Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, and RTL Deutschland conducted a 5G field trial during a DFB Cup match to test network slicing and APIs for live broadcast production. The trial demonstrated that these mobile network technologies can maintain the bandwidth and latency requirements necessary for remote production workflows in congested environments.
This successful validation of network slicing and Quality on Demand APIs suggests that mobile networks are becoming viable alternatives to expensive satellite or dedicated fiber links for live sports. By isolating broadcast traffic from general fan usage in a crowded stadium, telcos can now offer guaranteed service levels for high-bitrate video transmission. This shift supports the industry's move toward decentralized remote production, potentially lowering overhead for mid-tier sporting events that previously could not justify heavy infrastructure costs. Watch for the standardization of these Network APIs across European carriers to enable cross-border production consistency for international tournaments.
Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefónica have been building the network API ecosystem that underpins this field trial through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. At MWC Barcelona 2023, the initiative launched with Quality on Demand as one of eight universal network APIs, demonstrated in a high-definition video showcase by Orange, Telefónica, Vodafone, and Ericsson. By February 2024, Germany's three main operators commercially launched Open Gateway APIs on the Vonage platform, including Quality on Demand tests with Siemens Energy for augmented reality, establishing the commercial infrastructure that the RTL broadcast trial now extends into live production.
The regulatory environment for network slicing in Europe is actively evolving to accommodate use cases like this broadcast trial. In June 2026, BEREC's Board of Regulators approved a draft Further Guidance on 5G Network Slicing for public consultation, with a submission deadline of 6 August 2026. The guidance assists operators in self-assessing slicing-based use cases against the Open Internet Regulation and includes a list of generic slicing scenarios with preliminary regulatory remarks. This directly affects how Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefónica can commercially offer guaranteed broadcast slices to media companies like RTL Deutschland without conflicting with net neutrality obligations.
The commercialization of network APIs at global scale received a major boost in September 2024 when twelve major telecom operators including Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefónica announced a joint venture with Ericsson to combine and sell network APIs worldwide, with Ericsson holding 50% equity. The venture, built on CAMARA open-source APIs from the GSMA and Linux Foundation, aims to provide Quality on Demand and other capabilities to hyperscalers, CPaaS providers, and independent software vendors. For broadcasters like RTL Deutschland, this cross-operator API layer could eventually enable a single interface to request guaranteed bandwidth from whichever carrier serves a given venue, removing the need to negotiate separate slicing agreements for each stadium or event location.
Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, and RTL Deutschland successfully validated 5G network slicing during a DFB Cup match. By using Quality on Demand APIs to isolate broadcast traffic from fan usage, the trial proved that mobile networks can provide stable, low-latency bandwidth for remote production, offering a cost-effective alternative to satellite or fiber.
The trial utilized 5G network slicing and Quality on Demand APIs to secure dedicated bandwidth and constant data rates for high-resolution camera feeds during a live match.
It allows broadcasters to isolate their traffic from general fan usage in congested stadiums, ensuring stable, high-bitrate video transmission and reliable communication for remote production crews.
The trial was a joint effort between Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, and RTL Deutschland.
It is an initiative that provides universal network APIs, such as Quality on Demand, which allow operators to offer guaranteed service levels for various professional use cases.
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