LONDON—The International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers (IABM) has honored Manfred Reitmeier, vice president of Transmitter and Amplifier Systems at Rohde & Schwarz, with its Technology Leader of the Year 2019 Award, the company announced.
Granted to the person who is at the forefront of disruption and innovation in the broadcast and media industry and who through inspired leadership has helped deliver groundbreaking technology and business benefits, the award was presented Dec. 4 to Reitmeier at the IABM Annual International Business Conference & Awards in London.
Joining Rohde & Schwarz in 1989, Reitmeier is credited with building a team of gifted technologists and product designers and creating a product roadmap for the company’s transmission portfolio. Before taking on his current role with the company, Reitmeier held a variety of positions, including director of R&D Software, senior director of Transmitter Systems and senior director of Product Management Transmitter Systems.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment at the company is leading the effort to make 5G Broadcast for mobile TV a reality, the company said. Years ago, Reitmeier and his team set out to intelligently link the strengths of broadcasting with the capabilities of mobile networks.
“Quality of experience for the user is a major consideration in the evolution of 5G Broadcast for mobile TV,” said Manfred Reitmeier. “As a sports-loving commuter, it nearly drives me crazy when I can’t watch a Champion’s League match live on the train.”
Reitmeier recognized that his vision for 5G Broadcast would require that his team collaborate internally with others at Rohde & Schwarz and externally with like-minded groups. In June 2017, the company joined the 5G Today research project as a partner.
Under the leadership of Germany’s Institute for Broadcast Technology (IRT) and with the cooperation of Rohde & Schwarz and antenna manufacturer Kathrein, 5G Today is working on the evaluation of broad-area TV transmission. Other 5G Today members include mobile operator Telefonica O2 and the Bavarian Broadcasting Corp.
In December 2018, Rohde & Schwarz turned on a high-power, high-tower (HPHT) transmitter for 5G Broadcast at the BR Wendelstein transmitter station in the Bavarian Alps. The transmitter, an R&S THU9evo high-power transmitter has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 kilowatts and covers an area in excess of 37.5 miles (60 km) in FeMBMS (Further evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) broadcast mode.
Dubbing the deployment “a real breakthrough,” Reitmeier reflected on his career at Rohde & Schwarz. “Rohde & Schwarz has provided me with a platform to achieve all my goals and dreams as a broadcast technologist. Together with some truly inspirational colleagues, we have made, and continue to make, a real difference to broadcasters and consumers worldwide. And with 5G Broadcast, the best is still to come.”
(Editor’s note: High-power, high-tower is relative to the existing transmission infrastructure in Europe.)
