For the private-5G record… Texas-based private cellular and broadcast technology company Trilogy NextGen has installed an Ericsson-made private 5G network at the new Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) studio in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The network, which also combines multi-access edge compute (MEC) from Microsoft Azure, runs in the 3.55-3.7 GHz CBRS band. It uses Ericsson’s 5G Radio Dot radio and core networking system.
The deployment at TBN’s broadcast center, a 215,000-square-foot facility called the PLEX, will be able to wirelessly support up to 20 simultaneous live and recorded broadcasts from 5G-connected cameras, said Trilogy NextGen. A statement said it “enables wireless capture of digital content with near real-time latency, reliable mobile communications for production crews, and mission-critical security operations for staff and emergency personnel.”
TBN is running a 5G push-to-talk (PTT) system for real-time comms between production trailer security and building facilities teams. This delivers “greater reliability than previously used Wi-Fi devices”, said Trilogy NextGen. New media network Merit Street Media, formed by US television personality Dr. Phil McGraw, has a set up at TBN, and will make use of the new private 5G network, a statement said.
Parag Shah, president at Trilogy NextGen, said: “Trilogy NextGen has unleashed the agility, speed and security of private 5G networking to streamline and transform the broadcast studio of tomorrow. This next-generation 5G network powered by the edge compute capabilities of Microsoft Azure eliminates the constraints of wires and cables that limit creativity, reinventing the world of film and television.”
Rebecca Thompson, partner director for product management at Microsoft Azure, said: “Trilogy NextGen’s integration with Microsoft Azure private MEC is delivering solutions that make a difference for people, organizations and industries around the world. With the high performance, low latency and security of private 5G connectivity at the edge, the PLEX broadcast center epitomizes the next wave of digital transformation in entertainment.”
David Green, vice president and key account manager, for Ericsson in North America, said: “In today’s hyper-connected world, high-performing, secure indoor connectivity is an essential utility. The system enables companies such as TBN to modernize and expand their operations in order to deliver use cases such as 5G video, security robots, digital intercoms, and push-to-talk through the use of indoor 5G networks.”
