Mobile Data

[santiguese]

Tips & Tricks - Mobile Data

A key part to being able to successfully livestream a game is mobile data. Below you will find a compiled list of tips and tricks that our users have compiled to help stretch their data plan and to make sure their game day is a success.

Mobile Data Options

When it comes to finding data when you are out on the field there are typically three options available to choose from. I will start from the least likely option and end with the most popular option.

1. Public Wi-Fi: Whether the game is at a school or at a park there is a potential that a Wi-Fi might be available for you to use. It is always worth a shot to verify whether this option is available to you before utilizing your limited mobile data plan.
2. Mobile Hotspot: For the most reliable and consistent data device some may choose to purchase a mobile hotspot, such as a Netgear Nighthawk M1, these devices have an independent wireless plan than that of your personal phone and can be configured with an unlimited data plan.
3. Phone as Personal Hotspot: The most popular option to provide data to one’s laptop/tablet is through a device we all have in our pockets already, our phone. When using your phone as a hotspot it is important that you are aware of how much data you are allowed per month and how much data you have already used. Each phone manufacturer has steps that you must follow to enable a personal hotspot on your phone, here are a few examples of how this can be done (Apple | Samsung Galaxy).

Data Speed and Video Quality

No matter the data option you choose above it is always best practice to test the strength of your data connection via an online speed test such as the one provided by Ookla. The results of your speed test will help you decide the maximum resolution you should set within the Streaming Settings section of SSC. Below is a table that calls out the best resolution and frame rate to choose based on your available upload speed.

Resolution	Frame Rate	Recommended Upload Speed
720p	30fps	3 - 5 Mbps
720p	60fps	4 - 6 Mbps
1080p	30fps	3 - 6 Mbps
1080p	60fps	5 - 9 Mbps
1440p	30fps	6 - 13 Mbps
1440p	60fps	9 - 18 Mbps

Stretching your Data - Family Devices

Many of our soccer families have family wireless phone plans that are allotted a certain volume of data to each phone/tablet per month and many of our family members do not fully use their allotted data each month on their devices. One of the first things you learn as you begin to livestream games is that it takes a lot of data to livestream games and for this reason it is important that you track how much remaining data you have on each of the devices within your family plan. This will allow you to choose whose device will be used per game so to ensure that no one in the family will run out of data before your monthly allotment is renewed. The below table will help give you an idea as to how much data is used when livestreaming.

Resolution	Streaming Bitrate	Hourly Conversion
720p	3000 kbps	~1.5 GB per hour
1080p	4300-5800 kbps	~2 GB to 2.5 GB per hour
1440p	6350 kbps	~3 GB per hour

Multiple Wireless Carriers

If possible, it can be helpful to have your family signed up with multiple wireless carriers. Let’s say that you have AT&T for your phone service, and you have a T-Mobile plan for your tablet. If you arrive at the field and find that your AT&T phone has a poor wireless signal, you can then check to see if your T-Mobile tablet has better service. Doing this allows you better security in wireless coverage, especially when livestreaming at unfamiliar away team fields.

Stretching your Data – Extended Soccer Families Devices

It takes a lot of time and effort to be the dedicated videographer for a particular team. This effort does not go unrecognized by the other parents on your children’s team. You too may have had many parents come up to you thanking you for your work and asking if there is anything they can do to help. This would be the perfect time to let other parents know that you are compiling a list of volunteers that would allow you to use their phone in the event you run out of data on your personal device. All you have to do is keep track of the names of your volunteers and the wireless service that they use and hope you won’t have to call on their help too often.

Poor Wireless Signal

There may be a time that you arrive at a field and find that your wireless signal is not great, before reaching for the list of parent volunteers and their devices check to make sure that your phone’s wireless signal is not being obstructed. First step will be to remove the device from any pockets, bags or cases that it might be in. The next step will be to make sure that that there is not any metal objects close by your phone that may be causing signal interference. Lastly, if time allows for it you can also consider moving your setup to a different location on the field. For those that are using a Mobile Hotspot you can also look into purchasing an external antenna for your device as these have proven to increase your wireless signal significantly when used appropriately.

Battery Power

I have heard several stories in which the videographer has double, and triple checked that their camera and laptop were fully charged before a game but arrived at the field with a phone that was almost out of batteries. It is best practice to have a fully charged phone at the beginning of the game, better yet always carry a backup external battery for emergency situations.