IBC’s rich history as a launch pad for major industry initiatives takes another giant step today with the official launch of the 5G Media Action Group.
Instigator Antonio Arcidiacono, director of technology and innovation at the EBU, will introduce 5G-MAG as being driven by momentum from the European project 5G-XCast, similar in model to the DVB and DAB, and built around a major board with five reporting groups.
Explaining that the core ambition is to build “an operational framework for the harmonious, market-driven implementation of 5G solutions capable of satisfying requirements in the production and delivery of content and services,” Arcidiacono added: “My dream is the Winter Olympics of 2024. We could see 5G broadcast services delivering all the action to smartphones.”
The launch will see Arcidiacono supported by 50 founding members.
“People are keen to open a new offer to the market which is not just 5G as it is realised by the Telcos,” he said. “And what we intend by sponsoring the idea of combining a multi-layer network where we have the unicast services plus the multicast services, and possibly even a satellite overlay network, is to limit the investment in the unicast network.
“The idea of using the law of physics that works best means that following this route we will be able to accelerate development of 5G services, as well as sustain the cost effectiveness of an overall market offer,” he added. “We need to federate all global interests, including national regulators, into a common effort to determine a single standard, so that all 5G services can be available to any citizen.”
•The official launch of the 5G Media Action Group takes place today, 13 September at 2pm in Room G106.
European Broadcasting Union is exhibiting at IBC2019 on Stand 10.F20
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