Leveraging Private 5G for Live TV Production: A Case Study from the 2025 World University Winter Games

Abstract

The integration of 5G Non-Public Network (NPN) into event TV production can potentially offer significant benefit, particularly in complex or impractical environments for traditional cabled infrastructure. A live TV production during a global winter sports event presents these challenges and therefore serves as a testbed to demonstrate how a private 5G network can simplify the deployment of broadcast production infrastructure. This paper presents the outcomes of the two technical trials integrating a private 5G network and a LEO satellite system (OneWeb) during the FISU World University Winter Games 2025 (WUG) held in the Piemonte region. The two trials focused on the following two events: the Opening Ceremony at Inalpi Arena in Turin and the Alpine Skiing competitions in Bardonecchia. Key performance metrics assessed include uplink throughput, uplink latency, video signal reliability, network coverage, spectrum interference and reconnection time of terminals when out of range. Additionally, the ease of installation, configuration and usability of the private 5G system were also analysed. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the entire experience. It highlights the advantages, limitations and lessons learned, offering valuable insights into the future of TV production in challenging environments.