Looking ahead, LiveU CTO Daniel Pisarski said on LinkedIn election day is expected to "break records for the amount of continuous simultaneous live transmissions."
"Providing a private cellular network solution adds a robust and reliable connection to the bonding mix, avoiding public network congestion and the instability of WiFi," he explained. "It also gives us another layer of service for our customers – network segmentation, prioritization and greater security – while providing additional capacity for expanded remote production technologies and employee communications."