I recently got a cell phone that can operate over a 4G network, and I am certainly impressed at the speed at which these wireless networks transmit data. The phone lets me share the signal with up to five devices, and the speed and bandwidth will let let all five devices stream video without buffering. It is truly amazing.
What I had not really thought about, until now, is that there is potential for uplink speeds at the same sort of rate. Most wireless network users stick almost exclusively to downloads, beyond sending a simple email or calling up a web page.
It is the uplink speed that is now revolutionizing electronic news gathering. Using the commonly available 4G wireless networks, it is now possible for a reporter or camera man to upload high definition video in real time using nothing more cumbersome than a cell phone.
Combine that with a portable HD video camera and a wireless mic, and you have the ability to get real time video on the air from anyplace where there is a 4G cellular signal. It can actually replace a satellite uplink truck!
Since the signal path is local (phone to tower to network) there is less latency (delay) than you experience with a satellite uplink, where the signal travels for hundreds of miles. Power consumption is minimal and everything a reporter needs in the field can fit into a small backpack.
Satellite uplink trucks may well be the next victim of the internet.
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