Private 5G Broadcasting Takes Center Stage in Live Sports: CloudRAN.AI at the FISU World Univesity Games in Germany
Jul 31, 2025
Private 5G: A Game-Changer for Live Sports Broadcasting
In live sports broadcasting, especially high-mobility events like marathons, races, and multi-venue tournaments, traditional connectivity often struggles to keep up with the demand for high bandwidth, low latency streaming. Public 5G networks and Wi-Fi can become congested or introduce too much latency when thousands of spectators and devices compete for bandwidth. This is where private 5G (P5G) networks are emerging as a game-changer.
Private 5G broadcasting provides dedicated, broadcast-grade connectivity for cameras, drones, and production teams, ensuring that live video feeds remain smooth and reliable even in challenging scenarios. By operating on exclusive spectrum and tailored network configurations, P5G can deliver the ultra-low latency streaming and consistent throughput that live sports broadcasts require.
Telecom professionals are increasingly recognizing that mobile 5G uplink solutions dedicated to events can outshine one-size-fits-all public networks for critical live content.
FISU World University Games Half-Marathon Live Streamed via Private 5G in Germany
CloudRAN.AI’s private 5G solution was recently deployed to deliver live outdoor coverage of a half-marathon event in Germany. A local sports broadcast company set up an all-in-one P5G network along the race route to stream the entire event in real time.
By leveraging a dedicated 100 MHz frequency band with customized QoS profiles, the private 5G network provided stable, ultra-low latency (5–10 ms) connectivity across the course. This ensured uninterrupted HD video and audio streaming from cameras following the runners, with signals transmitted back to the central production facility without a glitch . The dedicated 100 MHz spectrum meant zero interference from outside users – a key advantage since Germany’s regulator allocates a 100 MHz block (3.70–3.80 GHz) specifically for local private networks. Thanks to this exclusive bandwidth and careful network tuning, the half-marathon broadcast enjoyed rock-solid reliability and coverage throughout the route, something that would have been hard to guarantee on a public 5G or LTE network during a large event.
Service highlights:
The P5G network’s robust uplink capacity allowed multiple camera feeds to send video concurrently without buffering. Field units experienced consistently low latency (under 10 ms) for control signals and streaming, enabling smooth switching between camera angles.
Coverage was engineered to span the entire marathon route, handing off signals seamlessly as runners moved – all critical for an event that stretches over many kilometers. The result was a broadcast-grade experience for viewers, delivered wirelessly. Organizers noted that the deployment improved network reliability, coverage, and service quality – all essential for large-scale live events .
FISU World University Games Basketball: Mobile 5G Uplinks Across Multiple Venues
At the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany, CloudRAN.AI’s portable private 5G units enabled real-time uplinks of live basketball games from multiple venues to a central broadcast control room. In this four-day tournament, broadcast partner Ambiance TV deployed CloudRAN.AI P5G systems in at least two cities (Hagen and Bochum) to beam high-definition courtside video feeds directly back to the production hub.
The wireless 5G uplinks operated with exceptionally low latency and high reliability, ensuring that on-screen action stayed in sync and smooth for viewers despite being captured in different arenas. Producers could rely on the private 5G network’s guaranteed throughput to handle multiple camera angles (each tagged as a “5G Cam” feed in the control room monitor) without frame drops or quality degradation.
This mobile broadcasting setup was fast, seamless, and infrastructure-light – no need to lay fiber or rely on satellite trucks, since the P5G system delivered a fiber-like uplink through the air.
Importantly, the CloudRAN.AI solution was plug-and-play and infrastructure agnostic. Teams on the ground in Hagen and Bochum could set up the all-in-one 5G base units within minutes, obtaining instant high-bandwidth connectivityfor their broadcast gear.
Over the course of the event, real-time streams were transmitted to the control center over the low-latency private 5G uplink, which kept the basketball broadcasts running flawlessly. Building on this success, CloudRAN.AI extended coverage to additional venues like Essen, showing how easily the private 5G units can be moved and redeployed.
From the arena in Essen, another CloudRAN.AI unit provided ultra-low latency, broadcast-grade connectivity for live feeds, despite the dynamic, high-mobility environment of a multi-sport event. This flexibility highlights a key benefit of P5G in broadcasting: a network that travels with the production, delivering reliable wireless uplink wherever the action is.
