Live Events: Solving the Bandwidth Challenge

Covering special live events is exciting, challenging, and exhausting. News crews are often in the field for days or weeks at a time, running from place to place so that viewers don’t miss a second of the action. On top of the crazy schedule, each event comes with its own unique set of challenges for broadcasters.

Take the recent Papal visit to Philadelphia, for example. With any major public figure, security is always a top-priority—and that causes accessibility challenges for broadcasters. Key areas were restricted to foot traffic so trucks had to be left behind. Without the full range of broadcast equipment at their disposal, crews needed small, portable solutions, and a way to actually transmit their footage. With up to 1.5 million people in attendance, all texting, posting selfies, and calling friends, cellular networks were at their maximum capacities. Despite the extra infrastructure added by cellular providers, transmitters using cellular bonding would risk signal interruptions due to the intense competition for bandwidth. 

Enter Dejero. Since news crews were on foot and had to hand-carry their gear, portable, light-weight equipment was key, so our customers made full use of our mobile transmitters. Both the rugged LIVE+ GoBox and the modular LIVE+ EnGo offered crews the flexibility to go anywhere within the area to get the best shots.  

To overcome the cellular bandwidth challenges, we set up three exclusive Wi-Fi networks, allowing Dejero customers to transmit their live shots without competing with the crowd for cellular bandwidth. Our networks had the capacity to carry over 60 concurrent live HD transmissions from anywhere within the coverage area without interference.

In addition to our usual 24/7 telephone and email support, we had technicians on-site to support our customers, coordinate equipment rentals and setup, and troubleshoot any issues that might arise throughout the event. Dejero was excited to be on hand to make sure our customers got the support they required to successfully report on one of the most covered events in the United States this year.

Watch Nora Muchanic from ABC6 take viewers behind the scenes and demonstrate how Dejero technology enabled them to cover the Papal visit from inside the secure zone.

When our customers want our help for special events, we meticulously lay out a plan to assist with the specific challenges of the event. And when there’s breaking news events, we spring into action and do what we can to get our customers what they need. 

2016 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for live event coverage, with the upcoming US political conventions, the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, and the Euro 2016 finals in France – sign up for our newsletter to be among the first to hear of where we will be!