Streaming over data plans can be very tough. you need at least a stable upstream connection of no less than 3.5MB / 3,500 bitrate. Doesn't matter if it's 4G or 5G. Alternatively a public hotspot might be a better solution.
I think if we had better internet coverage outdoors, we'd see a lot more people getting into IRL streaming. A couple years ago, I tested it using 4G while walking and biking around, and the experience was rough — low video quality, constant buffering, and frequent disconnects made it nearly impossible to enjoy or produce.
I’m curious to see if 5G has improved things, especially for people moving around or live streaming from parks, streets, or events. Unfortunately, my current phone doesn’t support 5G, but I might eventually look into getting a new phone with 5G capability for testing.
https://media.letsfo.com/images/2025/06/27/robot-live-streaming-e-bike.webp
#livestreaming
Discussion
The backhaul to/from mast is important too, especially in crowded areas where large numbers of people are trying to use it.
You can have full signal and no backhaul capacity.
My starlink struggles at 6000 bitrate. I had to turn it down to 2000 bitrate and it's much better but still nowhere as good as fiber.
I used up my mobile data in 3 days last time I tested an IRL stream. I never tested the bitrate on mobile but it makes sense.
6k is pretty high. are you encoding on AMD?
I did the automatic test and OBS set it at 6k. I had to manually set it to 2k for a decent stream.
I'm using Intel Nvidia. The OBS settings say
Video Encoder: Hardware NVENC, H.264
Encorder Preset: P5: Slow(Good Quality)
The OBS wizard isn't the best imo.
I can see how 2k is choppy but on Nvidia 3,500 to 4,000 bitrate should suffice. The AMD encoder is weaker hence you want to push with at least 4,500 if your stream has fast changing frames (like we have in gaming). I use 6k but should be really using up to 10k for the games I'm streaming.
You would probably get away with 3,500 - 4,000 on your connection. Also, if you're native resolution is like 1920x1080 you can set that as your base canvas in OBS in the video settings and set 1280x720 rescaling right below. This should give you a smooth 60 FPS stream.