Ericsson, Intel and Verizon go buzz crazy with 4K VR and 5G trial

The new trio Ericsson, Intel and Verizon will be aiming for pole position in the 5G race with a new trial which aim to demonstrate how fans can watch live sport events in 360-degree VR streamed in 4K.

It’s a useful backdrop, as the frenzied adventure of the Indianapolis 500 will push the team to ensure a successful demonstration. Should the trio be fruitful in their venture, it would be a useful marketing platform to push the multi-gigabit per second speeds and ultra-low latency ambitions in the fast approaching 5G world.

In another demonstration leading up to this trial, Verizon and Ericsson claim to have achieved sustained broadband speeds of 6.4 Gb/sec in a car moving at a speed of 60 mph; that’s certainly a good start but the Indianapolis 500 will be another beast. Scott Dixon, who will start on pole during the race, posted an average speed of 232.164 mph (373.632 kph) during the qualifications.

“5G will bring new experiences and business opportunities like exciting virtual reality in 4K and ultra-fast wireless home broadband,” said Asha Keddy, GM of Next Generation and Standards in the Communication and Devices Group at Intel. “Intel, Verizon and Ericsson’s work in establishing early trials and testing is essential to deliver on our vision of making all devices smart and connected.”

One of the residential demonstrations will showcase a live 360-degree view of the racetrack using VR and high-resolution 4K 360-degree video streaming live over the air. The demonstration will use an in-home gateway based on the Intel’s 5G Mobile Trial Platform and connected home technology, which the team ultimately hopes will deliver speeds up to 100 times faster than existing networks.

Should the demonstration prove to be successful, it could certainly open the door to a very interesting and accessible use case for VR; live sporting events. Considering the price of tickets to attend some sporting events, as well the global nature of some teams fan bases, VR could be a gateway to open up live, in-venue experiences. For sports enthusiasts, it could be a game-changer for how sports are watched in the living room.