The agreement sees Axel Springer deploy Player Web X, Bitmovin’s next-generation web player, as part of an expanded digital news offering designed to give consumers additional ways to access WELT content.

According to Bitmovin, the player is being used to support audio readouts of written news articles alongside WELT’s audio-only news channel. The technology combines media playback, vertical video support and advertising capabilities in a lightweight package designed for web-based services.

Player Web X has been built with a modular architecture and structured concurrency, enabling faster page loading, rapid start-up times and seamless switching between content sources. The platform also supports preloading of content and advertising, allowing near-instant transitions between programming and ad breaks.

“By expanding WELT’s digital offering to include lightweight experiences such as audio readouts of news articles, we’re giving consumers even more choice over how they engage with our news content, while at the same time extending our reach and unlocking new revenue potential. For this new audio experience, we needed a player that provides fast video startup, reliability, and doesn’t slow down web page loading speed. Bitmovin’s Player Web X ticks all of these boxes and facilitates monetisation from day one,” said Stephan Zech, Executive Director, BILD Video/TV Business at Axel Springer.

James Varndell, Senior Director of Product Management, Playback at Bitmovin, added: “Viewers and listeners expect the highest quality from the WELT brand. By choosing Bitmovin’s Player Web X to power its new audio experience, Axel Springer is ensuring that the high-quality that its viewers enjoy when watching news video streams, is also extending to the audio streams of its written news content.”

Founded in Austria, Bitmovin provides cloud-based encoding, playback and analytics solutions for streaming media companies and service providers. The company traces its roots to research undertaken at the University of Klagenfurt and is known for developing one of the first commercial adaptive streaming players. Its customer base includes DAZN, BBC, Fox, MBC Group, Astro and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Axel Springer has been expanding its digital subscription and audio strategies across its news brands in recent years, with WELT continuing to broaden its portfolio beyond traditional text and video formats.

The new “Sport Mode” accelerates the delivery of live television signals and is available on all waipu.tv streaming sticks and set-top boxes. The feature can be activated through the account settings menu and is currently supported for Das Erste and ZDF, the broadcasters carrying Germany’s matches and other key World Cup fixtures on free-to-air television.

According to waipu.tv, the technology is enabled by its proprietary content delivery network (CDN), which is designed to distribute live signals more efficiently and maintain stable performance during major events when millions of viewers are watching simultaneously.

The launch follows a representative survey commissioned by waipu.tv, which found that 25% of Germans are concerned about learning about goals before seeing them on screen, for example through neighbours celebrating. The phenomenon was particularly pronounced among men aged 18 to 29, with 45% expressing concern about such spoilers.

The survey also indicated strong demand for live viewing despite the tournament’s late kick-off times for European audiences. More than one-third of Germans said they plan to watch matches live during the night, rising to more than half among men aged 18 to 29.

“According to our latest survey, more than half of all Germans know the frustrating feeling of hearing about a goal before they can actually see it,” said Markus Härtenstein, Co-CEO of Exaring, the operator of waipu.tv. “This is exactly where our high-speed streaming technology comes in. It ensures that users of waipu.tv sticks and boxes can experience the decisive World Cup moments themselves rather than hearing about them first.”

The “Sport Mode” feature is available immediately to all waipu.tv customers using the company’s own hardware devices and the latest version of the waipu.tv app.

waipu.tv serves around two million customers in Germany and offers more than 300 television channels, including over 70 pay-TV services and an on-demand catalogue of films and series.

The move follows an initiative by Vodafone Deutschland, which is introducing a low-latency transmission feature for World Cup coverage on its cable network. The optimisation will reduce transmission delays for ARD and ZDF broadcasts by around two seconds, enabling cable viewers to see goals faster than before, according to the network operator.

The DVB‑I Round Table brings together broadcasters, their industry associations, TV manufacturers and regulatory bodies.

“DVB‑I offers simple and direct access to commercial and public TV via streaming, without the need for additional apps. DVB‑I is designed to secure reach and discoverability for traditional broadcast content and linear TV – future‑proof and independent of the commercial interests of individual gatekeepers,” said Dr Thorsten Schmiege, President of Bavarian media authority BLM and Chair of the DVB‑I Round Table.

The DVB‑I Book Germany sets out the technical, regulatory and organisational framework for deployment. Content providers and device manufacturers will be able to participate under defined, non‑discriminatory conditions.

