hankyoreh

South Korean comedian Jo Young-bin uses SK Telecom’s 5G mobile network to broadcast live from the Bosingak belfry in downtown Seoul on New Year’s Eve. (provided by SK Telecom)

A live television broadcast was recently sent over a commercial 5G mobile communication network.

The successful transmission of the broadcast without delays, interruptions, or expensive broadcasting equipment suggests 5G communication is poised to have a major impact on the broadcasting industry.

On Jan. 1, SK Telecom (SKT) announced that it had achieved the world’s first successful live TV broadcast through its 5G mobile communication commercial network and live broadcasting solutions. Around midnight that day, the New Year’s countdown, bell-ringing, and interviews at Bosingak belfry in downtown Seoul were relayed in three parts over an 11-minute broadcast on the entertainment network XtvN using the company’s T Live Caster streaming solution and the 5G mobile communication commercial network.

For the broadcast, SKT linked smartphones to a 5G mobile router, with videos transmitted to viewers over base stations and the XtvN delivery system in the Sangnam neighborhood.

“There was almost no delay between the events at Bosingak and the viewers, and the images were transmitted within one second over the broadcast delivery system, which is the same transmission speed as a cable-based live broadcast,” SKT said.

South Korea’s three major telecoms began offering their first 5G services as of Dec. 1; at present, they are only available through mobile routers. The service is expected to be released for smartphones during the first half of 2019.

“This will usher in an era where everyday creators can broadcast television-quality images anywhere and anytime through their 5G smartphones,” an SKT official said.

By Park Tae-woo, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]