Ericsson and Sprint advance the possibilities of 5G in a real demo

Ericsson technology makes it possible to broadcast live with HD cameras a 4K and UHD video of spectators hitting a “connected” ball with all kinds of statistics, using a 5G signal with speeds of up to 4 gigabits per second.

Ericsson and Sprint, owner of the third largest operator in the United States, have offered fans at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia a front-row seat to what will be a reality when 5G is part of the sports experience. Both companies have livestreamed 4K and UHD video over a 5G wireless signal using 400 MHz of spectrum, including a 4K UHD camera from the Sprint Fan Zone.

Visitors were able to compete by hitting a “connected” soccer ball that communicated statistics while 4K UHD video transmitted the kick live to the screens, allowing attendees to see themselves and the results they were achieving. In the future, both the ball and the players could be connected, allowing the public to see real-time information and analysis on the speed, rotation and height of the ball. The commentary will also be more detailed, with new data and graphs on the television screen.

John Saw, Sprint's chief technology officer, said: "Reaching speeds of 4 Gbps outside of a lab, in the parking lot of Lincoln Financial Field and in front of thousands of fans is exciting. It gives us a great opportunity to demonstrate how far we have come technologically and why 5G will be important to fans."

Glenn Laxdal, chief technology and strategy officer for Ericsson in North America, argues that "5G will enable a broader range of services than any other network, and sporting events will be a great way to demonstrate this. We are pleased to help Sprint delight its fans with this vision of the future of 5G with our history of collaboration, helping the technology improve the consumer experience. We are confident in Sprint's evolution towards 5G, thanks primarily to its unique position in the spectrum and its fundamentals. technological”.

Possibilities that 5G opens up

Other future changes to the fan experience with 5G connectivity include the ability to experience matches from new and privileged locations, using phones to move between different 360º ultra-high definition virtual reality cameras installed throughout the stadium. 5G will offer enough capacity for attendees to stream high-quality video and share views from their seats with others at the same game.

5G standardization won't be ready for a few years, but the technology has already progressed enough to deliver gigabyte speeds in real-world environments. Ericsson leads the 5G market in demonstrations such as MIMO, beamforming, beam tracking and network slicing, and in creating the ecosystem necessary to ensure that 5G meets its expectations in all sectors.

According to an Ericsson survey of more than 100 operators, 87% say 5G will be a game-changer, while 86% believe this future technology will offer a broader range of services than any other network to date.