On 5 February, BBC Bristol political correspondent Dave Harvey and his team filmed a report on the lack of broadband in rural areas. Using a laptop computer, they edited the piece to two minutes in length and used a Wi-fi connection to send the report back to the studio.
After sending the piece, the team broadcast live from location using a camcorder, laptop and Quicklink - special compression software that makes video files smaller and faster to transmit.
"It's not that widespread right now, but I think we’ll see an explosion in the use of Wi-fi in the BBC," said Andrew Butterworth, senior operator for the BBC's mobile technologies project.
"We can run much tighter deadlines this way.
"Our team includes a cameraman, an editor and a journalist - but in theory this work could be done by just one person."
Since November 2003, Mr Butterworth has been leading the BBC project experimenting with broadcasts using third generation (3G) phones. Some reports have been filmed using the cameras on the video phones, but the devices are also being used to transmit reports from remote locations.
Broadcast reporters enjoy the freedom of wireless and mobile reporting, says Mr Butterworth, because it means they do not have to wait for a satellite broadcast truck. And at the moment, most wireless networks are based in cafés and pubs, which offers some incentive for reporters to take up the new technology.
"At least it's a nice place to sit and edit."
• Bristol's Wi-fi network is limited at present, with around 50 Wi-fi spots in coffee shops and pubs, but new networks, or 'clouds' are being established quickly. Commercial services charge anything between £1 and £6 per hour, but many community groups around the country have also set up networks offering free access.
Related links:
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story783.shtml
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story775.shtml
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story760.shtml
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story742.html
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story725.html
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story691.html
See also:
http://www.bristolwireless.net
http://www.bbc.co.uk/Bristol
http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/pointswest
http://www.mobilebristol.co.uk
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