The cross-country races of FIS Junior World Ski Championships (JWSC) that will take place 8-14 February in Vuokatti, Finland and it will be livestreamed with 5G technology as a cooperation of the telecommunications company Elisa and a Finnish software-based TV-production service provider, Kepit Systems.
In Finland, the competitions can be viewed through Elisa Cable TV, while the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is in charge of the international rights.
There is a growing demand for the livestreaming of sports and other live events, and 5G technology provides a new approach that is more agile than a traditional TV production.
5G offers up to 10 times faster connections, an increased capacity and an improved possibility to carry out livestreaming also in outdoor sports. This is the first time that 5G is used in such a large scale for streaming purposes in a sports event.
The JWSC of Vuokatti will be mostly streamed through 5G phones, which have been placed throughout the race tracks. Live video will be sent from these phones to editing studio, where the broadcast will be made ready for the viewers. All the races can be viewed through Elisa Viihde Sport and Elisa Cable TV in Finland, and as a result of the contract between Vuokatti Sport and EBU, the races are also available through various broadcasting companies such as Yle Areena in Finland, NRK TV in Norway and SVT Play in Sweden.
“JWSC will be streamed utilizing Elisa 5G that has been in Vuokatti already for a while now. Thanks to the 5G network, there is enough capacity in Vuokatti for a good quality broadcast and we can offer a new solution for the livestreaming of sports events. Together with Vuokatti Sport we can set an example of how 5G technology can be used as its best,” says Business Director Ilkka Pohtola from Elisa.
“We have been developing the 5G hybrid technology that is used for the broadcast for over a year now, and finally we get to use it in this big of an event. 5G connections enable large scale outdoor productions easier than before and by utilizing our hybrid technology, we can put together the best features of the traditional TV production and 5G streaming technology,” tells Jussi Uljas from Kepit Systems.
“We want to stay current with the development of sports events, and live streaming plays a big role in this. JWSC is a major event for us so it is great that we have a chance to cooperate with big players in the field and streaming of the competitions will be of high quality. Without the solution offered by Elisa and Kepit Systems, this would not have been possible. We are not the only ones benefiting from the livestreaming, but also the athletes, teams and the whole sport of cross-country skiing can enjoy it. 5G is a great opportunity for us and I am confident that we can utilize it also in the future in other events,” says the Sales Manager of Vuokatti Sport, Tomi-Pekka Riihivuori.