5G Without the Hype: Taking Control of Live Sports Production
For years, 5G has been sold as the technology that would transform live broadcasting. Network slicing, guaranteed quality of service, zero latency—all promised, few delivered. As someone whose career has spanned both mobile and broadcast, I was one of the strongest advocates for what 5G could unlock. The potential was clear, and it genuinely felt like the missing piece in live production.
What’s really changing the game now isn’t another operator trial. It’s private 5G, giving broadcasters the ability to design, deploy, and control the network themselves.
The reality is that mobile operators have faced significant technical and commercial challenges getting the technology ready for live production. Delivering the vision of standalone 5G and network slicing has proven far more complex than early roadmaps suggested. For those of us who’ve lived through countless outside broadcasts, that’s been frustrating at times, but it’s also understandable. These are huge systems that take time to evolve.
The Promise and the Pause
When 5G was first introduced, the telecoms industry sold it as a complete rethinking of mobile connectivity. The big idea was network slicing—a way of dividing the 5G network into dedicated virtual lanes, each with its own performance guarantees. Broadcasters could, in theory, rent a slice just for their production feeds. It would be isolated from public traffic, immune to congestion and completely reliable.
It sounded perfect, and to be fair, it was never an unreasonable vision. Broadcasters like BT Sport, where I was working at the time, gave mobile network operators some of the most clearly defined use cases anywhere in the world. We laid out the requirements in detail—uplink bias, guaranteed latency, predictable quality. We did this even before the public launch of 5G because the opportunity was so obvious.
In principle, slicing would let us treat connectivity like any other broadcast input: reserve a channel for each camera, manage bandwidth dynamically and never compete with spectators for capacity. But slicing was developed from a network management perspective, not a live media one. Mapping that theory to the fast-changing realities of a stadium environment has proven incredibly difficult.
We learned a lot from early trials like BT Sport’s 5G Edge-XR project and subsequent IBC collaborations. The technology worked, but the ecosystem around it wasn’t ready. Slicing will come, but it is not here yet. And in live production, “not yet” might as well mean “not useful.”
BT Sport’s 5G Edge-XR
Showcases Prove the Point, but Broadcasters Need Solutions They Can Schedule
Every major operator has run impressive demonstrations. UK mobile operator EE’s recent 5G work at the SailGP 2025 international sailing competition, for instance, was technically solid and showcased what slicing could eventually achieve. But these are still showcases—valuable for learning, but not for planning. A public 5G cell that performs perfectly on a quiet Wednesday can behave very differently on a Saturday when tens of thousands of phones light up.
Showcases prove the potential, but broadcasters need something they can schedule, budget and rely on week after week. That’s where private 5G steps in.
Taking Control: The Rise of Private 5G
Private 5G networks turn the model inside out. Instead of renting space on a public network, broadcasters build or lease their own. They can deploy a private network inside a stadium, at a temporary event or across multiple venues, with control over spectrum, performance and security.
It sounds like a small difference, but it changes everything. You move from “best effort” to “guaranteed.” From “hope it works” to “we know it will.”
At BT Sport, we ran the world’s first live broadcast over a private 5G network at the StoneX Stadium during a Premiership Rugby match between Saracens and Sale Sharks in 2022, working with partners including Neutral Wireless (see go2sm.com/saracens). It was a turning point—not just a technical milestone, but a glimpse of what production could look like when connectivity was in our hands. The network delivered the reliability and control we’d always wanted, with zero dependency on a mobile operator’s core.
BT Sport broadcasting Premiership Rugby over private 5G at StoneX Stadium
Private 5G gives broadcasters what they’ve always needed: control, assurance, and freedom to innovate on their own terms.
Since then, Neutral Wireless has gone on to lead multiple high-profile deployments, from live BBC coverage of the King’s Coronation to Glastonbury and major international trials. These projects show that private 5G isn’t theoretical; it’s operational, scalable, and capable of supporting real-world broadcast demands.
The model is also maturing. Regulators like Ofcom now allow event-based spectrum licensing for temporary private networks, giving broadcasters more freedom to deploy at short notice. The same approach is spreading across Europe, with shared and local access models designed specifically for enterprise use. In short, this is no longer experimental. It’s becoming infrastructure.
5G vs. Traditional RF
Traditional RF has served broadcasting well for decades, but it was never designed for the two-way digital workflows that modern production requires. RF is unidirectional: it sends pictures out, but it doesn’t talk back. 5G is inherently bidirectional, which means cameras, encoders and control systems can communicate in real time. Camera control, tally, talkback, and monitoring can all run over the same network. That opens up new workflows, especially for remote and distributed production.
There’s also a practical gain. Traditional RF systems often require dedicated spectrum planning, complex licensing. and bulky kit. Private 5G can run over short-term local spectrum allocations, use smaller antennas and scale up or down as required. It’s faster to deploy, easier to manage, and inherently more flexible.
The key, though, is that private 5G gives broadcasters what public networks cannot: guaranteed uplink performance. Public 5G networks are designed primarily for downlink, which makes sense for consumers streaming video, not for broadcasters sending it. For live production, the uplink is everything. You can’t risk frames dropping because someone nearby is watching YouTube in 4K.
Why Broadcasters Are Not Alone
One argument that sometimes gets raised is that broadcasting is too niche to justify specialist 5G solutions. But that ignores the reality that we’re not the only vertical with demanding uplink and quality-of-service requirements. Healthcare, manufacturing, and emergency services all need similar guarantees. In healthcare, for instance, private 5G is being used to support remote consultations and diagnostic imaging. In manufacturing, it powers real-time automation and safety systems.
