"Cloud-Based Next-Generation Broadcast Transmission" SKT Partners with KBS-Castd'era

(Photo from left) Choi Pan-cheol, SK Telecom Cloud Business Manager; Lee Chang-hyung, KBS Head of Technology Division; Kevin Gage, CEO of Castera; Park Kyung-mo, CTO of Castera, are taking a commemorative photo after signing an MOU on the 15th for cooperation on a cloud-based next-generation broadcasting transmission system.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] SK Telecom announced on the 16th that it has signed a mutual cooperation agreement (MOU) with KBS and Castdotera for a cloud-based next-generation broadcasting transmission service.

Accordingly, these three companies will be the first in Korea to rapidly build and efficiently provide next-generation converged broadcasting services based on 5G Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and broadcasting software virtualization technologies. According to the "Activation Plan for Terrestrial UHD Broadcasting" announced in December last year, domestic terrestrial broadcasters must complete the nationwide UHD broadcasting network construction by 2023.

Earlier, SK Telecom, together with Castdotera, a joint venture with Sinclair, the largest terrestrial broadcasting group in North America, successfully demonstrated next-generation 5G-ATSC3.0 converged broadcasting services in Jeju Island last April with government agencies, broadcasters, and partner companies. Since May, the three companies have been combining SK Telecom's MEC and TACO technologies with Castdotera's communication broadcasting convergence solutions to conduct KBS UHD broadcasting transmission tests and mobile broadcasting innovation service demonstrations from Yeouido to Jeju Island, reviewing the possibility of commercialization next year.

SK Telecom developed an MEC media platform to provide media services as one of the industry-specific services of 5G MEC. Based on this, the broadcasting station transmission system was virtualized to improve operational management efficiency.

Additionally, the three companies create high-quality broadcast videos in real-time by upgrading the resolution of broadcast videos from FHD to UHD through Castdotera's AI upscaler applying SK Telecom's AI semiconductor SAPEON. They also apply ultra-low latency online video service (OTT) technology so that live TV broadcasts can be enjoyed on smartphone applications without the existing delay time (about 9 seconds).

Based on this demonstration experience, the three companies plan to jointly promote the advancement and commercialization of cloud-based next-generation broadcasting transmission systems and cooperate to lead technology standardization in broadcasting and media fields such as ATSC3.0.

SK Telecom, together with Castdotera, plans to actively enter not only the domestic market but also overseas markets based on the 5G cloud-based UHD broadcasting transmission system they developed pioneeringly, along with about 20 domestic media small and medium enterprises that have cooperated in K-media technology development for years.

Lee Chang-hyung, Head of KBS Technology Headquarters, said, "This cooperation is part of efforts to expand public services and increase disaster broadcasting reach by discovering future-oriented broadcasting and telecommunications convergence models," adding, "It will enhance domestic broadcasting technology competitiveness and contribute to leading the global market in the future."

Kevin Gauge, CEO of Castdotera, said, "Introducing the UHD broadcasting virtualization transmission platform, which combines the top technologies of KBS, a leading broadcaster in broadcasting innovation, and SKT, for the first time in Korea, is expected to be a signal flare for next-generation broadcasting innovation."

Choi Pan-cheol, Head of SK Telecom's Cloud Business, emphasized, "5G MEC and cloud technologies are changing the future of not only media but also various industries," adding, "Together with Castdotera, we will lead the domestic and international media markets through 5G MEC-based media technology innovation."