France Télévisions, the French national public television broadcaster, is leveraging a private 5G network to transmit coverage of the Olympic torch relay in Paris for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Since May 9, the broadcaster has been providing 10 hours of daily coverage, documenting the torch's 1,625-kilometre journey.

The footage is broadcast on the dedicated france.tv PARIS 2024 channel. France Télévisions chose 5G technology for an "entirely cloud-based audiovisual production" due to its "reliable, compact, high-speed, and ultra-secure" delivery capabilities and its commitment to energy and environmental conservation.

The private 5G solution, a ‘bubble’ Dome, was provided by French start-up Obvios. Collaborating on this project, US-based broadcast technology firm TVU Networks and French system integrator TDF Group handled the technical aspects of the mobile units that carry the 5G cells, edge compute, and broadcast software.

Satellite operator Starlink is also involved in this innovative setup. France Télévisions noted that this approach has prevented "several dozen metric tons of CO2 emissions compared to traditional methods" by connecting a high-fidelity video stream from a lightweight mobile 5G setup directly to a central control room, eliminating the need to transport extensive equipment.

The Dome unit, which fits in the trunk of a car, replaces the need for "heavy and costly resources" such as production vans and helicopters, according to Obvios. This streamlined device revolutionizes production workflows, allowing live feeds, multi-camera production, graphics management, commentary, audio mixing, team intercommunication, and broadcasting to be controlled remotely from the Paris headquarters of France Télévisions.

Nicolas Dallery, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Obvios, stated: "Our private 5G connectivity bubble is robust and maintains a perfect signal on the move. It overcomes the issues of coverage and saturation found in public networks, highlighting the strength of a private 5G network."

Romuald Rat, Director of TechLab and AI at France Télévisions, commented: "Through this collaboration, we are setting a new standard for the future—one that prioritizes innovation, sustainability, and the power of cloud technology to produce content closer to events and bring fans closer to the action."