Glossary A–ZLetter M
Mobile network (LTE, 5G)
A mobile network connects devices to the internet via a SIM card and a mobile operator’s radio network, without a cable or wireless LAN on site.
LTE is the fourth generation of mobile communications (4G), 5G the fifth.
Mobile networks are the answer for locations without a network connection: totems in car parks, stands in shopping centres, screens in vehicles or in rented spaces where the company network is not available. The player has a built-in modem for this or is connected to a mobile router. Content should be downloaded in advance and played from local storage, so that coverage gaps do not interrupt playback.
Reception quality depends heavily on location; inside buildings, in underground car parks and behind coated insulating glass it can be poor, and an external antenna helps. The contract’s data allowance and throttling limit live content. Devices on mobile networks are often not directly reachable from the internet, because many users share one public address. This does not affect players that establish their own connections, but it usually rules out accessing the device remotely from outside.