BT looks to the future with SDN architecture trials

BT is trialling new technology as it looks to move to a next-generation, flexible broadcast network.

BT will this week test a software-defined network (SDN) architecture that promises to help broadcasters to cover events without needing to send multiple camera crews.

At its labs in Adastral Park, Ipswich, BT will demonstrate how multiple uncompressed HD video flows can be transported across a SDN through to a production studio via high-bandwidth network pipes.

This will allow live footage to be captured remotely, with BT claiming it could potentially save broadcasters millions of pounds as they look to move away from having studios full of equipment on-site.

“This is a really exciting development for our researchers, as we continuously look to innovate and upgrade our broadcast networks, which carry footage all over the world,” said Mark Wilson-Dunn, vice president of BT Media and Broadcast.

“We’re keen to explore how a broadcast infrastructure based on true SDN and related technologies could potentially allow us to build a brand new next generation and multi-tenanted global network in the future in the same way as we led the way on MPLS and IP based media networks previously.”