Broadcasting real-time video over cellular

What does ‘stream over cellular’ mean? Simply put, it refers to the transmission of video data over cellular networks rather than fixed-line internet connections.

Although streaming standard video over cellular networks is common in consumer applications, achieving real-time video over cellular can be fraught with challenges. Cellular networks have traditionally struggled with bandwidth limitations, latency issues and unreliable connections, making them unsuitable for real-time applications. This lack of reliability has significant implications for industries that rely on real-time situational awareness and immediate action, such as law enforcement, defence, live events and retail.

Fortunately, advancements in technology, such as cellular data compression and intelligent video platforms, have helped unlock the full potential of real-time video. Let’s explore why unreliable video has typically been problematic, the key challenges in cellular video transmission and how to achieve cellular data compression for reliable real-time video.

Why is unreliable video so problematic?

Industries that require real-time situational awareness depend on reliable, high-quality video feeds to monitor events, respond effectively and make informed decisions. In the past, video over cellular networks has presented obstacles for several key sectors.

For law enforcement agencies, real-time video feeds are critical during high-stakes operations, such as crowd control, surveillance and suspect apprehension. Unreliable cellular video transmission can result in delayed or incomplete footage, hampering decision-making and endangering public safety. Reliable video streams enable officers to share live feeds with command centres, ensuring swift and informed responses.

Defence operations and border protection also require real-time intelligence to monitor security threats. Patchy or delayed video can compromise the ability to identify and respond to potential dangers, risking national security. Reliable, real-time video over cellular ensures continuous surveillance of remote areas, enabling military and border personnel to maintain situational awareness.

Equally, smart cities rely on surveillance systems to monitor traffic, enforce regulations and respond to emergencies. Unreliable video makes it challenging for municipal authorities to manage urban areas effectively, particularly in remote or network-congested locations. Real-time video empowers cities to proactively address issues — from traffic accidents to public safety concerns.

In the live events sector, event organisers depend on seamless video streaming to manage crowds, keep attendees safe and contribute to a positive fan experience. Delays, buffering or poor video quality can impact safety and response to incidents; however, real-time cellular video transmission ensures uninterrupted coverage, even in challenging network environments.

Similarly, retailers use video surveillance to prevent theft, monitor store activity and ensure customer safety. However, traditional video systems often struggle in areas without wired connections or strong cellular networks, leaving gaps in coverage. Real-time video over cellular networks provides consistent monitoring capabilities, even in remote or pop-up locations.

What are the challenges of cellular video transmission?

Achieving reliable real-time video over cellular is no easy feat. Several challenges have historically hindered the effectiveness of cellular video transmission.

Network variability

Cellular networks are inherently variable, with performance influenced by factors like signal strength, network congestion and environmental conditions. These fluctuations can disrupt video transmission, leading to inconsistent quality and delays.

As a result, traditional video systems lack the ability to dynamically adapt to these changes, resulting in suboptimal performance in real-world conditions.

Significant delays

Cellular networks often experience delays due to bandwidth constraints, making it difficult to maintain real-time video feeds. Video streaming is particularly impacted in areas with network congestion, where cellular bandwidth is shared among many users.

Traditional surveillance systems, which rely on wired connections, offer stable performance but lack the flexibility required for mobile or remote environments. This constraint limits their effectiveness in dynamic scenarios, such as live events or re-deployable law enforcement operations.

Patchy coverage

Wireless video systems often struggle in areas with weak cellular signals, such as remote locations, heavily congested urban centres or areas lacking infrastructure.

Network coverage inconsistencies can result in interrupted streams, dropped frames or incomplete footage. For critical applications like law enforcement and defence, this lack of reliability can lead to missed opportunities or compromised safety.

Conventional system limitations

Traditional video systems weren’t designed to handle the demands of real-time video streaming over mobile networks. This results in poor video quality, high latency and excessive data usage.

Standard video codecs and transmission protocols fail to optimise data for fluctuating cellular networks, leading to frame drops, buffering and distorted images. This inefficiency makes such systems unsuitable for industries that rely on immediate responses and situational awareness.

High costs

Uploading high-quality video over cellular networks can be prohibitively expensive due to high data consumption. Conventional systems are not optimised for cellular data compression, often transmitting redundant or poorly optimised data.

This inefficiency drives up operational costs, making it challenging for organisations to scale their video surveillance capabilities without exceeding budgets. High data consumption also limits the feasibility of continuous real-time monitoring in cost-sensitive environments.

Complex setup

Integrating cameras, gateways, networking equipment and video management systems can be a daunting and resource-intensive process. Each component must be compatible, configured correctly and maintained, which can create logistical challenges.

The complexity of these setups often requires specialised expertise and ongoing support, further driving up costs and deterring organisations from adopting real-time video solutions.

How can you achieve cellular data compression?

Fortunately, reliable real-time video over cellular is no longer an unattainable goal.

EdgeVis is the only video platform designed to stream and operate real-time video over cellular networks. Thanks to Digital Barriers’s patented AI-based video codec, EdgeVis provides usable video streams where no other solution can, revolutionising cellular video transmission by combining cutting-edge technology with unmatched efficiency.

Here’s how EdgeVis transforms cellular video transmission:

• The patented AI-based video codec enables seamless video streaming over cellular networks, significantly reducing bandwidth usage without sacrificing quality. This technology allows EdgeVis to adapt to changing network conditions, ensuring smooth and reliable video feeds.
• EdgeVis reduces bandwidth consumption by up to 90% compared to traditional systems, dramatically lowering operational costs. By leveraging advanced cellular data compression, users can achieve high-quality video streams at ultra-low bandwidths.
• The platform integrates with existing IP cameras and leading video management systems (VMS), making it a cost-effective solution for upgrading surveillance infrastructure. Users can redistribute video streams to multiple operators, ensuring comprehensive coverage and collaboration.
• EdgeVis delivers real-time video with minimal latency, empowering control rooms and field teams to respond immediately to unfolding situations. This capability is crucial for industries such as law enforcement, defence and live event management.
• The platform incorporates end-to-end security with AES256 data encryption, ensuring resilience against cyber threats and safeguarding sensitive information.
• EdgeVis supports recordings of high-definition video, audio and other data from both fixed and mobile camera feeds. This scalability allows organisations to harness actionable insights for forensic and evidential purposes.

Whether you’re ensuring public safety, securing borders or monitoring retail environments, EdgeVis offers a transformative solution. With its ability to deliver high-quality video streams under challenging network conditions, EdgeVis is setting the standard for what streaming over cellular means today.

Ready to unlock the full potential of real-time video over cellular? Contact hello@digitalbarriers.com for more information about EdgeVis.