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A successful product is rarely developed in a vacuum. Working in tandem with customers to optimise technologies is key. Sony collaborates with key partners – like NBC in the US or Deutsche Telekom and Infront Productions in Germany in the case of its 5G trials – to get practical feedback about what is working, what is not and what customers want more of. Interest in 5G has been global, with companies around the world looking to make their operations more efficient, confirming research from the IABM (International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers) that increased efficiency is one of the top drivers for investing in new tech. 5G offers greater efficiency both in contribution (especially delivering to the cloud) and in distributing final content to user devices. “These discussions take place on an ongoing basis,” says Sykes. “Customers will look for organisations who can help them and who they can trust. In these high-profile trials, there will be a lot of effort put in to the
entire process, so they will naturally look for someone they have a relationship with. NBC has had a relationship with Sony for 30 or 40 years, so they know about our capabilities, and they know we are in mobile.” At key trade shows, Sony will also present its road map to these key customers, checking it’s in alignment with customer needs. Constant communication is key. “It’s quite an interesting process, really. And everyone learns a lot. We get involved in a lot of proofs of concept across lots of different technology areas and production scenarios, and it’s one of the most interesting parts of the job,” adds Sykes. As media and technology organisations are interested in trialling 5G in the coming year, and as 5G technology standards evolve, expect Sony to be participating in even more evaluations and proofs of concept.
professional media wing, Sony’s mobile technology division is also prepping for a 5G world. The company is building up a substantial knowledge base with which it can move out of the laboratory, and into a new chapter of products and services. “It’s quite natural for Sony to be looking at this technology,” says Sykes. “A lot of broadcasters and producers can potentially benefit from it, and it does lead on from the solutions we’re currently offering.”
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