5G: Next step

• Features

• 11/10/2019

5G is poised to change the way we view wireless networks, bringing about leaps in performance and quality. Tim Kridel explores what the technology means for pro AV.

With promises of gigabit speeds and 1ms latency, fifth generation (5G) cellular is a potential fit for a variety of pro AV applications, such as backhauling outdoor surveillance cameras and controlling drone light shows. But as with any brand-new technology, time will tell whether 5G lives up to its hype.

Mobile vendors and operators have spent the past several years designing 5G to support a variety of highly demanding use cases so they can go after new market opportunities. This work provides capabilities that benefit pro AV for a certain range of applications.

For example, Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) is a set of 5G capabilities designed to support remote surgery, autonomous vehicles and other applications that require 99.999% reliability and 1ms latency. Pro AV could leverage URLLC for mission- critical applications such as video surveillance.

Another example is 5G’s use of millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum, which is above 30 GHz. Higher frequencies provide more throughput in order to support bandwidth- intensive applications such as 4K video. In the US, for example, telecommunications company AT&T has spent the past two years testing its internet- delivered DIRECTV NOW service over 5G in mmWave spectrum. mmWave also is where some of the caveats start. The cellular industry has never used spectrum that high, which means a learning curve about the density of sites is required to provide coverage on par with 4G. Also, at higher frequencies, signals don’t travel as far.

When deciding whether and how to use 5G for pro AV applications, one consideration will be the spectrum that the local operators use. That directly affects performance, coverage and more. Peter Linder, from Ericsson North America and 5G evangelist, says: “The latency varies very much with the spectrum you’re using. In order to get down to 1ms, you’re typically talking about high- band spectrum, [such as] 28GHz or 39 GHz. We’re typically seeing the early deployments [at] sub-10ms latency. So, we’ve reached below the 4G target.”

Of course, not every pro AV application requires high bandwidth. For some, latency will be the decisive factor. Drone light shows are one such example. Jeremy Bennington, corporate solutions and technical strategy lead at Spirent, which makes tools for analysing service quality and performance, says: “Drones may have the biggest benefit through the lower latency that 5G offers and the ability to pilot a drone over a 5G link.”

Another possible factor to consider is the fact that 4G can support a variety of pro AV applications, such as feeding digital signage at bus stops. Yet pro AV vendors rarely embed 4G modems in their devices, leaving it up to integrators to add that connectivity with a dongle. Time will tell whether 5G follows that model or not.

Derek Johnston, head of marketing and 5G business development for Samsung Electronics America’s networks division, offers his thoughts: “Initially, pro AV vendors will be able to benefit from 5G via a hot spot or dongle until a broader ecosystem of embedded system on a chip (SoC) is available for AV OEMs to decide whether to embed the technology. It is not necessary to embed 5G modems on displays in order for them to take advantage of content transfer and download speeds over a 5G network.

“For example, 5G can be used as a reliable wireless backhaul and support live 4K video transmitted over a 5G network to a location and then accessed via a local Wi-Fi network. Hence the capturing of the content is at 5G speeds, but the consumption not.”

Telit’s view of the market is positive because it’s a supplier that pro AV vendors would turn to if they want to embed 4G or 5G.

Marco Contento, vice president of technologies, at Telit, says: “Pro AV equipment vendors will likely continue their practice of keeping functional components very modularised so that the production team can decide if and what video stream needs to be uploaded and how. We expect to see a multitude of traditional and non-traditional vendors in the pro AV ecosystem supply Gigabit LTE and subsequently 5G gateways that are compatible with pro AV camera standards such as USB 3.”

Gateways can also be used to create opportunities to use 5G as a secondary rather than primary connection. For example, if a copper or fibre link goes down, the application could switch to 5G. Or if the wired connection is too slow or too congested to support a suddenly bandwidth-intensive application—such as a big video file—then 5G could be turned on to shoulder some of the extra load.

Vendors could embed 5G to differentiate their products— and that’s not just limited to expanding connectivity options. Johnston from Samsung says: “If 5G modems were embedded in digital signage, customers would be able to take advantage of dynamic signage, such as Samsung’s embedded SoC displays with embedded sensors and cameras to deliver a more sophisticated interactive experience.”

For vendors, embedded 5G creates additional design considerations. For example, signage vendors must ensure that the modem and antennas are in locations where they won’t be subject to interference from the display and processors. Those additional design and testing steps can increase a device’s cost and time to market, which is another reason why vendors might be reluctant to embed 5G.

Contento says: “With mmWave, cells are much smaller and must be complemented by special antenna systems made of dozens (versus current one to four) elements capable of forming and steering the radio beams between the cell and the device. So, in the case of the pro AV camera video stream connection via 5G mmWave, that would require an external antenna pack connected to the 5G router which is connected to the camera.”

FutureSoftware CEO Chris Fulton, based on demos he’s seen at major cellular events such as Mobile World Congress, believes 5G eventually will be like Wi-Fi: a technology that silicon vendors such as Intel build into their chips. He concludes: “[5G] will be embedded in the laptop design or as part of a reference design for screens, which the NECs and Samsungs can all go and use. To me, it becomes a really unified communications platform. It becomes as easy as Wi-Fi.”