Marcel Procházka, ČRa (Part 3)
Aside from the television networks, you’ve also ventured into the realm of the Internet of Things. Could you share some insights into its current status and future prospects? What is the landscape like, and what developments do you expect? Furthermore, could you provide some context on the current state of Internet of Things in the Czech Republic? Are we still in the early stages, or have we witnessed some notable progress?
In the context of IoT, we often encounter what’s known as the Gartner curve or the ‘hype curve’. This curve typically exhibits a swift ascent, succeeded by a sharp decline, which eventually leads to gradual and sustainable growth. In the early stages, there are high expectations, and these expectations often become excessively optimistic over time. Subsequently, there’s a phase of disillusionment, and the curve takes a downward trajectory. If a project holds promise, it eventually starts to ascend once again. At present, we find ourselves positioned somewhere below the disillusionment phase because the grand visions that were initially described to us by various consultants have yet to fully materialise. Nonetheless, we maintain our belief in the concept of IoT and remain committed to its development. We perceive substantial business potential and a growing interest in the utilisation of IoT services.
Over time, our strategy has undergone substantial transformations. In the initial stage, we laid the groundwork for an IoT data transmission network. Our network is based on LoRaWAN technology, a well-established European standard, with a wide array of sensors readily available. Our coverage is outstanding, reaching over 95%. However, we’ve discovered that the network itself isn’t precisely aligned with what customers are seeking. They are looking for specific use cases, which led us to undertake a profound shift in our strategy, and today, our primary emphasis is on crafting comprehensive end-to-end product solutions. This entails everything from sensor deployment, requiring an in-depth grasp of the customer’s business, to the processing of data within our cloud infrastructure. Within our current network, we do have an extensive array of over 45,000 sensors deployed across various industries. These sensors cover a wide spectrum of applications, from monitoring water and heat consumption to tracking gas usage and other commodities, including emissions measurements in Prague. We’re particularly proud of our collaboration with the Prague City Hall, where we’re actively engaged in emissions monitoring across the city. Our operations encompass more than just the collection and transmission of data through sensors via our LoRaWAN network. We also engage in comprehensive data processing within the cloud. This process entails various analyses, allowing us to furnish valuable insights to our customers.
We maintain our belief in the potential of IoT, although it may not have reached the scale predicted by consultants a decade ago. The network is steadily growing denser, the sensor count is on the rise, and we are venturing into new industries where we aim to provide IoT services.
Now, let’s shift our focus to the upcoming trends in television, which are already unfolding. At the moment, you’re actively involved in testing 5G Broadcast technology. Could you clarify what 5G Broadcast actually means and the significance it carries for television channels? What lies ahead in the world of television?
Think of the 5G Broadcast as a broadcasting network that doesn’t transmit television content to traditional TV screens but, instead, delivers it to mobile devices and tablets. This distinction is quite noteworthy because, unlike regular mobile networks, 5G Broadcast can cater to an unrestricted number of television viewers. We’re all too familiar with the situation today, particularly during major events like the World Championships in hockey, football, or other significant events. At such times, there’s a surge in viewers accessing content on a multitude of mobile phones. This can lead to mobile networks becoming overloaded, resulting in signal unavailability or a drop in quality. The beauty of 5G Broadcast is that it effectively eliminates these drawbacks. 5G Broadcast presents the key advantage of providing content without any viewer restrictions and ensuring top-tier quality, setting it apart from other broadcasting methods.
Another noteworthy advantage of 5G Broadcast is its integration within the expansive 5G family. We anticipate that 5G Broadcast will eventually become a standard feature in all mobile phones available on the market. While it hasn’t achieved widespread implementation as a standard feature in mobile phones today, we hold the belief that this change will occur in the near future. Using 5G Broadcast, we’ll have the ability to deliver television programs to viewers’ mobile phones in flawless quality, without impacting their monthly data limits, and without any requirement for them to be affiliated with a specific mobile operator. This presents a notable benefit, as it allows television viewers the choice to watch TV without being tied to a specific mobile operator through a contract.
What are the necessary steps for a user with a tablet or mobile phone to access television through 5G Broadcast then?
If this technology is integrated into mobile phones and tablets, the process will be contingent on the specific business model established with the television channels. When content is offered to viewers for free, similar to the DVB-T2 model, viewers won’t need to take any specific action. They would simply need to download an application that facilitates access to television broadcasts. In the event of paid content, we can ensure its protection using Digital Rights Management (DRM). Subsequently, it becomes the viewer’s responsibility to establish a contractual relationship with a specific television channel. This will operate on a comparable principle to how streaming services from providers like Nova or Prima operate today.
When can we anticipate the launch of 5G Broadcast?
We initiated the testing of 5G Broadcast in 2021, conducting the initial set of tests that were evaluated last year. Currently, we are in the midst of the second phase of testing, with additional phases planned for 2024. It’s evident that the technology has not reached full maturity for commercial deployment. We are eagerly awaiting new software versions, which we believe will address specific issues that we currently encounter. We have a strong belief that these forthcoming software versions will provide solutions to these challenges. The viability of this technology will be closely linked to its adoption as a standard feature in mobile phones. We’re encouraged by the increasing interest from chipset manufacturers, and certain manufacturers have already begun incorporating 5G Broadcast into their mobile devices. Qualcomm is one such example, and Samsung is actively integrating 5G Broadcast into its mobile chipsets.
The achievement of the entire project is contingent upon establishing 5G Broadcast as a standard feature in mobile phones. Following this crucial step, we will naturally need to identify an appropriate business model for the provisioning and monetisation of this technology. Among these models, one potential approach could involve collaborating with mobile operators, especially those for whom the transmission of linear television broadcasting places a substantial burden on their mobile networks. This is particularly evident in scenarios linked to major events, where signal disruptions tend to occur. In contrast, we have the capability to assume responsibility for linear content from mobile operators, transmit it through the 5G Broadcast network, and alleviate the strain on conventional mobile networks. This, in turn, frees up the standard mobile networks for other essential functions. This could potentially serve as one of the business models we can explore through negotiations with mobile operators. We understand that discussions of this nature, between entities such as České Radiokomunikace and mobile operators, are already underway in other countries.
What does the future have in store for us in terms of innovations in the realm of television broadcasting? What can we anticipate in terms of further advancements?
In the realm of technological innovations, we are presently conducting tests on a new codec known as H.266. Our current codec is HEVC-H.265. This latest codec enables even greater signal compression, which translates to an increased capacity for accommodating more television channels within a single multiplex. The space that presently accommodates six television channels with HEVC will expand to include even more channels when we transition to the newer codec. The adoption of this new codec is also of significance for internet transmission. Enhanced encoding efficiency leads to superior picture quality on the viewer’s end. Consequently, we are eager to implement the codec as expeditiously as possible, particularly within the internet segment.
We are also in the process of testing DVB-I technology, which serves to bridge the gap between linear television and the internet. This technology will enable the simultaneous transmission of both linear and internet television through a unified standard. The notable advantage here is that television receivers and set-top boxes can be standardised, supporting a single type of standard for both the television and internet domains, thus enhancing efficiency. This closely relates to the DVB-TA standard – targeted advertising – which is precisely what we discussed earlier. Our objective is to replace conventional linear advertising with advertising distributed via HbbTV and the internet. For this purpose, it is crucial to establish a uniform standard, so everything is interconnected and interrelated. At present, we contend with a multitude of standards, and although we have the technical capability to transition between linear and non-linear broadcasting, certain televisions may face compatibility challenges. When a television is equipped to support the DVB-I standard, it should function seamlessly without any issues.
