TECHNICAL
5G-EMERGE objectives
no IP coverage as it can fall back to a satellite receive-only mode if required. Network functions can be exposed all the way up to the 5G devices. Where there is no 5G network and device available, the far edge will be the end point. The 5G-EMERGE ecosystem is compliant with a futureproof 5G-architecture approach and can provide a full integrated fallback for non-5G components that already exist in the market. From a business perspective, the provision of new or improved functions is the imperative. Availability of media services at locations that are not covered by fast terrestrial internet, such as a ship or holiday location, are a clear case, with personalisation or localisation logical extensions. The cloud infrastructure, either as network- or software-as-a- service models can deliver functions to the edges of the internet and beyond. On top of the edgecast approach, satellite networks introduce operational advantages. They provide a better quality of service than best-effort internet. The fact that a single IP feed spans a vast area, from spot beams covering 200 km to networks that cover a continent, is very efficient for content requested by a certain threshold of users. This translates to a lower energy footprint per user and lower distribution cost compared to normal unicast internet traffic. Moreover, this approach will also relieve expensive or congested network connections in the internet backbone or connecting base stations of mobile networks. Improving delivery-network resilience is another strategic goal. From a business perspective, the provision of new or improved functions is the imperative.
5G-EMERGE is a consortium of companies deploying a media delivery ecosystem consisting of distributed edges connected via satellite backhaul. The ecosystem supports a multitude of use-cases which may benefit from a better reach, playout quality, application response and traffic optimisation by ingesting popular content as close as possible to the end user. The project is called 5G-EMERGE as it uses 5G technologies to achieve technological convergence between satellite communication and online delivery mechanisms. The emerging ecosystem is a native-IP hybrid infrastructure, based on open standards. It is complementary to terrestrial internet networks and fully transparent to the audience as their media applications are redirected in the backend to local caches on the far edges. These distributed edges can be deployed, for example, near 5G base stations or at a 5G base station on a ship. Not only 5G mobile networks are addressed but also smaller edges – effectively smart satellite gateways – are targeted in other network head-ends, home networks and in vehicles. The connected edges implemented during the project host multiple applications – running in Docker containers – on a virtualised cloud stack. As such, the edge network is not restricted to media services only but can, for example, be used for distributing software updates, e-learning or AI appliances. In other words, everything that benefits from a combination of a satellite backhaul and processing power that is closer to the end user. For content providers, the ecosystem functions as a normal (multi-) CDN setup. Satellite networks, primarily GEO and MEO satellites, are used as a tunnel to deliver multicast streams of popular content, jumping over busy interconnection points. Content to fill this multicast feed is selected by a prefetching engine that predicts popularity in the region covered by the satellite footprint. Data inputs are reverse proxy request, predictions from AI driven recommendation engines and experience drawn from use patterns. This new approach will improve playout quality and fast startup times. It also works at locations that have limited or
SEPTEMBER 2024 Volume 46 No.3
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