This summer, Haivision and its partners deployed three proof-of-concepts (POCs) as part of the 2025 IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme project, “Conquering the Air(waves): Private 5G from Land to Sea to Sky.” These trials pushed the boundaries of using private 5G networks to enable secure, high-bandwidth, and ultra-low latency connectivity for the live production of sports and entertainment events in challenging and dynamic environments.
One of the IBC Accelerator POCs involved testing a private 5G solution with the award-winning production company QTV and wireless communication specialists Neutral Wireless for the Henley Festival on the Thames in the United Kingdom.
The challenges of covering the Henley Festival
The yearly Henley Festival features popular musicians, art installations, comedic performances, and fine dining for over 27,000 guests. Traditionally, capturing footage at music festivals involves the use of wired cameras positioned around the stage. However, heavy and cumbersome equipment can limit the mobility of the live production crew and restrict the variety of footage they can capture. In addition, the large size of the cameras can be off-putting to the audience as they immediately know they are being filmed.
With large events in public areas like this, network connectivity also poses a challenge for broadcast teams. Cellular network bandwidth over public 4G/5G networks is shared with everyone in attendance, causing congestion and creating unpredictability for broadcast teams covering events.
To showcase the festival’s vibrant energy, the QTV production team was exploring new production methods that would allow full camera flexibility without compromising video quality because of poor wireless connectivity.
An innovative private 5G workflow
To convey the vibe of the festival and capture dynamic footage with ultra-low latency, QTV used a Neutral Wireless private 5G network to provide dedicated bandwidth and uplink-biased wireless connectivity during the event. To ensure the uninterrupted transmission of ultra-low latency video across the music festival, QTV deployed Haivision’s 5G cellular technology for live video contribution over the private 5G network:
- Haivision Pro4 mobile video transmitters were connected to stage-side cameras to stream high-quality video and audio in real-time.
- A local Haivision StreamHub receiver supported onsite production and distribution.
- The MoJoPro professional smartphone camera app empowered roaming camera operators to deliver authentic, on-the-ground coverage, capturing the vibrant atmosphere from within the crowd and across the festival grounds.
Using the Haivison Pro portable field units to capture the footage from the stage eliminated the need for any wires and allowed camera operators to have the freedom to move around without the fear of any safety risks. Several camera operators used smartphones on gimbals using the MoJoPro app to capture dynamic coverage from within the crowd. This enabled QTV to film authentic footage of festivalgoers all over the venue, including shots of the riverside, boats on the Thames, and even roaming performers entertaining guests in the crowd, bringing the excitement of being at the festival live to the viewing audience at home.
The trial also demonstrated remote camera control, push-to-talk intercom, and onsite video distribution, showcasing new creative possibilities for live festival production.
A successful deployment
The deployment of a private 5G network from Neutral Wireless and Haivision video transmitter solutions at the Henley Festival was a success, showcasing the potential for this broadcast technology trial to become a viable way to produce future large-scale live events. The ability to capture footage from dynamic camera angles across the event provided a fresh and immersive perspective of the festival.
“The combination of a private 5G network and Haivision’s cellular technology was a gamechanger for covering the Henley Festival and future similar events,” said Gareth Gordon, COO, QTV. “The MoJoPro camera app brought the audience closer to the excitement than ever before, and the StreamHub integration with Cyanview’s multi-camera control panel meant the smartphone cameras could be remotely shaded from the gallery. This allowed for an immersive experience we wouldn’t have been able to capture without this technology.”
Haivision’s 5G cellular technology and the Neutral Wireless private 5G network significantly enhanced both the production process and the audience experience, leading to more visual creativity and technical efficiency for coverage of a large-scale event. This innovative real-world trial proved that an immersive, seamless experience is possible with the right technology, and it could change how live events will be covered in the future.
