OSLO, Norway—NEP recently selected Nevion to provide equipment and services as part of an update to the Norwegian DTT network’s headend and regionalization.

At the heart of this was Nevion’s CP524 TS Adapter, which provides input switching (based on SMPTE ST 2022-7), multiplexing, DVB-T adaptation (MIP insertion), IP to ASI conversion and monitoring (TR 101 290 priority 1). It also provides switching with relay protection.

The Nevion gear takes DTT’s main multiplexed input feed from two different sources, selects and creates the regional feeds, then forwards them over fiber to 10 different regions for transmission. The CP524’s redundancy helps ensure transmission is not compromised in the event any part of the flow is disrupted.

“The Nevion CP524 in particular provides a perfect solution for Transport Stream processing for regionalization with multiple SFN adapters in a single unit. We look forward to continue delivering DTT in Norway with the help of Nevion’s solutions”, says Janis Jansons, director, Technology & Operations, Media Services at NEP Norway.

For more information, visit www.nevion.com.  

OSLO, Norway—Nevion, a provider of networking technologies for communications providers, has released a global survey of broadcasters that says 82% believe that cellular networks like 5G will eventually replace traditional broadcast distribution like DTT/DTV and satellite as the preferred way to access TV content, with over a third (37%) of these respondents expecting this to begin happening within one to two years.

The company says the research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Nevion, and polled 225 broadcasters across Europe, Australia, China and Northern America with the aim of understanding how they envision using 5G and their perceptions of the technology.

The results are from a survey Nevion reported on in June that said more than 90% of broadcasters surveyed expected to adopt 5G technology over the next several years. 

Ten percent of those surveyed anticipate that it will take more than three years for 5G to overtake traditional services but the vast majority (94%) of broadcasters agree that 5G will likely increase the consumption of content. Nevion said that as increasing numbers of people favor streaming over conventional linear television delivery, the capabilities of 5G will help to cater to this audience and the demand to be able to stream content on the go.

With 5G set to enable viewers to stream live content on any connected device no matter where they are, Andy Rayner, chief technologist, Nevion, said, “5G technology can potentially deliver OTT broadcast services with the quality required not only for mobile devices, but also for TV screens at home. This could mean, as our research uncovered, that 5G is eventually likely to usurp DTT for consumers at home as well as on the move. In the long term, it is likely that 5G mobile technology could become the standard means to deliver terrestrial television. However, it is expected that both DTT and 5G delivery (when ready) will co-exist for a reasonable time.”

Nevion noted that “there are clear shortcomings with the current capabilities of mobile technology compared to DTT, which is highly optimized for power-efficient digital linear broadcast distribution and that there is also a key distinction between the potential of Service Provider offerings for broadcast media consumption and the use of the 5G radio technology to provide future real-time broadcast distribution capability.”

These views regarding 5G as the primary means of distribution of TV content are reflected in the research findings. Half (50%) of the broadcasters surveyed think the biggest challenge of using it will be network performance issues and coverage issues (42%). This is followed by issues with reliability (26%) and network security (22%), as well as some broadcasters expressing concern about the environmental impact of 5G.

Rayner concluded, “Ultimately, we are only just scratching the surface of 5G, and although broadcasters already see its potential value, at this stage industry-wide explorations into the technology are ongoing. It is too soon to say exactly at which point in the broadcast chain 5G will provide the most value. As such, broadcasters currently delivering with DTT will need to work with experts to follow the evolution of 5G broadcast capability.”

RENNES, France—Enensys Technologies this week announced it has completed its acquisition LTE Broadcast infrastructure software and solutions developer Expway.

The purchase is seen as strengthening both companies’ LTE Broadcast technology offerings and bolstering their ability to build and market 5G Broadcast solutions.

“The acquisition of Expway is a major milestone towards fulfilling our goal of becoming a leading provider of mobile video streaming solutions, a fast-growing market segment,” said Regis Le Roux, Enensys Technologies CEO and founder.

Acquiring Expway will enable Enensys to increase the breadth of solutions it offers for smartphones and tablets, the company said. The technologies acquired enable wireless companies to offer one-to-many broadcast solutions, thus reducing their network bandwidth demands.

With the purchase of Expway, Enensys will hold nearly 60 patents, giving the company well-tested solutions to enable mobile operators to meet the skyrocketing growth for video content on their networks, it said.

The combined technologies of the companies will also enhance the offerings of Enensys in the terrestrial broadcast, satellite and cable markets, the company said.

[Read: Enensys Finalizes Acquisition Of TeamCast]

Multicast ABR and LTE Broadcast technologies from Expway will work closely with Enensys’ local ad insertion offering for digital terrestrial television, satellite and cable network operators. The combined technologies will also address the needs of mission critical communications solutions and connected and autonomous vehicles (V2X), the company said.

“This deal will enable us to achieve a significant milestone in our ambitious development plan by expanding our coverage of broadcast optimization solutions, regardless of the technology employed, whether DTT, OTT, satellite or mobile,” said Le Roux.

The acquisition also brings business benefits to Enensys, allowing the company to leverage strategic partnerships Expway has set up with Nokia, Samsung and other device makers as well as mobile operators and equipment vendors.

Combining the companies also strengthens Enensys regionally. “It [the acquisition] will enable a faster geographical growth, particularly with a strengthening of our presence in the United States, and a quicker adoption of Expway’s technology,” said Expway CEO Thierry Sergent.

Expway employs 45 people. About 95 percent of its sales come from operators like Vodafone, Verizon and Reliance Jio. Financial details of the purchase were not immediately available.

More information is available on the Enensys Technologies website.