China Mobile and Huawei recently completed what they claim is the industry's first 4K live streaming test on a 5G dual-band convergent network in Beijing with China Central Television(CCTV).
Compared with the previous fixed-point 4K live streaming tests, this test has successfully expanded the application scope and scenarios of 4K live streaming, and takes another step towards 5G commercial use,, said Huawei.
The real 4K video had a resolution of 3840 x 2160 px and a frame rate of 50 fps. They render lifelike details with a wider color gamut and more natural colors to deliver an immersive experience. However, real 4K video transmission consumes a large amount of bandwidth. The transmission rate on a 5G network can reach 10-100 times that on a 4G network. This caters for the ultra-high bandwidth and ultra-low latency required by the real 4K live streaming.
The joint test of 4K live streaming used the route from the high-quality 5G network, provided by China Mobile and Huawei. The test route passed through the Beijing Mobile Building in Dongzhimen to the Meihui Building covered by multiple 5G gNodeBs. The test verifies that the 5G network of China Mobile can effectively support 4K UHD live streaming of CCTV at a rate of 40 to 60 Mbit/s in mobility scenarios.
During the test, the "5G dual-band networking+live streaming package" solution helps transmit 4K UHD live video signals to the CCTV headquarters through 2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz frequency bands. Smooth, stable 4K video signals were observed during the test.
Live streaming in mobility scenarios is an important requirement of the media industry. The success of this test will greatly change the production mode of video collection, editing, and broadcasting in major events and sports events.
