Alibaba Cloud and Rohde & Schwarz demonstrate 5G broadcasting PoC
At IBC2024, Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) and Alibaba Cloud unveiled a proof of concept (PoC) demonstrating a groundbreaking 5G broadcasting approach. This PoC virtualised the Rohde & Schwarz Broadcast Service and Control Center (BSCC), traditionally a hardware solution, into a cloud-native, containerised service deployed on Alibaba Cloud.
This transition enabled scalable, flexible and cost-efficient multimedia content delivery over 4G/5G networks in broadcast and multicast modes.
The need for scalable and real-time content distribution is increasingly pressing, particularly as traditional hardware-dependent workflows struggle to keep pace with global demand. Virtualising the BSCC addressed challenges related to upfront capital expenditures, deployment complexity and adaptability, making it easier to scale and optimise content delivery.
Cloud-based 5G broadcasting and its advantages
5G broadcasting offers a distinct advantage over traditional WiFi-based transmission by efficiently delivering content over broad geographic areas. Unlike unicast streaming, which requires individual connections per user, 5G broadcasting enables simultaneous content delivery to multiple devices without consuming personal mobile data plans. This makes it ideal for real-time applications such as live sports events and public broadcasts. Moreover, its low latency and network efficiency ensure high-quality performance, even in mobile environments.
Objectives and implementation of the PoC
The PoC had three primary goals: enabling a cloud-native, scalable BSCC deployment; validating low-latency 5G multimedia streaming; and demonstrating the system at IBC2024. To achieve these, the PoC leveraged Alibaba Cloud’s Elastic Compute Service (ECS) for hosting BSCC instances, dual Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) for optimised input/output stream management, and secure whitelisted IPs for controlled access.
The BSCC was deployed across regional cloud infrastructures and edge nodes in Amsterdam, Paris and Zurich to minimise latency. By processing media content at the edge, real-time applications like live streaming and video on demand (VoD) benefited from reduced delays, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Content flow and regional deployment
In the PoC, media content underwent encoding and transcoding before being distributed through BSCC instances across regional clouds and edge nodes. The Amsterdam edge node was used during IBC2024 for local delivery, minimising latency for attendees. While content selection was manually controlled, future deployments could integrate Alibaba Cloud’s Global Traffic Manager (GTM) for automated traffic routing based on real-time network conditions.
GTM could enhance deployment with:
- Health monitoring: Ensuring only fully operational resources are utilised.
- Load balancing: Dynamically distributing traffic based on geographic proximity and network performance.
Integration with R&S’s internal network and security considerations
Connecting the BSCC with R&S’s internal systems required integrating with their Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Secure communication was ensured by configuring public Elastic IPs (EIPs) and whitelisting specific R&S transmitter network IPs. The primary communication protocol used was Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), which offers multi-streaming and multi-homing capabilities for reliable data transfer. While SCTP lacks inherent encryption, security was maintained through strict network access controls.
During implementation, a key challenge was identifying required SCTP port ranges. Once determined, these were securely opened on Alibaba Cloud to enable seamless connectivity. Testing with LKSCTP, an open-source SCTP implementation, confirmed robust end-to-end communication, validating the BSCC’s operational readiness.
At IBC 2024, the PoC showcased BSCC’s ability to deliver high-quality video over 5G to specialised devices. Three main aspects were highlighted:
- Manual content switching: Content delivery was switched between ECS instances in Frankfurt and the Amsterdam edge node. Although manual, this demonstrated the BSCC’s adaptability to different network environments.
- Reduced latency for real-time applications: The edge deployment significantly improved live streaming performance, aligning with previous hardware-based deployments. This contrasted with traditional unicast streaming, which often suffers from high latency due to network congestion and processing delays.
- Secure and reliable connectivity: SCTP-based communication and secure cloud configurations ensured stable operations throughout the demonstration.
Transforming broadcasting through cloud-native solutions
The virtualisation of the BSCC on Alibaba Cloud demonstrated how cloud-based architectures can overcome traditional broadcasting limitations. The PoC proved that transitioning from hardware to a software-defined, cloud-native model significantly enhances scalability, cost-efficiency and adaptability.
Beyond broadcasting, this approach has broader applications, including eLearning, public safety communications, connected automotive services, and venue casting. By integrating cloud scalability, 5G connectivity and edge computing, the BSCC offers a flexible framework for next-generation media distribution.
Looking ahead, continued collaboration between R&S and Alibaba Cloud could introduce advanced features such as AI-powered traffic optimisation, predictive scaling and enhanced edge infrastructure.