The document builds on the DVB‑I implementation profile developed by industry association Deutsche TV‑Plattform (DTVP) in close cooperation with the round‑table group and with input from international experts.

The aim is to ensure a consistent user experience and an interoperable ecosystem that meets regulatory requirements, while supporting fair competition in the German television market.

The DVB‑I Book Germany can be requested via info@bmt-online.de.

Big Blue Marble says its Nakolos platform has become the first end-to-end 5G Broadcast solution to support the complete 3GPP Release 19 feature set.

The Vienna-based company said the milestone was achieved with ecosystem partners bitstem, TRedess and SYES, following two years of standardisation work alongside organisations including the EBU and Broadcast Networks Europe.

Nakolos has evolved from 3GPP Release 14 through to Release 19 and now supports features intended to make 5G Broadcast deployment more practical for broadcasters and transmission operators.

These include Time Frequency Interleaving, designed to improve signal robustness while enabling reuse of existing transmission sites; CAS-Muting, which allows DVB-T2 infrastructure to be repurposed for 5G Broadcast; and support for early-deployment frequency bands B112 for the US and B113 for Europe and other markets.

Big Blue Marble said Release 19-compatible transmitter solutions from TRedess and SYES, combined with bitstem’s new 5GR receiver platform, mean operators can now test and deploy complete interoperable 5G Broadcast chains in real-world conditions.

Johann Mika, chief innovation officer at Big Blue Marble, said Release 19 represented “a concrete step forward for commercial 5G Broadcast, not a future promise”.

“The features introduced in this release give network operators a credible path to cost-efficient deployments using infrastructure they already have,” he said.

The company said Nakolos is designed for broadcasters and network operators preparing infrastructure ahead of the expected arrival of commercial 5G Broadcast-enabled consumer devices.

The deployment will see RTL use Ateme’s motion-compensated frame-rate conversion technology to support premium live production workflows. The system is designed to integrate into IP-based broadcast environments through native support for the SMPTE ST 2110 standard and a software-defined architecture.

“We were looking for a frame-rate conversion solution that combines high video quality with straightforward integration into our ST 2110 environment,” said Gerd Meyer, Senior Principal Broadcast Manager at RTL Deutschland. “Ateme’s software-based approach provides the flexibility and ease of integration required for evolving live production workflows.”

Julien Mandel, Senior Solution Director for Contribution and Distribution Markets at Ateme, added: “Premium live content requires frame-rate conversion that preserves motion accuracy while maintaining image sharpness and fine details. Our technology has become a strong reference for premium international content workflows, particularly for high-motion events where preserving every detail is essential to the viewer experience.”

Ateme’s software-defined media processing solutions support high-performance live production workflows across on-premise and cloud-enabled infrastructures. According to the company, the software-based implementation enables ongoing feature updates and quality improvements through regular development cycles.

The rollout, announced at German trade show ANGA COM 2026, will see existing devices such as GigaTV Net, Giga Cable Box 1 and Horizon gradually replaced with the latest generation GigaTV Home set-top box. The hardware swap will take place in phases and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, according to the company.

The upgrade is intended to give customers access to a unified entertainment platform combining linear TV, streaming services, media libraries and video-on-demand in a single interface across both cable and internet delivery.

“We continuously improve the TV experience for our customers,” said Matthias Lorenz, Head of Consumer Business at Vodafone Deutschland. “GigaTV Home brings together TV channels, streaming services, media libraries and video-on-demand on one platform. To ensure customers benefit from the full range of features, we will replace around 400,000 older TV boxes with new devices by the end of 2027.”

Alongside the hardware transition, Vodafone is also expanding its audio offering. From mid-June, the company will offer compact wireless speakers as an extension to its GigaTV Home Sound system.

The GigaTV Home set-top box includes an integrated audio system designed to support Dolby Atmos sound. In combination with the external speakers, Vodafone said users will be able to achieve a more immersive home cinema experience. The sound system has been optimised in collaboration with acoustics specialists from Bang & Olufsen.

GigaTV Home is positioned as Vodafone’s central TV and entertainment hub, integrating broadcast television and streaming services into a single interface. The standard package includes access to 82 SD channels and 57 HD channels, with additional HD channels available via the Vodafone Premium pay-TV add-on.

ATSC, Brazil’s SBTVD Forum and Korea’s Telecommunications Technology Association have signed a memorandum of understanding to support cooperation on next-generation terrestrial broadcasting standards.

