A UK first: Coronation to be broadcast using Vodafone’s 5G Standalone network

The coronation of King Charles III will take place this Saturday, 6 May 2023, at London’s Westminster Abbey. Following age-old traditions, the celebrations will also include modern adaptations that reflect the times.

Working with ITN, we will be using the next generation of 5G mobile technology to broadcast this historic moment across the globe.

A network fit for a king

Dedicating an exclusive slice of Vodafone’s public 5G Standalone (5GSA) network to ITN, we can ensure the swift and secure transfer of the live Coronation broadcast coverage from Westminster to ITN’s London HQ, so it can then be shared across the nation and worldwide.

This is the first time any UK telco has provided a slice of its public 5GSA network for a major event broadcast and follows Vodafone being the first UK telco to test this new, innovative network for public use earlier this year.

What is 5GSA?

5G Standalone offers lightning-fast download speeds and near-real time data transfer capabilities.

In addition, it allows network slicing which means we can create separate and isolated networks for different use cases. Each slice can be configured differently and because they are isolated from each other, they are not impacted by one another’s performance.

A new era for broadcasting

This is an exciting development for the broadcasting industry. Network slicing gives broadcasters a simpler and quicker alternative to deploying a private mobile network for video transmission with no extra heavy-duty equipment, planning, back-office or spectrum licensing needed, and it can all be accessed via a SIM card.

Network slicing on 5GSA also means that a minimum upload speed can be set to guarantee content is uploaded quickly and reliably for live streaming, and it removes the risk of network congestion impacting performance.

This is particularly important when you consider mass events such as sports, concerts or festivals.

As media organisations become increasingly reliant on connectivity for outside broadcast, reliable network performance is essential, but this technology can also go beyond the media sector.

5GSA brings possibilities in artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous vehicles, holographic calls, the Internet of Things (IoT) and more, boosting the digital economy and paving the way for the next digital age.

5G takes the crown

Trialling this technology at our lab at Coventry University with Ericsson and ITN’s technology partner Live U, we are now offering broadcasters and other media companies, as well as software developers, the opportunity to come and develop 5GSA use cases.

Working alongside our engineers and Coventry University academics, the lab supports proof of concepts and allows development and testing of end-to-end solutions in a safe and configurable environment.

With innovation at the heart of what we do, we are continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible with 5G technology.