Riedel completes first international private 5G referee camera trial
Riedel Communications successfully integrated its RefCam Live camera system and Easy5G private network for an international soccer match between Germany and Ghana. The deployment provided referee-perspective footage into the broadcast stream via a private 5G core to maintain existing broadcast workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Integrated RefCam Live with the Easy5G Private network for the first time in an international soccer match.
- Used a private 5G core and two base stations to transmit signals wirelessly without disrupting existing stadium RF congestion.
- Synchronized with RefComms and Bolero S systems to manage simultaneous referee communications and video contribution.
- Delivered POV footage spanning warm-ups, player-referee disputes, and controversial game situations directly to the SDI-based broadcast stream.
Why It Matters
The successful deployment proves that private 5G has graduated from a technical experiment to a production-ready backbone for specialized broadcast angles. By bypassing public cellular congestion, Riedel allows rightsholders to add high-bandwidth, immersive POV feeds without the physical constraints of wired infrastructure. This move places Riedel in direct competition with emerging 5G contribution specialists and sets a baseline for reliability in large-scale venue productions. As viewer demand for 'umpire-view' and 'ref-cam' perspectives increases, the ability to scale these feeds within existing workstreams is now a critical differentiator for hardware providers. Look for Riedel to use this milestone to secure wider adoption at upcoming major tournaments like the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Additional Context
The expansion of referee-worn cameras comes as FIFA and other major governing bodies standardize 'Referee View' systems for global tournaments. Per Digital Today (June 2026), the 2026 FIFA World Cup marked a major turning point, deploying head-mounted cameras across all 104 matches. That implementation utilized AI-based stabilization from Lenovo to reduce motion blur by 50%, highlighting a shift toward more wearable and visually stable point-of-view tech that complements the raw connectivity provided by providers like Riedel. Broadcasters are increasingly pivoting toward private 5G networks to ensure the reliability of these specialized feeds. According to Streaming Media (November 2025), industry adoption shifted away from public network slicing toward dedicated on-site 5G infrastructure to gain local control over spectrum and minimize latency. This trend is driven by the density of stadium environments where public networks often fail under fan demand. Per Verizon (May 2026), private 5G layers are now standard in stadiums like MetLife for operational duties, including official and security body cams, which require guaranteed throughput independent of fan connectivity. Riedel’s trajectory follows a multi-year testing phase, including a 2024 Bundesliga debut and integration into the Glasgow 2026 Games Integrated Network (GIN). Per TV Technology (May 2026), Riedel’s DIVA+ solution now unifies fiber and wireless Easy5G extensions into a single IP-based backbone. This modular strategy allows production teams to scale from single friendly matches to complex multi-venue events, reinforcing the industry's move toward converged IP and 5G production ecosystems.
Read full article at content-technology.com
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