The agreement creates a framework for collaboration on the development, harmonisation and global promotion of advanced broadcast technologies, including ATSC 3.0 and related IP-based broadcast-broadband systems.

The MoU was signed in Seoul on May 12 and covers standards development, recommended practices, testing and certification, technical information exchange and coordinated industry engagement.

The three organisations will also hold regular coordination meetings around major industry events including NAB Show, KOBA and SET Expo.

Madeleine Noland, president of ATSC, said the agreement creates “a stronger foundation for interoperable next-generation broadcasting technologies” across North America, South America and Asia.

Raymundo Barros, president of the SBTVD Forum, said a harmonised standards ecosystem would support innovation and create new opportunities for broadcasters and technology providers.

TTA president Seunghyun Son said closer cooperation between standards organisations was essential to global compatibility and sustainable industry growth.

The agreement is intended to reduce market fragmentation, support economies of scale for manufacturers and accelerate innovation in immersive media, emergency information, targeted services, datacasting and mobile reception.

DELTA Electronics and Harmonic have announced a collaboration to enable remote control and automation of DOCSIS 4.0 amplifiers in HFC networks.

The integration brings DELTA’s FOSTRA protocol into Harmonic’s Amply software on the cOS platform, allowing operators to centrally control DOCSIS 4.0 amplifiers and other HFC network devices.

The companies said the solution will provide real-time remote access to HFC and FTTx components without additional bandwidth consumption, while simplifying migration to DOCSIS 4.0.

Volker Braun, CEO of DCT DELTA AG, said the collaboration sets “new standards for automation in the HFC network – from commissioning to ongoing operation”.

Andrii Vladyka, VP of Growth and Technologies at Harmonic, said the integration makes DOCSIS 4.0 “a tangible, operational reality”.

The FOSTRA module and Harmonic Amply software will be previewed at ANGA COM 2026.

The upgrade to Low-Latency DOCSIS is being deployed across Vodafone’s cable network in phases, with the company targeting activation for around 12 million households by October 2026. Full coverage across the operator’s around 24 million households is expected within around two years.

The technology can cut response times for latency-sensitive applications by more than half under heavy network load, particularly during peak usage periods when congestion has traditionally caused delays or reduced performance, according to the company.

“Today marks the starting signal,” said Marcel de Groot, CEO of Vodafone Deutschland. “We are making our cable network fit for the future and significantly improve response times technically. Every millisecond can make a difference in video calls or gaming. The latency booster delivers noticeable improvements, especially during peak hours.”

The rollout is already underway in selected network segments. By October, Vodafone expects around 45% of its cable network to be equipped with the technology. At that point, firmware updates will also be pushed to compatible cable routers, enabling customers to benefit from the improvements in everyday use without needing to replace hardware.

According to Vodafone, early live testing was carried out in Stuttgart in a network segment covering around 100 household connections over several months. The pilot used the company’s Ultra Hub 7 router and generated thousands of measurements. Vodafone said the results showed latency reductions of more than 50% for selected real-time applications during peak traffic compared with the previous setup.

The technology is based on the DOCSIS cable standard, which combines fibre optics up to local distribution points with coaxial cable for the final stretch into homes. The new system prioritises time-sensitive data streams by effectively assigning them a “fast lane” in the network.

This means applications such as video calls, online gaming and cloud services are processed with reduced buffering and prioritised routing, even when large background data transfers such as downloads or software updates are running simultaneously.

The upgrade is implemented at network level and does not require customers to replace cables or routers in most cases, with improvements delivered automatically as the rollout progresses.

The operator unveiled the feature at trade fair ANGA COM 2026 in Cologne, ahead of the tournament’s start on 11 June. The technology reduces the delay for cable TV viewers watching matches carried on Das Erste HD and ZDF HD by ingesting an accelerated broadcast signal directly into Vodafone’s cable network, bypassing additional processing steps.

The speed-up applies to all World Cup matches shown by ARD and ZDF, which together are broadcasting 60 of the tournament’s 104 matches.

“During the World Cup, we are enabling football fans to celebrate faster on cable TV,” said Fabrizio Rocchio, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone Deutschland. “The technical changes reduce transmission delay by several seconds, so goals can be seen on television screens via cable faster than before.”

Vodafone previously deployed the same low-latency feature for the UEFA Euro Football Championship 2024. Like it was the case in 2024, the optimisation will be deactivated after the World Cup 2026, a company spokesman confirmed to Broadband TV News, citing “technical reasons.”