5G can’t seem to come fast enough. It’s one of the most exciting prospects and advancements coming to our smart phones, and it could revolutionize how we’re able to communicate and consume knowledge. Meanwhile, modern innovations have brought brand new experiences to consumers all around the world, creating something that, even just twenty years ago, was the basis for sci-fi stories.
Verizon and South Korean wireless carrier KT began the month by announcing a successful trial for their newest collaboration: the world’s very first live hologram international call over their current prototype of their 5G network. As expected, the technology requires fast internet speeds and reliable service to fully incorporate 3D effects into the call – luckily, 5G is expected to produce and provide speeds that are roughly 100x faster than the 4G systems we’re currently using. Which would be strong enough to support the necessary latency levels. This bodes well for Verizon, as they’ve been hinting recently that 5G test runs could come as early as later this year, and could introduce revolutionary Virtual Reality integration almost as quickly.
The demonstration itself took place earlier this month at KT’s headquarters in Seongnam, South Korea, and the results are promising. The test involved a KT employee conversing with a Verizon employee – only the employee appeared as a hologram on a monitor. Thanks to the test 5G connection, the holographic image appeared to come off the screen with smooth interaction.
KT has made the addition of VR and holograms one of the major features associated with their upcoming 5G developments. They’ve even set a steep goal for themselves, promising that the service (including hologram calls and 360-live VR visuals) will be available for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics in their native South Korea.
With 5G expected to roll out across the United States by 2020, Verizon has been making sure that they have the kind of new innovations that could justify such a step forward in technological power. Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam called the collaboration with KT “very productive,” according to an interview with the local Korea Herald.
Ranging from everything to pursuing a media library to even live operating an excavation machine from miles away, other 5G pioneers such as Ericsson and Nokia have been pushing the boundaries of what VR can do. These developments, especially from high-end wireless companies like Verizon, can send the imagination racing – what will VR and 5G be able to do next?
