WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 04, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The determination of East Asian mobile technology companies to showcase 5G at the 2018 Winter and 2020 Summer Olympic Games is accelerating the global development of the technology, according to the GSMA’s Mobile World Live in a new whitepaper, commissioned by mobile technology research and development company, InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDCC ). The paper, which includes commentary from leading mobile operators such as DOCOMO, KT and SK Telecom suggests that 5G technologies will be present at the 2018 Pyeongchang (South Korea) games, despite leading standards body 3GPP only planning to produce the first official 5G specifications in June 2018.
5G is hailed as the next stage of innovation in wireless mobile technologies, spanning both the public and private sectors. With regular global TV audiences for the Olympic Games in the billions, it’s no surprise that the next winter and summer games are being targeted as public platforms to launch commercial 5G networks. Open standards are pivotal to the success of 5G integration at the Olympics, where defining a best working practice will ensure stakeholders can maximize the opportunities presented by this rapidly evolving market at two of the most widely anticipated events in the world. Other developments highlighted in the the white paper include:
- DOCOMO carried out a variety of 5G trials with five equipment vendors at the end of 2015
- SK Telecom has opened a 5G innovation center at its corporate R&D center and, by the end of 2016, is targeting interconnecting key enabling technologies including millimeter wave 5G radio & device, LTE, 5G, and WiGig interworking
- China-based equipment vendor Huawei has completed first phase of testing for new 5G air interface
- 4G/5G to be enhanced at the Olympics by other network technologies such as Network Function Virtualization and Software Defined Networking
- Virtual Reality and enriched video quality (4k/8k) being hailed as technology most likely to benefit from 5G deployments at the Olympics
- Internet of Things solutions could help make spectators more comfortable and aid access to stadia, find seats, and pay for food and drink
- South Korea has highest rate of LTE adoption, with 90% expected by 2020
South Korean mobile operator KT suggests that the availability of compatible devices will shape the nature of 5G services the company will showcase at the Pyeongchang games, and is confident that the work it is doing developing 5G won’t be made redundant following the standardization process.
Other commentators in the report include Capita, GSMA Intelligence, Signals Research Group, Ericsson and InterDigital. These companies are united in the opinion that leading providers of wireless and 5G technologies are using the upcoming Olympic Games as a launch pad for commercial deployment for these innovations.
“Given their enormous global profile, it is perhaps not surprising that the Olympics have been central in driving the timeline for 5G, yet it’s hard to recall many other technologies previously being showcased on this stage in this way,” says Christopher Cave, Director, R&D, InterDigital. “The forthcoming games in East Asia are right in the backyard of some of the world’s leading technology development organizations and offer both a fantastic opportunity to launch commercial 5G services and show consumers what the future of wireless communications holds. Underpinning this will be the global standards process which will unify many of the efforts these organizations are making; InterDigital expects to play its part in the realization of 5G by continuing to make valuable contributions towards standardization.”
For over four decades, InterDigital has been a key contributor to global wireless standards, designing and developing a wide range of innovations that are used in digital cellular and wireless products and networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G and IEEE 802-related products and networks. The company is well positioned for strong contributions to the design of 5G across multiple standard organizations including 3GPP, ITU, IEEE and more, through the development of standards-grade simulation platforms to validate 5G candidate technologies.
The white paper is available as a free download here . On October 6 th at 09:00 UTC, Mobile World Live will also host a webinar, sponsored by InterDigital, to discuss the findings of this paper. Moderated by Joseph Waring, Mobile World Live, its panelists will include Christopher Cave, Director, R&D, InterDigital; Alex Jinsung Choi, CTO, SK Telecom, and Magnus Ewerbring, Chief Technology Officer for Asia-Pacific, Ericsson. Readers interested in attending can register here .
About InterDigital ®
InterDigital develops mobile technologies that are at the core of devices, networks, and services worldwide. We solve many of the industry's most critical and complex technical challenges, inventing solutions for more efficient broadband networks and a richer multimedia experience years ahead of market deployment. InterDigital has licenses and strategic relationships with many of the world's leading wireless companies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on NASDAQ and is included in the S&P MidCap 400 ® index.
InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc.
For more information, visit: www.interdigital.com .
InterDigital Contact: Patrick Van de Wille Email: patrick.vandewille@interdigital.com +1 (858) 210-4814