These industries are helping to accelerate investment and standards that broadcasters can benefit from. We don’t need to be the only customer; we just need to be part of a growing ecosystem that values predictable, high-performance wireless connectivity.
Edge Computing: Making 5G Work for Big Productions
Even with reliable 5G, the aggregate data from large-scale productions can be immense. Multiple high-quality 5G camera feeds can quickly saturate available bandwidth if each one streams independently to the cloud. This is where edge computing comes in.
By processing and mixing the feeds on-site and close to the action, only the finished world feed needs to leave the venue. That dramatically reduces the backhaul demand and creates a much more efficient workflow. It also allows distributed production teams to collaborate remotely without overwhelming the network.
Edge compute also reduces latency, supports remote workflows, and gives broadcasters the flexibility to deliver both world feeds and tailored content with minimal infrastructure. It means broadcasters can run major live events without the need for a traditional OB truck or massive uplink capacity, because much of the processing happens closer to the action.
When you combine private 5G with on-site edge compute, you start to see what the future really looks like. Everything from camera control to replay can be managed locally, while graphics and distribution can still sit in the cloud. That balance between local power and global reach is what finally makes true remote production scalable.
We participated in an IBC Accelerator exploring this approach, demonstrating how edge processing can enable next-generation production workflows. It showed that the combination of private 5G and local compute can deliver the same resilience and creative flexibility as a full-scale OB, but with far less hardware, travel, and environmental impact.
5G and Cloud Production: The Missing Link
Cloud-based production has transformed how live content is created and managed, but connectivity has always been the weak link. Moving high-quality video from the venue to the cloud still depends on robust, low-latency connections. Private 5G fills that gap.
It lets smaller sports, entertainment events, or independent producers spin up a reliable network for a day or a week, connect directly into cloud production systems, and deliver broadcast-quality output without fixed infrastructure. That democratizes live production in the same way cloud editing did a few years ago.
For major broadcasters, it means flexibility. Teams can deploy the same workflow anywhere in the world, using a mix of edge and cloud to suit the event. The technology finally aligns with the creative vision—agile, mobile, and scalable.
The Commercial Reality
Private 5G isn’t just a technical solution. It changes the economics of live production. Traditional connectivity models were built on recurring service contracts with operators, which rarely suited the event-driven nature of broadcasting. A one-day tournament or a three-week festival doesn’t need a 12-month SLA.
With private 5G, production teams can scale their network usage to match the calendar. The cost of deployment is offset by the ability to run leaner productions, reduce kit and crew travel, and reuse the same assets across multiple events. It shifts spending from fixed connectivity to flexible infrastructure.
The model also opens up commercial innovation. Rights holders can deploy their own networks and invite production partners, sponsors or data providers to connect securely. That creates new monetization opportunities for both rights and data—from real-time fan interaction to branded AR experiences.
For mobile operators, this isn’t competition. It’s collaboration. Many are already exploring managed private 5G services, where they provide the spectrum and core expertise while the broadcaster controls the local network. That hybrid model could be the bridge between bespoke private setups and a fully service-based future.
Ultimately, the commercial benefit mirrors the technical one: flexibility. Private 5G lets broadcasters treat connectivity the same way they treat production gear—a tool they can move, scale, and control when and where they need it.
Global Ambition, Local Reality
Public operators are now exploring their own private network models, leveraging existing spectrum holdings. It makes sense; they have the infrastructure, expertise, and regulatory relationships. But again, there are challenges. These networks only cover certain geographies, so managing a global solution across multiple events or territories quickly becomes complex. Technical and commercial models vary between countries, which makes it hard for broadcasters to plan consistent deployments.
Private networks give production teams a single, repeatable model they can use anywhere, regardless of operator footprint. With short or medium-term spectrum allocations, they can deploy in whichever location they choose, bringing consistency to global events and simplifying logistics. For broadcasters, that’s a game-changer.
Beyond Broadcasting
Private 5G and edge computing are not just for sport or live events. The same approach is being explored in entertainment, film and even industrial applications. Studios are using private 5G to connect cameras, lighting, and virtual production tools without relying on cabling. Music festivals are trialling it for crowd monitoring and AR experiences. Film sets are using it to synchronize motion capture and real-time rendering.
The core idea is the same: control, assurance, and adaptability. This cross-sector innovation will continue to drive costs down and reliability up. As more industries adopt private 5G, broadcasters will benefit from economies of scale and a broader ecosystem of vendors and solutions.
Looking Ahead: The Future of 5G in Live Production
5G has always promised to change the way live sports are produced and delivered. That promise still stands, but the path has shifted. Instead of relying on operators to deliver the perfect network slice, broadcasters are taking control with private 5G and edge computing.
As standalone 5G matures, slicing will find its place, but it will need to meet the reliability, simplicity and flexibility that production teams demand. In the meantime, private 5G gives broadcasters what they need right now: guaranteed performance, local control, and the freedom to innovate on their own terms.
The future will likely blend both models. Broadcasters will use private networks where control and assurance matter most, and public slicing where reach and scale are more important. The result will be a more adaptable and resilient ecosystem, capable of handling everything from major international events to fast-turnaround digital content.
What matters is that control is moving closer to the creators. The same shift that started with IP production, cloud editing and distributed workflows is now happening in connectivity.
Private 5G is the next step in that evolution.
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