5G-MAG has undertaken the duty to empower the media industry with the adequate tools to access the 5G media platform.
5G-MAG Reference Tools provides access to open software tools to support prototyping, trials, and even deployments. This is 5G-MAG's response to support the creation of new media services in a dynamic world of apps, software-centric solutions and agile developments.
From TV and radio apps for smartphones or connected cars to new applications for XR towards The Metaverse
After having successfully established the development programme in September 2021, efforts are now gathered to expand the ecosystem of software reference tools into new applications.
The Open Software Toolbox for Connected Media Applications
5G-MAG Reference Tools already implements a toolbox for 5G Broadcast (as defined in the 3GPP standards in Release 16 as LTE-based 5G Terrestrial Broadcast,). This was the result of joint efforts among developers that led to the first end-to-end software package (including an open-source transmitter, receiver and client components) available to the community.
With 3GPP Release 17, 5G Media specifications are expanded into the domains of 5G Media Streaming with dynamic QoS policies, event exposure, Multicast Broadcast Services, Edge applications, among others, with an eye on the future developments towards XR and The Metaverse.
It is time for 5G-MAG to support the transition of recent standardization efforts into actual implementations.
A process open to the media and telecom industries to on-board use cases (see www.5g-mag.com/target2023) has been instrumental in drawing the picture of what 5G-MAG developers may be able to deliver for 2023.
These includes use cases such as:
Reliable Video On-Demand over Mobile Networks using 5G Media Streaming
Reliable Personalized Live Radio over Mobile Networks using 5MBS
5G Broadcast On-Demand with 5G Media Streaming
Premium and Targeted Content Insertion
DVB-I over 5G Media Streaming
DVB-I Hybrid Service over 5G Broadcast and 5G Media Streaming
Emergency Alerts and Media Services through 5G Broadcast
These are the details of what 5G-MAG Reference Tools contributors may focus on:
BBC Research & Development is contributing to both RAN and Core components within the scope of the Target 2023 Use Cases. It is helping to kick off the development of base 5G Media Streaming features such as Content Hosting and Media Session Handling, providing a framework for contributors to add more advanced functionality. Meanwhile, it is working to implement multicast–broadcast support in the NR-RAN. Next year, it hopes to contribute to the development of a reference implementation of MBS User Services, enabling Content Providers to access the multicast–broadcast capabilities of the 5G System at a higher level of abstraction.
Dolby is contributing with the development of a reference implementation of a DVB-I player. The implementations are focused on the support of 5G Media Streaming as an entry point to different delivery mechanisms including unicast and broadcast. Dolby also provides a free cloud-based content creation service to contributing members, to ease access to content formats supporting HDR and NGA for experimentation and demonstration purposes.
ORS and Bitstem are contributing to the implementation of 5G Broadcast On-Demand functionalities leveraging QoE Metrics or Consumption Reporting and Data Collection. These tools will enable the dynamic service provisioning of content over dedicated broadcast networks according to user demand or the support of certain quality profiles.
Qualcomm plans to contribute to enable new use cases around the use of DVB-I over 5G Media Streaming (unicast), DVB-I Hybrid Service over 5G Broadcast and 5G Media Streaming and Emergency Alerts and Media Services through 5G Broadcast.
iTEAM-UPV plans to contribute to the fine-tuning of the 5G Broadcast transmitter according to Rel-17 specifications; initial prospects into the use of 5G Broadcast waveforms for satellite broadcast services; and the support of multicast-broadcast services (MBS) under 5G Core and NR-RAN.
The 5G-MAG Reference Tools development in 2023 will also be supported by Eurofins Digital Testing, Fraunhofer FOKUS, and ID TOLU.
First demos shown during IBC 2022
The recent IBC Show held in Amsterdam from the 9th to 12th September has been an opportunity for 5G-MAG to show the current software toolbox in action. Even more, the tools have been deployed in pre-commercial applications developed by ORS, bitstem and Fraunhofer FOKUS, active contributors to the 5G-MAG Development Programme.
Stay tuned for next year!
About the 5G-MAG Reference Tools
The 5G-MAG Reference Tools is a software development programme OPEN to the community. Learn more at developer.5g-mag.com and join the community!