Network Performance and Deployment Advantages
Our subsidiary team's (CloudRAN.AI) P5G deployments in these sports events demonstrate clear performance benefits over traditional networks. Here are some key metrics and advantages that stood out:
Ultra-Low Latency:
End-to-end latency on the private 5G links stayed around 5–10 milliseconds, which is significantly lower than typical 4G/5G public networks (often 20–30 ms). This sub-10 ms latency is vital for live sports, as it keeps camera feeds and on-screen graphics in near-perfect sync with the action, enabling real-time switching and smooth streaming with no noticeable delay. Broadcasters can integrate multiple wireless cameras without worrying about sync issues or jitter.
High Bandwidth Uplinks:
Each P5G unit provided ample uplink capacity to handle multiple HD (and even 4K) video streams concurrently. In practice, CloudRAN.AI’s system has delivered hundreds of Mbps per camera feed – for example, in a related motorsport event it maintained ~230 Mbps uplink per car camera. For the half-marathon and university games, this meant headroom to support high-bitrate video and even data-intensive feeds (360° cams, drone footage, etc.) without congestion. The dedicated 100 MHz spectrum acts as a big “pipe” exclusively for the event, so unlike public networks, there’s no competition for bandwidth or risk of cell site overload .
Reliable Coverage & Mobility:
Private 5G delivered reliable coverage across expansive event areas, from a city-wide race route to multiple indoor arenas. CloudRAN.AI’s network design emphasizes coverage continuity – for instance, using a hyper-cell approach that treats multiple radios as one cell for the marathon, minimizing handovers. The result is no dropped connections, even when transmitters are moving at speed. In fact, CloudRAN.AI proved it could stream HD video from 8 fast-moving race cars simultaneously on a private 5G, at speeds over 200 km/h, with no interruptions. While a basketball player or marathon runner isn’t moving that fast, the ability to handle mobility without loss is a huge plus for any live sports scenario.
Quality of Service (QoS) Customization:
Unlike operator networks, a private 5G can be fine-tuned for broadcast needs. CloudRAN.AI’s solution allowed high-priority tagging of video streams, ensuring consistent bitrate and low jitter. This level of customization (e.g., dedicating specific slices or adjusting TDD frame config for uplink-heavy traffic) meant the network was optimized for live events, whereas public 5G offers only limited QoS control for individual users. The outcome is higher overall quality – no random downgrades in resolution or sudden buffering – since the network is literally built and tuned for the broadcaster’s mission.
Rapid, Plug-and-Play Deployment:
CloudRAN.AI P5G units come as all-in-one base stations (radio + core integrated) that are compact and portable. For these events, that translated to quick setup with minimal cabling – essentially just power and a backhaul link (which could be fiber or even satellite backhaul if needed). The half-marathon team, for example, simply positioned the units along the route and powered them on for immediate coverage (“Plug & Play setup”). The all-in-one design and Network-in-Radio architecture meant there was no need for a separate central core installation on site. This simplicity not only sped up deployment, it also reduced points of failure, making the network more resilient. For broadcasters, this rapid deployment is a huge advantage – you can roll into a venue with a couple of smart base stations and light up a private 5G network in hours, not days.
Minimal Infrastructure & Flexibility:
Private 5G for events eliminates reliance on venue infrastructure. In the university games, P5G enabled seamless uplink without any cables or fixed lines at the venues. Cameras and production crews could connect wirelessly anywhere in the arena without running long SDI cables or setting up microwave links. The network can also be taken down and re-deployed at the next location easily, which is perfect for multi-location tournaments or tours. This mobile, infrastructure-light approach saves cost and time, and it’s particularly valuable for historic or temporary venues where installing wired connectivity is impractical.
CloudRAN.AI P5G vs. Public 5G Networks: Performance Comparison
How does a private 5G broadcast network stack up against using a typical operator’s 5G network at an event? The differences are significant. The table below summarizes a few key comparisons in performance and capability:
In essence, CloudRAN.AI’s P5G provides a private “fast lane” for live broadcasts, whereas public 5G is a shared highway. At crowded events, a public network might struggle as thousands of phones compete for the same spectrum (and operators usually optimize for download to those users, not uplink).
