The ONE4HDD consortium is excited to announce the successful conclusion of its final demonstration at the UK Superbikes final at Brands Hatch. This groundbreaking event built on the progress of previous demonstrations, showcasing the rapid deployment and high-performance capabilities of a fully UK-built 5G mobile network.

Key Wins:

• Rapid Deployment of 5G Network: The ONE4HDD consortium successfully deployed its 'Cell on Wheels' (CoW), featuring a fully UK-built 5G network, in under 30 minutes. This rapid setup enabled high-bandwidth 5G data capacity in a densely populated live event. Customer experience testing from the day revealed that existing mobile networks struggled to cope with demand, while the ONE4HDD network delivered a seamless experience for fans.
  
• End-to-End 5G Broadcast in UHF Spectrum: The consortium deployed a complete 5G Broadcast network in UHF spectrum, supported by a custom-built mobile app. Handsets were kindly provided by TDF in France and made by Xiaomi to support 5G Broadcast specially for the Paris Olympics. Fans used the app to access live race footage when the bikes were out of sight, track real-time stats and running orders, and watch interviews during event breaks, enhancing their overall experience of the race.
  
• Interactive Audio Innovation: The project successfully demonstrated the integration of MPEG-H interactive audio into the 5G Broadcast application. Fans had access to supplementary audio options, such as multi-language commentary, personalised audio settings, and enhanced dialogue for greater accessibility, providing a richer, more customisable viewing experience.
  
• Commercial appetite: During the event, an independent consumer panel tested the ONE4HDD 5G Broadcast application, providing invaluable feedback on the user experience. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants praising the app for keeping them “close to the action” even when the bikes were out of sight.

The consumer research highlights strong demand for the ONE4HDD solution, with participants praising its ability to enhance race visibility and engagement. Users found the app intuitive, seamlessly complementing their live viewing experience by providing access to out-of-sight areas of the track and additional race data. The audio commentary was noted for adding clarity to the action, with many triallists expressing a willingness to pay for the service as part of an upgraded ticket package. The overwhelmingly positive response points to clear commercial potential for wider adoption across motorsport and other live events.

The system's success in managing the intense demand for mobile data, which outstripped the venue’s existing mobile infrastructure, is a major achievement for the consortium and a leap forward in proving the commercial viability of 5G in High Demand Density (HDD) settings such as sports events, festivals, and concerts.

Alex Buchan, CTO, Digital TV Group, said: "This final demonstration of ONE4HDD is a fantastic culmination of months of innovation and collaboration. We've shown that 5G can dramatically improve the fan experience at live events by ensuring uninterrupted access to high-quality content. We’re proud to have led such a forward-looking consortium, and this is only the beginning for what we can achieve with 5G in the media industry. The project has been made possible thanks to funding from DSIT as part of the future networks programme which has provided the opportunity to unlock commercial impasses and drive this innovative technology towards live deployments."

DSIT used the event to create its own showcase video case study of the project, interviewing the consortium partners and capturing ONE4HDD in action. You can view it here.

David Owens, Head of Technical Trials, Virgin Media O2: "Virgin Media O2 is proud to be at the forefront of trialling innovative 5G solutions. The success of this final demonstration shows how quickly 5G networks can be deployed, and how they can offer high-bandwidth, high-quality connectivity in even the busiest environments. This is a game-changer for the events industry."

Christophe Burdinat, Director – Technology and Standards, Ateme: "Our technology has played a key role in ensuring the seamless compression and broadcast of video content to attendees. This demonstration proved the power of 5G Broadcast in creating immersive experiences. We're excited to see how this technology will transform content delivery at live events globally."

Kevin Zemrowsky, Technical Director, Imaginary Pictures: "Our team provided the critical interface between practical live production and this advanced R&D project, bringing the action closer to the fans. This real-world demonstration of live video capture and streaming using 5G Broadcast is a major step forward, proving what’s possible for event broadcasting."

Dr Mohammad Shojafar, Associate Professor in Network Security, University of Surrey: "With 5G, ensuring secure and reliable data transmission is critical. Our work on the security aspects of the multicast/broadcast network in this project ensures that both privacy and performance can be achieved in the field. We are excited about the future potential for 5G’s impact on secure group communications."

ONE4HDD will next be deployed at Twickenham on November 24^th for the final match of the Autumn Nations Series 2024 – England v Japan.