Bundesliga: Vodafone testing new connectivity system during match at Borussia Park

Vodafone Germany, a telecommunications company, has partnered with Ericsson, a Swedish communication services company, to test a new type of connectivity, LTE Broadcast, at the Bundesliga Borussia Mönchengladbach - Hoffenheim match (2-2) on 22/02/2014. The objective was to facilitate concurrent connections on smartphones to be able to watch live video during the game without overloading the network.

With LTE Broadcast (or MBMS Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service), viewers were able to watch live streaming videos in high definition, even within the stadium, without slowing down the network due to simultaneous connection flows. "There is a growing demand for quality video content on mobile devices," said Eric Kuisch, COO of Vodafone Germany on 24/02/2014. "LTE allows multiple people to watch videos simultaneously without overloading the network."

• "As part of Vodafone Germany’s network modernisation programme, LTE Broadcast could soon be available in further German stadiums," said the telecommunications company.