We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Bobby Stevens of IT Video to discuss his cutting-edge workflows and transmission infrastructure. Cellular Bonding Rentals is a large part of the Absolute Rentals Inventory.

Bobby Stevens is extremely knowledgeable in all things cellular, broadcast, and transmission, and here is how that conversation unfolded:

Dave Rosen: Bobby, tell me about your background and what you’ve traditionally done.

Bobby Stevens: My background is in content distribution and contribution for live events and channels. We provide the pipes—whether it’s IP, cellular, satellite, or fiber networks. That is what IT Video provides: reliable connectivity out to the world.

Dave Rosen: So that’s for broadcast or live streaming?

Bobby Stevens: Yep, exactly. Live streaming is where it’s at.

Dave Rosen: That’s been our world for a while now, and we’ve been working with Bobby Stevens going on our third year. At this point, knock on wood, we have a one hundred percent success rate using the tools Bobby Stevens provides. We not only rent from Bobby Stevens, but we’ve also made equipment purchases through IT Video. Let’s talk about some of your past clients and bigger shows you’re allowed to mention.

Bobby Stevens: We’ve done NFL preseason games, distributing feeds out to local stations for several teams. We’ve also handled pharmaceutical marketing campaigns for clients like Ogilvy. For most of those, we used bonded cellular IP connections to distribute feeds directly from venues in places like Las Vegas and Jacksonville.

Dave Rosen: It’s funny—when people hear NFL versus the medical and pharmaceutical industry, you’d think the NFL is more demanding. But big pharma has zero room for error; the restrictions and compliance make it a critical client from a security and precision standpoint.

Bobby Stevens: Security is huge, that’s for sure.

Dave Rosen: Let’s talk about the devices you recommend and like to use.

Bobby Stevens: We use multi-carrier SIM cards deployed in Peplink routers. These routers have multiple modems, allowing us to bond connections for an unbreakable video link and maintain steady throughput. Video demands consistent bandwidth, and bonding multiple cellular modems gives us rock-solid connectivity.

Dave Rosen: You mentioned the magic phrase: multi-carrier. What’s the difference between a standard carrier SIM card and these multi-carrier cards?

Bobby Stevens: Most SIM cards are single-carrier, locking you into one provider like Verizon. But local cell towers vary in distance and congestion. A multi-carrier card is a single subscription that accesses all major carriers simultaneously, dynamically attaching to whichever tower has the strongest signal. Instead of managing three separate subscriptions, you have one card that handles everything automatically.

Dave Rosen: That is the absolute best safety net for a show.

Bobby Stevens: Absolutely. Cell strengths vary constantly, especially when an event starts and local sites get oversubscribed. With multi-carrier cards, you switch carriers automatically without ever needing to physically swap a SIM card.

Dave Rosen: Doing live streaming for over twenty years, I know there are countless things to focus on during a broadcast. The last thing you want to worry about is why your bonded cellular isn’t working and start swapping cards. These multi-carrier SIMs allow you to set it and forget it, which is invaluable. Now, how do Peplinks differ from traditional units like LiveU or TVU?

Bobby Stevens: Peplinks bring the pure network pipe. Units like LiveU or TVU bundle an encoder with a cellular modem, but many older units are locked into slower 4G technology. Meanwhile, Peplink constantly updates their hardware with modern 5G modems.

Dave Rosen: With a Peplink, I use a separate router and encoder. For instance, using a data encoder straight to Restream lets me send out feeds flexibly. Furthermore, the Peplink router allows for an attached WAN connection, which is a lifesaver. You go to a location, and venue staff swear by their house internet. You bring your Peplink as a backup, and right in the middle of the show, the house internet goes down. If you don’t have cellular bonding or a secondary WAN failover, your show goes dark.

Bobby Stevens: Exactly. And that’s why deploying a Peplink with an attached Starlink WAN connection works so brilliantly. If I’m doing an outdoor broadcast or working at a school without internet access, I run a Peplink with a Starlink attached. If the cellular has a glitch, I’m still on satellite; if the satellite drops, I’m on cellular. That gives you two distinctly different ways to get your signal out simultaneously, and redundancy in live streaming is everything.

Bobby Stevens: Beyond that, utilizing an independent encoder with Restream means you aren’t stuck with a proprietary closed package. You can constantly upgrade your tech rather than being locked into old hardware. Plus, traditional systems often require a physical receiver sitting in a control room, adding hardware cost and personnel overhead. With Peplink, you go straight to the internet.

Dave Rosen: And Bobby Stevens, you’re a dealer for all of this gear?

Bobby Stevens: Sure am. I provide everything from SDX units to BR1 and BR2 Pro routers, plus Wi-Fi hotspots and range extenders where you can run IP antennas and PoE all around a venue.

Dave Rosen: I like working with Bobby Stevens because he has your back when you need tech support live on a show. When you’re busy and need immediate answers, having a trusted partner makes all the difference. As far as these SIM cards and hardware solutions go, we proudly carry them here at Absolute Rentals and Absolute Media Labs. Our clients are used to coming to us, and we love using these exact workflows for our productions because they never let us down. We maintain an amazing rental fleet of all these items, so whether you need to rent gear or buy it, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Bobby Stevens, any final thoughts on cellular technology?

Bobby Stevens: Just keep an eye on the tech—it’s moving fast. And if you’re building out production infrastructure, keep your recurring costs as low as possible.

Dave Rosen: With ITV  Multi Carrier SIM cards, you aren’t paying monthly fees for lines you aren’t using. You only pay for active bandwidth, which is a massive win for production companies.

Dave Rosen: Thanks, Bobby Stevens! And remember, here at Absolute Rentals and Absolute Media Labs, anything you need to rent, anytime—do not hesitate to call us. We are up 24 hours a day. As the owner, Dave Rosen, I genuinely love getting calls at four in the morning to help clients pull off a successful show.

Need Equipment for Your Next Production?

At Absolute Rentals and Absolute Media Labs, we specialize in professional multi-camera live streaming, broadcast engineering, and high-end rental packages. Whether you need a fully configured Peplink bonded cellular setup, Starlink field kits, or complete production support, our team is available 24 hours a day to help you keep your show on the air. Contact us anytime—even at 4:00 AM!