Mobile technology enables broadcasting disruptor to stream live indoor sporting events
The company’s business model is based on subscription-based video streaming. It had found that at many venues, Internet via a fixed connection or Wi-Fi coverage was not stable enough to run its streaming services or cope with mobile camera angles being changed.
The company had looked at connecting its mobile cameras to a mobile network via SIMs but realized this would fast become very complex with different operators in different countries. The company wanted a single contract with one supplier and, after researching vendors on the Internet, approached Orange Business to help.
A worldwide IoT solution
To solve the data company’s unique challenges, Orange deployed IoT Connect Express, which is part of Orange Mobile Enterprise. Designed to steer large fleets of IoT devices autonomously, it provides powerful self-management and monitoring services.
The solution incorporates Orange SIM cards that fit into the cameras and transmit data via the Orange mobile network. The solution’s robust connectivity means that cameras can be moved and angles changed without any degradation in the streaming service.
The data company can now manage its SIM fleet in real time via a management portal. SIM cards fitted in the camera can be activated via the portal, which automatically selects the country in which the event being streamed is taking place. This links to the associated subscriptions and starts the billing process.
Data is streamed across the Orange global mobile network to the data company’s cloud for full streaming, allowing users to see both live and recorded streams.
The data company doesn’t know the volume of data any one venue will stream in advance. To overcome this issue, Orange has come up with an overall pricing model. This means that there is no limit on the amount of data a single SIM card can stream, and there is no risk of it being blocked.
Unrivaled coverage
The secure cellular IoT connectivity and management infrastructure that Orange has deployed for the data company is allowing it to grow its live video streaming business and scale up quickly.