Broadcast Streaming Video Using EVDO (Network Impact)

Bruce Wilkinson · EVDO Newbie Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

My name is Bruce Wilkinson and I work in the television broadcast industry in the satellite distribution field. I am also a new member to this forum and happy to be here.

A company called LiveU has started selling a unit that has 6 EVDO cards in it. The cards are synced and deliver streaming video and audio from the event site back to the network head end for integration into the broadcast.

Question: What knd of effect will a device like this have on other users on that same tower? I know the device will untilze at least 6X the number of time slots what I do not know will be the actual network impact. As best as I can say it will be akin to having 6 laptops all uploading large files at once. Would anyone venture to guess what type of impact that would have on an individual user experience. Is there a network loading fomula that would explain it?

Thank you in advance for the assistance
Bruce Wilkinson

JGriggs · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:43 am Post subject:

All below is speculation:

I downloaded the info and its light on technical details.
It says it uses a combination of WiFi, Cellular 3G/4G to do this work.
What are monthly fees like?
This is a leading question, as I would suspect that there may be 6 modems in there, but each for a different system.
Having 6 modems for the same system doesn't make much sense, unless they can somehow connect to multiple towers. In almost all cases, the backhaul from each tower is less than one full time connection.
More likely they are diversifying. I'm guessing a WiFi modem (or more than one to lock to multiple networks), a cellular modem on Verizon, a cellular modem on Sprint, a cellular modem on ATT, and possible a 4G WiMax modem. Or some other similar combinations.

Does the service require software at the destination?
The above would be very difficult to do without a reassembly technique...
If they are using cellular, all of them now come with 5 GB limits.
It seems that this limitation would come into play first and cause massive overage fees.

Anyways, for your first question, yes, it will most likely have an effect on other users. It may degrade their (and your) quality of service when fighting for the same bandwidth, but it won't stop anyone else's service.
Most phone users use the other side of the bandwidth and download, with the exception of sending pictures and video and sending packet confirmations. Us EVDO people could be doing either...