X-PLATFORM
October 2017
❝ In the context of the 5G-Xcast
project, Nokia is working with
broadcasters and mobile network
operators to develop 5G solutions
tailored for the media and broadcast
industries. ❞
— Dr Simone Redana, Head of Mobile
Network Architecture and Systems, Bell Labs Research, Nokia
Launched in August last year by Nokia, the 5G MoNArch research
project’s specific goal is to use network splicing, which capitalises on the
capabilities of software-defined networking (SDN), network functions
virtualisation (NFV), orchestration and analytics, to support a variety of
use cases in vertical industries.
for more economical area cover-
age, while a receive-only mode that
does not require a return channel
has also been established.
Network operators will be able
to combine various TV content
delivery methods along with inter-
activity. Mobile network operators
do not need to transmit TV pro-
grammes in all of their networks
simultaneously, which yields a
high degree of efficiency.
Transmission via a separate
broadcast transmitter network
would also be possible, allowing
all wireless devices to receive TV
programmes, whether or not a
contract is in place. The standard
also specifies that transport and
coding formats currently em-
ployed in broadcasting shall also
be available for use in 4G and 5G
networks.
The first version of a new 5G
standard is expected to be avail-
able by next year, after which it
will be continually enhanced to
become a universal standard for
high-bandwidth data applica-
tions. Starting in 2020, additional
enhancements for broadcast appli
cations are expected as part of 5G
— these could be available by 2025
as popular broadcast services for
the mass market, predicts the 5G
Media Initiative.
However, the ‘defined path’
for broadcasters where mobile
networks and devices is concerned
relates to their own business mod-
els. For the 5G Media Initiative,
while supporting the technol-
ogy, its intention is to be as non-
dogmatic as possible.
Mezger explains: “It might be
possible that a future 5G broadcast
media network can be operated by
either a traditional mobile network
operator (MNO), an independ-
ent broadcast network operator
(BNO), or by the broadcaster itself
as a standalone network.
“Of course, the distinct free-
to-air media services need to be
accessible in all networks and on
all devices — without the need of
a SIM card.”
5G should not be seen merely
as the next generation of a tradi-
tional mobile network with faster
data rates; instead, 5G is a holistic
new communications system
for a vast variety of applications
serving multiple verticals, includ-
ing the media and entertainment
industries.
“The latter one is particu-
larly interesting for public service
broadcasters as they consider
smartphone and tablet devices
as being of growing importance,”
Mezger says. “Beyond that, 5G
could potentially facilitate the
convergence of linear and non-
linear media services, and provide
the possibility to offer new and
appealing media services in the
years to come.”
5G can be the next disruptor
to the media and entertainment
industries – by enabling flex-
ible and efficient delivery content
through Xcast, suggests Dr Simone
Redana, head of mobile network
architecture and systems, Bell Labs
Research, Nokia.
He explains to APB: “Here,
Xcast means delivering the content
over the access network, using an
efficient mix of uni-cast, multi-
cast and broadcast. This would
enable mobile network operators
to deliver media content in the
most spectrally efficient manner.
For fixed and converged network
operators, Xcast would lead to
significant gains in the transport
netword load, thereby enabling
cost-efficiencies.”
Besides being a founding
member of the aforementioned
5G Media Initiative, Nokia is also
a driving member and technical
coordinator of the 5G-Xcast con-
sortium, a 5GPPP phase-2 project
started on June 1 this year. (5GPPP
is a joint initiative between the
European Commission and the
European ICT industry, and aims
to deliver 5G solutions, architec-
tures, technologies and standards.)
Calling the 5G-Xcast Con-
sortium “a balanced combination
of telecom and media entities
covering the complete media and
entertainment chain”, Dr Redana
explains: “While, in LTE eMBMS, a
lot of broadcast functionalities have
been developed with a strong focus
on broadcasters’ requirements, the
5G-Xcast project targets to change
the paradigm compared to 4G.
“In 5G multicast, broadcast
and caching will be treated in a
holistic way as built-in internal
network delivery optimisations,
which will be implemented and
operated in a flexible and dynamic
way. The technology will be flex-
ible enough to efficiently distribute
content over fixed, mobile and
broadcast-only networks.”
5G, Dr Redana adds, repre-
sents an “unprecedented oppor-
tunity” for the convergence of
mobile broadband and broadcast
networks. The converged media
delivery architecture of 5G-Xcast,
he highlights, allows users to enjoy
uninterrupted se