By Niklaus Baer
2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games: Private 5G network successfully tested
The Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and the surrounding area in January 2020 were a major sporting event with international appeal. Together with selected partners, Swisscom Broadcast, Media & Events implemented a private 5G network at the Villars site for test purposes with the aim of connecting all audiovisual equipment efficiently and sustainably.
The test was a complete success and showed that a private 5G network can drastically reduce the extensive audiovisual equipment normally required at sporting events. In addition to Swisscom, the 5G-PROLIVE project, which is funded by Innosiuisse, also involved OFCOM, the EPF Lausanne, SRG, HEIG-VD and the Neuchâtel-based company NuLink. The aim of the demonstration, which took place from 17 to 22 January at the Villars venue, was to use a private 5G network to network all the production equipment used at the site, thus completely eliminating the need for wired audiovisual installations.
«Equipping a sporting event such as the Winter Youth Olympic Games with a private 5G network offers significant advantages - not only in terms of implementation, but above all in terms of sustainability.»
Jacques Bähler, Head of International Project Management
Ecological and economic benefits
Thanks to the use of a radio network, the amount of material on site can be massively reduced, which has a positive effect on both personnel and transport costs. "At large sporting events, there are usually about 40 trucks with equipment, including many cables. Our goal was to transport only the cameras, microphones, timing equipment and scoreboards, thus greatly reducing the personnel and vehicles and containers required," explains Laurent Zwahlen, CEO of NuLink. The reduction of staff and material allows for significant savings and reduces the environmental impact of such events. According to Jacques Bähler, Head of International Project Management at Swisscom Broadcast, Media & Events, the test showed that by installing a private 5G antenna and using special SIM cards for this private network, a "wireless event" can become a reality in the medium term.
Extensive testing at the Winter Youth Olympic Games
With venues in two countries, 1837 athletes from 79 nations and 81 individual competitions, the Winter Youth Olympic Games provided an ideal platform to demonstrate the possibilities of this new technology, which could revolutionise the world of sporting events in the future. In addition to the 5G pilot project, Swisscom Broadcast was also able to network all competition venues, the media centre and the Olympic Villages in Lausanne and St-Moritz with all national and international partners.