Sinclair said that it launched Broadspan, a datacasting platform based on the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast technology.

Edgio, a content delivery network, said some of its clients will be using Broadspan as an alternative to the internet..

Broadspan will be able to deliver data all of the 33 markets where a Sinclair station is broadcasting using ATSC 3.0. 

Datacasting is being counted on by broadcasters as growing into a lucrative business. One forecast estimated that datacasting could generate $15 billion annually.

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“Broadspan’s customer-centric data delivery provisioning platform provides an elegant, cost-effective tool to move data easily. It leverages the remarkably reliable and efficient one-to-many broadcast architecture to provide a new option for data users,” said Del Parks, Sinclair’s president of technology.  

Broadspan relies on a network that connects the Sinclair stations so that data delivery from all of the stations can be controlled from a single point.

Other broadcasters are also eying datacasting. Nexstar Media Group and E.W. Scripps Co. have a joint venture to do datacasting based in Detroit.

Datacasting can help a content delivery company like Edgio by enabling the delivery of content via over-the-air broadcast, particularly at times when the internet is crowded–like when a Super Bowl is streaming. It can also help as more consumers demand 4K pictures, which require more data.

“Sinclair's pioneering leadership in ATSC 3.0 enables this groundbreaking innovation. By leveraging ATSC 3.0's convergence of broadcast and broadband, we are delivering a true 4K experience,” said Eric Black CTO and GM of media at Edgio. “Broadspan isn't just a game changer; it's a paradigm shift in defining immersive entertainment.” 

Sinclair Broadcast Group said it is working with USSI Global to launch a datacasting business that will use ATSC 3.0 signals to deliver content and advertising to electric vehicle charging stations.

Sinclair and USSI called their pilot program the first commercial datacasting service using the NextGen TV broadcast standard. 

Station groups have pointed to estimates by BIA Advisory Services that businesses using the new ATSC 3.0 technology to generate as much as $15 billion in incremental revenues for stations.

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“Predictions of broadcasters supplementing their programming businesses with ancillary services have captured the imagination of all broadcasters,” Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley said. “It’s been a part of the ‘digital promise’ since we began the conversion from analog transmissions 25 years ago. Everyone has been waiting for the promises to be fulfilled. That has now arrived with our partnership with USSI Global, which opens wide the door to an enticing array of new services that enhance the choices for businesses and individuals alike.”

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The business Sinclair and USSI are putting together will test their ability to wirelessly send dedicated content to electric vehicle charging stations over the air in select markets. The broadcast signal will also be used to collect audience data. The test is designed to refine the system design and validate financial assumptions.

The companies will see if the system will scale. The U.S. Transportation Department aims to have 500,000 changing stations nationwide by 2030.

“USSI Global’s experience in the broadcast and digital signage industries uniquely positions us to power datacasting services for EV Charging stations, one of the fastest-growing business opportunities for DOOH,” USSI CEO Anthony Morelli said. “Our strong partnership with Sinclair in the broadcast market makes the pivot to datacasting a natural progression. USSI Global’s ecosystem allows us to build out a multitenant EV charging network.”  ■