Critical Connectivity
Posted on Dec 18, 2023 by FEED Staff
As the war in Ukraine rages on, the need to keep the international community informed with up-to-date information is vital
Sponsored editorial
In 24 February 2022, shockwaves pulsated across the globe as Russia invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the war started in 2014. The invasion has been described as the biggest attack on a European country since WWII.
In situations like these, news reports are one of the last remaining information sources connecting the international community to the country involved. With an increasingly war-torn landscape and mobile connectivity infrastructure damaged, news crews are forced to be selective with their choice of tech when reporting from the conflict’s epicentre. Production company i&u TV Produktion has been relying on Dejero EnGo mobile transmitters and LivePlus mobile apps to deliver to some of Germany’s largest TV stations and digital platforms, from Ukraine and other challenging locations, including the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.
“We can work much faster remotely and in limitless locations,” begins Tobias Schütz, DOP and coordinator of camera equipment at i&u TV Produktion. “Dejero’s connectivity has opened doors for us to be able to go live, even from the remotest parts of the world, and immediately edit received material in our Cologne studios. A second plus point is to be able to watch recorded content directly in the edit and, if shots are missing, get those in minutes.”
For its news coverage in Ukraine, the i&u TV field crew uses Dejero EnGo mobile video transmitters fitted with six international SIM cards. This blends connectivity paths from diverse cellular networks that in turn create a mobile hotspot for reliable video transmission. If an LTE network is not available, EnGo can access satellite networks such as Starlink.
“The EnGo has many advantages such as compact size, strong and safe internet connection as well as easy-to-use interface,” adds Schütz. “Good price, great performance and 24/7 support were also key to our purchasing decision.”
A blend of six cellular networks creates a secure, reliable transmission path with considerable bandwidth to send video in real time to a Dejero WayPoint receiver located at the ingest centre in i&u TV’s post-production facility. Content is then quickly packaged and distributed to its broadcast and OTT clients.
In addition, i&u TV uses Dejero’s Control cloud-based management system to remotely configure and command the EnGos, should news crews need to focus on relocating or staying out of harm’s way.
“I would recommend Dejero because it’s super easy to use, the quality is great and the support is first-class,” concludes Schütz. “I couldn’t ask for more!”
To learn more, head to dejero.com
Originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of FEED.
