Optus 5G capability showcased at the Games

Optus 5G capability will be on display for the duration for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

This follows the launch of Optus 5G Live in Broadbeach, which showcases 5G use cases and 8K video streaming on the go, on a live 5G trial indoor and outdoor network.

The showcase offers a preview of the state-of-the-art technology and marks a significant milestone in Optus’s commitment to make leading 5G technological advancements.

Open for the duration of the Commonwealth Games, this is Optus’s first public showcase using a live Optus 5G network, to provide visitors with a hands-on experience of what is possible with 5G technology.

“What we have here today is a spectacular simultaneous demonstration of 5G capability, powered by a live 5G network, rather than through simulations,” said Managing Director of Optus Networks Dennis Wong.

“For people to be able to walk off the street and interact with real 5G technology is an incredibly exciting development as we continue towards leading in the delivery of the first phase of 5G technology in 2019.

“Educating consumers on the full range of benefits and potential that 5G may offer is an important step in working towards a digitally enabled world.”

Optus will showcase multiple user applications connected through a 5G system, catering for various service and capacity requirements simultaneously.

Optus’s 5G showcase demonstrates key differences between 5G and other wireless technologies — specifically, high bandwidth and low latency. The virtual reality use cases showcase high-bandwidth applications — the ability to manage significant data volumes — while the robotics demonstration highlights low latency, which is important as we move toward connected devices and IoT.

“From being able to see 16 Gbps speeds through a 5G test room, to using a robotic arm to operate a vending machine, these experiences allow people to truly see how 5G may be integrated into day-to-day life — not just numbers on a screen,” said Wong.

The Optus 5G Technology Showcase will include a robot hand that challenges people to a game of rock–paper–scissors; a robotic arm that mimics movements in real time; virtual reality football; virtual reality cycling; virtual reality driving; and a 360° dome that enables people to experience events from the Games.

In addition to what’s happening inside the Optus 5G Technology Showcase, Optus has successfully streamed 8K video over its outdoor 5G network while on the go.

This is achieved through an Optus 5G van, equipped with an 8K television which carries a prototype 5G device with the live trial network in operation. This demonstration will allow users to see how video content can maintain ultrahigh-quality streaming levels on the move.

“Seamless 5G connectivity between sites is a fundamental building block in mass connectivity and ultrareliable applications, which are unique to 5G,” said Wong.

Image courtesy of Optus.

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