Three Sweden and Ericsson set pace with first live 5G SA broadcast at Stockholm Marathon
- Ericsson, Three Sweden, and media production company Mobilelinks enabled 5G live media broadcasting from the lead car at the 2024 Stockholm Marathon on June 1st.
- Broadcast marks the first deployment of network slicing in Sweden in a commercial network and was delivered via a dedicated slice of Three’s 5G standalone network.
This year marked the 45th edition of the Stockholm Marathon, a 42-kilometer (26 miles) course that takes runners across the Swedish capital’s scenic landmarks and districts. The event closes at the historic 1912 Olympic Stadium, the home to 83 officially recognized world records in athletics – more than any other arena in the world.
Setting a new benchmark in Sweden, the event featured a market-first, 5G-enabled live broadcast, streamed from a 5G broadcasting camera in the lead car throughout the race. The broadcast utilized a dedicated network slice on Three’s 5G standalone (SA) network, ensuring a reliable, high-quality video uplink stream.
Haval van Drumpt, CEO of Three Sweden, says: “Using slicing in our public network at an event as significant as the Stockholm Marathon demonstrates our commitment to pioneering 5G technology and exploring its diverse applications.”
5G broadcasting is more efficient and cost effective compared to traditional satellite broadcasting by eliminating the need for costly large on-site crews, gear and hiring satellite links. Using the 5G SA network and network slicing for broadcasting means media companies and the supporting mobile operators like Three can deliver high-quality and lag-free video to the audience even from locations with intense flow of people and high mobile network traffic. In addition to being suitable for large-scale and high-profile events, this means 5G broadcasting provides new opportunities not only for major broadcasters, but also for local broadcasting companies and TV networks covering smaller events with limited budget and resources.
Mobilelinks delivered the stream over a single 5G SA network from Three. Ericsson provided the network infrastructure that enabled the broadcast to take place with a dedicated network slice deployed and managed through an end-to-end Ericsson 5G SA connection powered by its dual-mode 5G Core solution, transport layer, and radio connectivity. This technology support from Ericsson also included Massive MIMO and RAN Compute products, allowing Three and MobileLinks to deliver a reliable, high-quality live video stream to those watching the broadcast.
Nora Wahby, Head of Customer Unit Northern & Central Europe, Ericsson, says: “The technology creates new business models for service providers and is transformative for the broadcasting industry, enabling immersive experiences across traditional broadcasting such as second scene virtual reality, ultra-high-definition services, and on-site live event experiences. 5G standalone with network slicing will significantly reshape media production and enrich sports entertainment in the future”.
5G broadcasting offers new business opportunities for communication service providers, with services such as slice-on-a-SIM solutions or resource reservation services, and potential for partnerships with content capture players, camera providers, and event space owners. Broadcasters prioritizing reliability and efficiency for their services are willing to pay a premium for the consistent service, demonstrating the true value of 5G standalone setwork monetization.
According to Ericsson research, the implementation of network slicing to facilitate broadcasting and streaming is projected to yield revenues of up to USD 33 billion by 2030. The broader application of network slicing is anticipated to address a revenue potential of USD 200 billion.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
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Ericsson enables communications service providers and enterprises to capture the full value of connectivity. The company’s portfolio spans the following business areas: Networks, Cloud Software and Services, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Global Communications Platform, and Technologies and New Businesses. It is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericsson’s innovation investments have delivered the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people globally. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com
ABOUT THREE:
Three Scandinavia (Hi3G Access AB) was founded in December 2000 with the vision of creating an entirely new platform for mobile communication. Today, Three owns and operates 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks in Sweden and Denmark with approximately 2,000 employees. Three Scandinavia, part of the global 3 Group operating in eleven countries, is owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, which holds 60 percent of the company, and Swedish Investor AB, which owns 40 percent. Read more about Three at www.tre.se and the 3 Group at www.three.com.
ABOUT MOBILELINKS:
Mobilelinks (Mobile Links Europe AB) is a media communications company with offices in Scandinavia and Netherlands. The offer is event-based and permanent media services over different technologies like fiber, satellite, internet, and mobile networks. www.mobilelinks.se