Furthermore, working with new types of partners on 5G and sports will give operators a vital role in a new digital business ecosystem.The research surveyed C-level and other senior decision makers from 60 of the world’s 100 largest operators, including operators in India. Three quarters plan to offer services that will improve the fan experience inside the sporting arena.

　　Three quarters of Indian operators taking part in the study plan on creating new partnerships with broadcasters and OTT service providers in their search to transform the delivery of sports coverage to consumers.To help address some of these challenges, 75% of Indian operators see small cells as the most important aspect of network design needed to deliver new 5G services and the first they plan to deploy. Out of a multitude of potential 5G use cases, our research shows that sports and esports is certainly among the most compelling.

　　Small cells can provide more capacity, increased flexibility and an enhanced user experience.A leading provider of software and services to communications and media companies, network operators in India intend to deliver new 5G enterprise services to major live sports and esports event organizers to help improve the fan experience and drive efficiencies inside the stadium.According to the research, Indian operators anticipate clear overall commercial benefits from supporting major sports events with 5G. For example, all Indian operators taking part in the study plan on offering IoT-related technology and services to tournament organizers in order to create efficiencies in stadium management.In addition:100% of Indian operators taking part in the study intend to create partnerships with sports venues of Indian operators plan to create partnerships with device manufacturers of Indian operators seek partnerships with augmented reality app providers of Indian operators want partnerships with video game companies“Operators see both short-term benefits in supporting sports with 5G, including growth in subscriber acquisition and ARPU, as well as longer-term benefits, such as enhanced brand appeal among younger demographics,” said Gary Miles, chief marketing officer, Amdocs.

　　According to our research, extensive systems upgrade and replacement, as well as reskilling of staff, will most likely be required to manage this exciting, yet complex transition. In terms of IT-related challenges, availability of business and operational support systems to support new business models and partners and their scalability, as well as network slicing management, were regarded as key challenges by 50% of the operators.Operators view sports events such as IPL, the professional Indian cricket league, as an opportunity to create new enterprise services grounded in 5G communications. Indoor coverage at stadiums was also seen as a major challenge by of the operators.for sports stadium owners and tournament organizersWith 5G technology, network operators stand to become vital players in the sports and esports ecosystems, according to new research commissioned by Amdocs LOUIS¾Mar. On the IT front, all Indian operators taking part in the study see multi-domain orchestrators and data and revenue management systems, which can help with the monetization and management of 5G services, as the most critical to have.

　　Given the massive investments that operators are pumping into 5G, their ability to monetize 5G to the fullest will be critical,” said Julian Bright, senior analyst at Ovum’s Intelligent Networks team. Half believe 5G will drive mainstream adoption of virtual reality services and popularity of Seawater injection pumps Manufacturers esports. This will include the ability to order food and beverages via mobile devices.”Network design and challengesWhen Indian operators were asked about anticipated network-related challenges regarding new 5G services for sports and esports, the main concern cited by three quarters of the respondents centered on delivering the required levels of capacity and connectivity to support live HD video. They also need to ensure their IT environment can support the new architectures, standards and business models.Virtual reality will also play a part in this new experience, with all operators taking part in the study looking to partner with virtual reality app providers.Partnerships offer a road into the sporting arenaTo capitalize on their 5G investments, Indian operators will be relying on industry partnerships as they play a bigger role in sports and esports events. Indian operators are also optimistic about the impact of 5G on sports-related business lines.