Neutral Wireless last month provided a hybrid n40 & n77 Private 5G SA network to support the live BBC Sport NI broadcast of the North West 200 motorcycle race in Northern Ireland.

The NW200 is arguably the largest annual outdoor sporting event in Northern Ireland, with the race weekend attracting over 150,000 spectators to the Causeway Coast. With so many people gathered in a rural area, the public mobile networks can quickly become oversubscribed, leading to connectivity challenges for wireless contribution feeds.

Through the provision of a Neutral Wireless Private 5G SA network, the BBC were able to make use of dedicated spectrum in the n40 and n77 bands to provide uncontested connectivity to six live broadcast cameras over the race weekend. Radios were deployed at two particularly challenging areas of the infamous triangular track — at Metropole and Cromore — with a mobile basestation housed in an OB van with a pop-up antenna mast.

Broadcast cameras were connected to the Neutral Wireless network using LiveU bonded cellular encoders. With the motorcycle racers reaching top speeds in excess of 200mph, each additional camera was crucial in capturing as much of the action as possible.

The production of the race was fully remote, handled by the Greenlight TV team on the Isle of Man. Greenlight TV also provided state-of-the-art “flip-flop” cameras for the race, which automatically switched between two camera angles as the bikes race passed — a great example of what is possible with Private 5G for sports broadcasting.

This is, of course, not the first time that Neutral Wireless have assisted with the live broadcast of motorcycle racing. Back in August 2021, Neutral Wireless deployed the world’s first 5G SA network used for live video broadcast for the Silverstone MotoGP. 



To enquire about acquiring a Neutral Wireless private network, please feel free to get in touch with our sales team at info@neutralwireless.com.