Orange pitched broadcasters the benefits of a private 5G network it is deploying as part of its work as the sole official connectivity provider for the Paris 2024 Olympics, joining a growing list of operators using the technology to boost coverage of sporting events.

The operator is lining up a standalone private 5G network which broadcasters will be able to access in key venues during the games, which are scheduled to run from 26 July to 11 August.

Private 5G in the Stade de France, Arena Bercy and a 6km stretch of the Seine involved in the opening ceremony will provide broadcasters with “high, stable upload speeds”, along with guaranteed ultra-low-latency and “superior security intrinsic to the technology”, Orange stated.

A unique use case already planned for Orange’s private 5G network announced by Samsung yesterday (18 June) involves installing more than 200 Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones on 85 vessels due to convey around 10,500 athletes during the event’s opening ceremony.

Samsung stated Olympic Broadcasting Services will use the smartphones to capture HDR footage of the ceremony which will then be streamed over Orange’s private 5G network.

Orange explained its private 5G network will, by definition, be separate from the public infrastructure it is providing, a move the operator is also using as a lure to spur consumer upgrades.

The operator’s contract involves more than 120 venues in total, including areas of the city of Paris, transport hubs and athlete training grounds.

Private 5G is gaining traction as a way to bolster sporting broadcasts.

In May, T-Mobile US employed private 5G during the PGA Championship golf tournament and Deutsche Telekom is currently providing access for the Euro 2024 football competition.