Mobile providers gear up for 5G deliverance, and consumers are ready.
Day two of MWC19 Los Angeles kicked off with a keynote focused on 5G use cases across industries. The key industries highlighted included entertainment and manufacturing, with mobile providers emphasizing the role of 5G in business.
SEE: Special report: How 5G will transform business (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
Mike Finley, CEO of Boingo, introduced various 5G applications and the connectivity opportunities the tech brings. “You may think of Boingo as airport Wi-Fi, but we are more than that, we are a total connectivity provider,” he said. “We provide connectivity in stadiums, military bases, higher education, multifamily venues, and concert arenas.”
5G in stadiums and concert arenas, specifically, will be huge for the entertainment industry. Using Los Angeles—the location of MWC19—as an example, 5G is instrumental for major cities.
5G in sports and entertainment
For cities hosting major sports or entertainment events, technology infrastructure is key, and 5G has the ability to bring that necessary infrastructure, Kathryn Schloessman, president and CEO of Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission said in the keynote.
“We are hosting the 2028 summer Olympics,” Schloessman said. “What sold the IOC was the complete guest experience from door to door. The whole experience will be connected via technology.”
No cars will be driving to the Olympics venues; public transportation will be used instead, Schloessman said. “When you go online to buy ticket, your ticket isn’t valid until you choose your mode of transportation. That way we can manage guest experience and how people are getting there.”
5G will be instrumental to improving the customer experience and creating a more efficient event operations.
Entertainment events drive revenue into a city, resulting in a significant economic impact, Schloessman said. The events also facilitate international media visibility and social and community impact, and 5G will enable more cities to host better events and reap these benefits.
The entertainment industry is just one area that will see a major impact from 5G.
5G in manufacturing
Manufacturing is a key sector of 5G change, said Claudio Mazzali, senior vice president of technology at Corning Optical Communications.
At Corning, the factory created a “very dynamic test bed, starting with three main areas: Autonomous guided vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and edge computing capabilities,” he said.
By using these technologies, fueled by 5G, in a real plant, Corning received feedback very quickly. The technology also gives manufacturers the ability to conduct predictive maintenance, training, and problem-solving actions, according to Mazzali.
“Any disruptive tech like 5G, you start to see the transformation only when you’re in the middle of it,” Mazzali said. “There is a lot of hidden data out there, from different pieces of equipment, and 5G will allow us to see that data. Machine learning algorithms can use this data and bring efficiency to a whole different level.”
However, 5G connectivity requires partnerships and innovations from top mobile providers.
How mobile providers will deliver 5G to business
“It is clear that 5G will fundamentally change businesses’ digital transformation journey,” Tami Erwin, Verizon executive vice president and group CEO of Verizon Business, said in the keynote. “New tools for serving companies, efficiency within their own operations– 5G represents something even bigger, it’s not just another G. It’s so powerful, the best way to think about it is as a whole new technology.”
All industrial revolutions have coincided with major technological revolutions, beginning with the steam engine, followed by electricity, the computer, and now connectivity, Erwin continued.
“All fourth industrial revolution technology has an unprecedented level of connectivity, between people and people, people and devices, and devices and devices,” she added.
Verizon, and most major mobile providers, are developing connectivity based on the eight currencies of 5G, Erwin said. These currencies are what all customers should demand of their networks:
- High peak data rate
- Robust mobile data throughput
- Super low latency
- Capacity
- High speed
- Service deployment
- Energy efficiency
- Network reliability
“5G is going to be revolutionary, based on a very rich mobile experience,” Jan Geldmacher, president of Sprint Business, said in the keynote.
Adding to Erwin’s sentiments on 5G, Geldmacher emphasized the innovative nature of 5G. Sprint’s merger with T-Mobile, approved by the FCC last week, will help drive 5G connectivity across the US.
“Only the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint will bring 5G for all,” Geldmacher said. “Rural America deserves to be connected through 5G, which the merger will deliver. The right combination of assets can deliver this, and our combination of spectrum will allow us to deliver 5G across US.”
However, Geldmacher said the merger is facing some legal obstacles, so the deliverance of the joint capabilities may take longer than expected.
5G continues driving the intelligent connectivity theme at MWC19 Los Angeles, and mobile providers are excited to bring this connectivity to consumers.
For more, check out The top trends at MWC19 Los Angeles on TechRepublic.
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Source: TechRepublic
