SK Telecom succeeded in transmitting U.S. terrestrial broadcasting with MEC technology
SK Telecom announced on the 28th (local time) that it succeeded in transmitting terrestrial broadcasting using MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) and virtualization technology along with Sinclair, the largest terrestrial broadcasting group in North America, and Castdatera, a media tech company under SK Square.
The demonstration was conducted in the Arlington area near Washington, D.C., using ATSC 3.0 (U.S. UHD Broadcasting Standard) standard radio with SK Telecom’s “Media Edge” platform to communicate with vehicles driving through Sinclair local broadcaster WIAV-CD.
In this demonstration, the next-generation convergence broadcasting service, which combines ATSC 3.0 broadcasting and 5G communication, which quickly receives regional customized data information through the communication network when it reaches the set area along with stable high-definition TV broadcasting while driving the vehicle.
On this day, Chairman David Smith of Sinclair, CEO of SK Telecom Yoo Young-young, and officials of Castdatera attended the site to experience the service in person and share opinions on ways to cooperate with next-generation broadcasting services.
If the media edge platform is applied, each local station can efficiently manage and operate broadcasting services of hundreds of local stations across North America by using general-purpose equipment and virtualization software systems without large investments such as installing dedicated equipment. Considering this, it is expected that the cost burden of introducing next-generation broadcasting services in the future can be greatly reduced.
In addition, the media edge platform is suitable for vehicle infotainment (IVI) services as it can watch real-time high-definition TV, real-time disaster and emergency notification, and local customized advertising services based on two-way communication through 5G networks.
SK Telecom has developed a media edge platform that is used to provide media services as one of 5G MEC’s industry-specific services ‘Edge Cloud’, which has increased operational efficiency by virtualizing broadcasting transmission systems.
CastDatera has built an ATSC 3.0 broadcast transmission system based on the media edge platform. In May, it succeeded in transmitting ATSC 3.0 terrestrial broadcasting using edge cloud virtualization technology for the first time in the world with KBS.
SK Telecom is upgrading high-quality broadcasting video conversion technology using Sinclair, Castdatera, MEC technology, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) semiconductor sapion. We will continue to strengthen cooperation to upgrade next-generation convergence broadcasting services.