While our cellular data today operates mostly on 4G LTE, Korea Telecom Corporation is working with Intel to create what could be the next generation of telecommunications — and after a successful connection, it appears 5G will make its debut at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in February.
KT Corporation announced last month that it was successful in interconnecting 5G demo networks to Samsung Electronics 5G terminals at the main Olympic stadium and other venues for the upcoming Games, according to Korea Bizwire. Intel also pitched in to the effort, announcing a few days later that, together with KT, it is contributing 5G technologies toward a showcase of the 5G network’s capabilities.
As part of the demonstration, KT sent bulk images over 5G to the stadium terminals, which were tablets. The demo marked the first successful transmission of 5G services over a 5G network to a real terminal rather than a testing device, Korea Bizwire reported.
“Displaying 5G network services for the first time in the world at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games has become possible because of our technological prowess and preemptive investments in the field of ICT (Information and Communications Technologies),” Oh Seong-mok, KT’s head of networks, told Korea Bizwire. “We will continue our efforts to prepare even more thoroughly to provide the best and most stable communications services and a variety of 5G services enough to astonish visitors from all around the world at the Winter Olympic Games.”
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The 5G-powered experiences Intel will provide include gigabit-speed internet access, extremely low-latency video, and immersive livestreaming, according to Intel. Most of the 5G showcase will happen at Gangneung Olympic Park, while Olympic venues in Gwanghwamoon, Seoul, and other cities will also be in on the next-generation fun.
That fun is likely to include 360-degree virtual reality powered by 5G that could bring fans into the Olympic Torch relay and events like bobsledding. Bobsledding fans will also get a first-person perspective of the race thanks to 5G-enabled cameras on bobsledders’ helmets and wrist devices that track heart rate and location; the experience will be part of KT’s SyncView that delivers the aforementioned immersive live streaming.
“For centuries, the Olympics has served as the premier forum for testing the limits of human performance. This year, Intel will add to the experience by flexing our technology and innovation muscle,” Sandra Rivera, Intel’s senior vice president and general manager of network platforms, wrote. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of Intel and our goal to push the boundaries of technology through this groundbreaking industry collaboration and illustration of the transformational power of 5G.”
The real kicker? According to Korea Bizwire, now that 5G services and terminals are successfully connected by a 5G network, the next-level telecom technology appears to be in its final stages of development before becoming commercially available. After its debut at this Winter Games, will 5G be the standard when the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo rolls around?