MK Dons make 5G broadcast history

Fans at Stadium MK for the EFL League One match between MK Dons and Ipswich Town earlier this month were able to try out a prototype of the 5G VISTA app developed by the group which includes Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), DTG, GWS and Digital Catapult.

Using the app allowed fans to view six, HD live streams of different perspectives of the game including behind the scenes footage. 5G VISTA claims that the technology has the potential to offer solutions to a number of pain points experienced by broadcasters and TV crews at events venues and stadiums. These include overcoming challenges associated with cabling and network complexity, and unstable 4G networks during highly attended events.

Commenting on the successful trial, Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said: “5G has the power to further fans' enjoyment of live sports in stadiums while helping broadcasters to improve their live output. I'm delighted that this trial is the latest in a long list of cutting-edge tests we've funded through our £200m programme to use 5G to drive economic growth and improve people's lives.”