Private 5G gives broadcasters full control of the network – they get guaranteed bandwidth and can configure it specifically for upstream video. While mobile operators can offer network slicing or event temporary networks, those often still can’t match the bespoke tuning and interference-free spectrum that a standalone private deployment offers. The result, as seen in these German events, is a markedly better broadcasting experience than one could achieve over a generic public 5G connection.
Other CloudRAN.AI Live Broadcasting Deployments
CloudRAN.AI’s experience with private 5G in broadcasting isn’t limited to the German events. The company has been proving out P5G in other live event scenarios as well, showing the versatility of the technology:
Motorsports in Brazil:
In 2024, CloudRAN.AI deployed a private 5G network at a major race track in Brazil to support a live motorsport broadcast. Cameras placed inside 8 race cars and around the track streamed HD video simultaneously back to the production center. Impressively, the P5G network maintained reliable feeds even as cars sped past at over 200 km/h, thanks to CloudRAN.AI’s innovative hyper-cell architecture. The uplink throughput per car camera averaged around 230 Mbps, enabling high-quality in-car 4K views and driver POV shots without interruption. This test won industry attention for delivering robust connectivity at 250 km/h, something nearly impossible with standard cellular due to constant cell handoffs.
Drone Coverage for F1 Racing:
In another deployment, a drone media company in Europe used CloudRAN.AI’s private 5G to broadcast live 4K/8K video from racing drones flying over an F1 race. The low-latency uplink (10–30 ms) allowed real-time aerial footage that was previously unattainable with older radio tech. With ~100 MHz of spectrum on band N77 dedicated to the drones, each unit got 100–200 Mbps bandwidth to transmit high-quality video. The private 5G link drastically improved reliability – virtually eliminating signal dropouts – even as drones performed high-speed maneuvers over a large area. This demonstrated that private 5G can enable cutting-edge angles and coverage (like overhead drone shots) for sports broadcasting, which would be hard to do with wired or Wi-Fi solutions.
Other Use Cases:
Beyond sports, our CloudRAN.AI team has also applied P5G to live media in different contexts – from teleoperated cameras and robots on factory floors to supporting live streaming for drones in remote areas. Each case underscores the core value proposition: when you need reliable, low-latency, high-bandwidth wireless connectivity, private 5G can deliver where public networks fall short. This is especially true for broadcast-grade applications that cannot tolerate lag or downtime. As private 5G technology matures, we can expect to see it power more concerts, sports, and big events – anywhere real-time connectivity makes the difference between a choppy feed and an immersive live experience.
FAQ: Private 5G for Live Broadcasting
Q1: What is a private 5G network and why use it for sports broadcasting?
A: A private 5G network is a local cellular network dedicated to a specific organization or use (in this case, a live event), rather than serving the general public. It uses 5G technology but on a dedicated spectrum and infrastructure just for that event or venue. In sports broadcasting, using private 5G means the production team gets exclusive, high-performance wireless connectivity – no competition from consumer devices. This yields reliable, high-bandwidth links for cameras and microphones, ultra-low latency for real-time video, and the ability to customize the network specifically for streaming needs. Essentially, it gives broadcasters control of their own “mini-operator” network to ensure broadcast-grade connectivity without the unpredictability of public networks.
Q2: How is private 5G different from using the venue’s Wi-Fi or public 5G?
A: Private 5G offers several advantages. First, it uses licensed spectrum, so it doesn’t suffer from the interference that Wi-Fi (unlicensed) might face in a crowded environment. This means more consistent performance and lower latency. Compared to public 5G, a private 5G network is isolated for the event’s use – you’re not sharing bandwidth with thousands of smartphone users. Public 5G networks prioritize broad coverage and download speed for consumers, whereas private 5G can be optimized for uplink and specific quality of service for video streams. Also, with private 5G the broadcast team can adjust network parameters (such as error correction, slicing, etc.) to fit their needs, which you typically cannot do on a venue’s Wi-Fi or an operator’s network. The bottom line: private 5G provides more reliable, low-latency and higher throughput links tailored to live broadcasting, whereas Wi-Fi can be hit-or-miss in crowded venues and public 5G can’t guarantee the same level of service to a niche use.
