5G-VIRTUOSA Project
Running between 2019 and 2022, the EU-funded 5G-VIRTUOSA project explored the use of IP, virtualization and 5G technologies in live production
The Project
Supported by a €2 million grant from the EU’s Horizon 2020 program, the 5G-VIRTUOSA project set out to provide real-world validation of a cutting-edge, multi-vendor IP live production environment. At the time (2019-2022), exploring the potential of IP, virtualization and 5G in live production was pioneering work.
The project consisted of 3 phases, including a some which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phase 1
(September 2019 – November 2021) Built a multi-vendor IP production environment.
Phase 2
(November 2021 – March 2022) Expanded the system to a three-site WAN environment in Germany, enabling multi-site, all-IP networking of TV studios.
Phase 3
(March 2022 – Conclusion) Integrated international, multi-location 5G connectivity, finalizing the distributed live production system.
The 5G-VIRTUOSA project laid the foundations of many of today’s more ambitious remote-production applications.
Scope and outcome
Objectives
The overall objective was to develop a fully tested and validated product based on three core technical elements:
- 5G Wireless Communication – Enhancing remote and mobile media production capabilities.
- IP-based Media Transport – Utilizing Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) to optimize resource allocation.
- Cloud & High-Performance Computing (HPC) – Enabling efficient real-time processing and scalability for live media production.
These technologies were successfully integrated and validated in a real operational environment, demonstrating that high-speed, scalable, and cost-effective Cooperative Live Media Production is now possible.
Achievements
- Virtualized Production Resources – Seamless remote collaboration between studios, control rooms, and on-site teams across multiple locations.
- Enhanced Audience Engagement – Real-time audience interaction through 5G acquisition, feeding directly into the production chain.
- High-Speed Media Transport – Achieved live media transmission over IP networks at up to 100 Gbit/s, ensuring ultra-low latency.
- Cost Reduction – Delivered a 30-40% reduction in production costs, enabling the creation of more live content without increasing expenses.
With these breakthroughs, 5G-VIRTUOSA has set a new benchmark for live media production, making it more flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient.
The participants in the
5G-VIRTUOSA project
The role of Nevion in the project
As the architect of virtualized media production, Nevion played a crucial role in the 5G-VIRTUOSA project by providing media network and broadcast infrastructure solutions. With expertise in IP, virtualization, and cloud technologies, Nevion’s solutions enable the management, transport, and processing of professional-quality video, audio, and data in real-time, ensuring reliability and security.
Nevion’s technology powers major sporting and live events across the globe, and its solutions are used by some of the world’s largest media groups and telecom service providers, including AT&T, NBC Universal, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., NASA, Arqiva, BBC, CCTV, EBU, BT, TDF, and Telefonica.
Mellanox Technologies
Mellanox Technologies (now part of Nvidia) was a leading supplier of end-to-end Ethernet and InfiniBand intelligent interconnect solutions and services for servers, storage, and hyper-converged infrastructure.
LOGIC Media Solutions Gmbh
LOGIC Media Solutions is a German-based media infrastructure architect and distributor of professional broadcast and telecommunication equipment.
IRT
The Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT) was a world-renowned research and innovation center for broadcasting and media technology with more than 60 years of experience.
5G Virtuosa Documentation
Project Funding
The VIRTUOSA project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 866656.
Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a key component of the Europe 2020 strategy aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness. As a major driver of economic growth and job creation, Horizon 2020 has the backing of European leaders and Members of the European Parliament, recognizing research and innovation as critical investments in the future.
By fostering world-class science, industrial leadership, and tackling societal challenges, Horizon 2020 removes barriers to innovation and strengthens collaboration between the public and private sectors. The program’s goal is to make Europe a leader in groundbreaking innovation and technological advancement.