Delivering high-quality video at the 5G edge

(Image credit: MobiledgeX)

Delivering high-quality video over 5G is going to be one of the major challenges faced by mobile network operators (MNOs), especially as 5G networks become more popular, and the demand for HD video increases.

“5G capacity will be instrumental to the growth of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) to deliver a seamless experience to users and devices/things in crowded situations, during daily commuting, or any other data experience on the move,” explained Suzanth Subramaniyan, a director at RootMetrics, a network testing specialist. “In short, the improved capacity of 5G will not only support but likely fuel increased video consumption.”

And as video consumption increases —especially for larger 4K and 8K file sizes — capacity will become more and more important to support more devices and more data-intensive video. One way to alleviate bottlenecks is to move caching as close to the end-user as possible, away from data centers, and toward the edge of the network.  

Caching 5G video at the edge

Broadpeak is a company specialising in content delivery networks (CDNs) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, and it has announced a 5G partnership with MobiledgeX, a Deutsche Telekom-founded company that specializes in edge technology. 

When video content is streamed from a location closer to end users, latency and network congestion are reduced, resulting in higher video bit rates, faster start times, and uninterrupted viewing sessions. This is where Broadpeak comes in. By using Broadpeak’s virtual BroadCache Box, content providers can move video delivery closer to the viewer. 

“The edge is uniquely suited to delivering mobile video experiences at the ultra-high quality consumers have come to expect in their living rooms."

Sunay Tripathi, MobiledgeX.

Broadpeak has deployed its virtual BroadCache Box local caching technology via the MobiledgeX Edge-Cloud platform, which aggregates more than a dozen global mobile networks to expose one common interface to developers. As part of MobiledgeX’s early access program, Broadpeak has successfully tested its virtual BroadCache Box applications on MobiledgeX’s edge networks, demonstrating the ability to reduce video delivery costs and improve the user experience for video viewed over 5G networks.

“The edge is uniquely suited to delivering mobile video experiences at the ultra-high quality consumers have come to expect in their living rooms,” said Sunay Tripathi, chief technology officer, MobiledgeX. “Broadpeak’s testing in our edge network has proven the critical role its local caching technology can play in global 5G video strategies that will add new revenue streams for existing and emerging players alike.” 

Broadpeak’s virtual BroadCache Box was tested within a mobile environment infrastructure, allowing experimentation with containerization, as well as the introduction of new schemes to deliver an optimal experience for consumers.

“Global mobile traffic is increasing, especially for live video, and we need to adapt our video delivery infrastructures to address that,” said Jacques Le Mancq, CEO at Broadpeak. “Our partnership with MobiledgeX is a great opportunity for us to deploy our advanced edge caching technology in a fully cloud-based environment and test it in a real-life cellular network infrastructure.”

More information about Broadpeak solutions can be found at https://broadpeak.tv

Dan Oliver

Dan is a British journalist with 20 years of experience in the design and tech sectors, producing content for the likes of Microsoft, Adobe, Dell and The Sunday Times. In 2012 he helped launch the world's number one design blog, Creative Bloq. Dan is now editor-in-chief at 5Gradar, where he oversees news, insight and reviews, providing an invaluable resource for anyone looking to stay up-to-date with the key issues facing 5G.