Q3: What kind of latency and video quality can private 5G support for live events?
A: In our examples, the private 5G networks achieved end-to-end latencies as low as ~5 ms and generally under 10 ms . This is fast enough that live video and audio stay in perfect sync. In practice, that means a camera feed over private 5G can be nearly real-time, with no noticeable delay relative to on-site action – crucial for live sports and multi-camera productions. As for video quality, private 5G’s high bandwidth allows streaming 1080p, 4K, or even 8K feeds depending on the camera capabilities. For instance, a single CloudRAN.AI P5G cell supported multiple 1080p streams from eight race cars and could even handle 4K drone footage, thanks to dedicated ~100 Mbps+ per stream capacity. In short, a properly set up private 5G can deliver broadcast-quality HD/UHD video with minimal compression or lag, rivaling what you’d get over fiber – but wirelessly.
Q4: What equipment is needed to deploy a private 5G at an event?
A: The core piece of equipment is the private 5G base station (or access point). CloudRAN.AI, for example, provides all-in-one base stations that include the radio unit and the necessary core network functions built in. These units are typically rugged, portable boxes (often pole-mounted or placed on tripods) with antennas to cover the venue. You’ll also need a source of backhaul internet (which could be a fiber connection, microwave link, or even a satellite uplink) to carry the aggregated feeds back to your master control or cloud, if remote. Each camera or device streaming over the private 5G will need a 5G transmitter/receiver – this could be a 5G hotspot, a bonded 5G encoder unit, or simply a 5G router that cameras plug into via SDI/HDMI. Finally, you need SIM cards or eSIM profiles for the private network to authenticate those devices. In terms of setup, it’s often plug-and-play: power on the base station, it creates the 5G network, and devices with the correct SIMs connect and start transmitting. Compared to traditional broadcast infrastructure, the gear is minimal and quickly deployable – no extensive cabling, no large dishes, and the base stations themselves are compact (our CloudRAN units have a small footprint but deliver up to 100 MHz bandwidth and ~600 Mbps+ uplink capacity each ).
Q5: Do we need special spectrum licenses to use private 5G for an event?
A: It depends on the country. Private 5G uses licensed spectrum, so you either need to have a local spectrum license or work with an entity that has one. Many countries are now opening up spectrum for enterprise and event use. Germany, for example, has a well-defined scheme – it allocates 100 MHz in the 3.7–3.8 GHz range specifically for private networks . Broadcasters or their tech partners can apply to the regulator (BNetzA) for a temporary license to use a portion of that band at the event location. Other countries have similar programs (e.g., UK, US CBRS, etc., or event-specific licenses). If no local spectrum sharing exists, another route is to partner with a mobile operator who can loan a slice of their 5G spectrum or core for the event – but that is more like a private slice of a public network, not a wholly separate P5G. In short, yes, spectrum access is required, but in many regions it’s becoming easier for enterprises to get local 5G spectrum for exactly these kinds of use cases. Companies like our team at CloudRAN.AI often help navigate this, ensuring the P5G runs on legally assigned frequencies.
Q6: Can private 5G replace satellite trucks and fiber for live broadcasts?
A: Private 5G is poised to complement or even replace certain traditional links in many scenarios. For outdoor events that would normally need a satellite uplink truck, a portable 5G network can do the same job of sending feeds to the studio, with the benefit of lower latency and potentially lower cost (no satellite airtime fees). It’s also far more flexible – you can move cameras around freely and still stay connected. Compared to fiber, private 5G obviously saves you from having to lay cables, which is great for temporary venues or moving events like marathons/rallies. That said, fiber is still the gold standard for reliability and unlimited bandwidth, so P5G isn’t necessarily replacing fiber in fixed venues with existing infrastructure. Instead, it’s giving broadcasters a new wireless tool that can augment their toolkit: use private 5G when fiber isn’t available or when you need mobility, use satellite only when other options are impractical (remote locations), etc. Over time, as the tech matures, we anticipate private 5G will handle more and more contribution feeds, making outside broadcasts faster to set up and more cost-effective. In the German events described above, no satellite trucks were needed – the P5G network handled the uplinks brilliantly – which shows the trend that cellular (private 5G) bonding can stand in for satellite for many live productions.
