Ghanaian broadcasters used Dejero’s EnGo mobile video transmitter and LivePlus App for uninterrupted live reporting from remote and high-congestion areas during Ghana’s elections.
The Ghana 2024 elections drew 18.8 million voters. Broadcasters needed to deliver real-time updates under intense pressure, broadcasting coverage from key locations across the country including Accra, Northern, Western and Ashanti Regions as well as remote or high-traffic areas with unreliable connectivity.
Ghanaian broadcast facilities provider, Bahamus Limited, needed to equip top networks – including Channel One TV, Citi FM, GHOne TV, Agoo TV, Peace FM, OKAY FM and UTV Ghana – with equipment capable of reliable delivery, even in areas with limited network infrastructure. The gear they were supplying included Dejero EnGo mobile video transmitters and LivePlus mobile Apps.
Fast and Reliable Connectivity
“We received very positive feedback from our customers on the speed and predictability of their live transmissions when using Dejero EnGos and mobile Apps,” said Dorcas Koney, Commercial Manager at Bahamus Limited. “Many of these broadcasters were reporting from remote or high-traffic areas where providers can’t be assured of uninterrupted connectivity. Dejero solutions eliminated those challenges, allowing them to focus on delivering real-time election updates without disruption.”
Bahamus Limited deployed seven Dejero EnGo mobile video transmitters, each equipped with six SIM cards that blend multiple multiple networks to create a secure, high-bandwidth transmission path. Additionally, 30 Dejero LivePlus mobile App licences enabled reporters to broadcast live video directly from their smartphones. Using a mobile phone, users can download LivePlus to transmit live high-quality video, record video for later broadcast, or import and upload edited videos, controlling latency to as low as 0.8 seconds.
Intelligently Blending Connections
Both of these products are built to use Dejero Smart Blending Technology, which blends multiple wired and wireless network connections intelligently. Because the bandwidth, packet loss and latency of individual connections tend to fluctuate, Dejero’s systems manage the differences in real-time. Smart Blending continuously measures each connection and uses this information to dynamically distribute packets across the various connections.
In this way, blending diverse connections from different providers delivers greater reliability – if a connection is lost or becomes congested, packets are re-routed in real-time to maintain the connection. Connections used in Ghana included 3G/4G/5G, Wi-Fi, satellite and broadband, combined to supply reliability, wider coverage and greater bandwidth for live broadcasts.
Workflow Compatibility
Several Ghanain broadcasters also installed Dejero WayPoint receivers in their control rooms to help them manage video signals from the EnGo transmitters. The receivers automatically detect whether the incoming feed is transmitting HEVC (H.265) or AVC (H.264) and decode accordingly to help deliver higher-quality video at lower bitrates.
Waypoint receiver models
Because the transmitters transport signals over multiple IP connections, Waypoint receivers reconstruct the video, decode HEVC or AVC, and output to the desired workflow – SMPTE ST 2110, SDI or MPEG-TS. This makes integration into newsroom and other scenarios more efficient.
Among other advantages of the Waypoint devices is built-in redundancy, including hot-swappable power supplies, and front-access 1 TB hard drives with RAID protection for storage redundancy. Accessible from any location with a web browser, they also make it possible to communicate with camera operators and talent in the field while in live and stand-by mode via one-way, interruptible foldback (IFB) and two-way, full-duplex voice communication.
Rapid Response
As well as delivering uninterrupted election coverage, Dejero supplied rapid-response technical support when one of Bahamus Limited’s customers experienced a critical modem failure. “Dejero quickly dispatched a GateWay network aggregation device, getting the broadcaster back online just in time for a live segment,” Dorcas said. “Their 24/7 support team gave us complete peace of mind, and we saved valuable resources since we didn’t need to be physically on-site for troubleshooting.” www.dejero.com
